Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy

Skulduggery Pleasant
by Derek Landy
Harper Collins, 2007

GENRE: Mystery, Horror, Comic Fantasy

HONORS: Bord Gais Energy Irish Book of the Decade Award 2000-2010, Red House Children's Book Award

REVIEW: Stephanie was always very close with her uncle Gordon who has just mysteriously passed away. Surrounded by family and friends of her uncle at the reading of his will, 12-year-old Stephanie learns that she alone will inherit her uncle’s mansion and the royalties from his best-selling book, much to the surprise of everyone in the room. On the first visit to her new home, Stephanie is attacked by a man demanding “the key,” only to be saved by her uncle’s strange friend Skulduggery Pleasant. This incident becomes the first of many adventures together as they uncover the details of her uncle’s murder, secrets he has hidden away, and a world of magic Stephanie never knew existed.

OPINION: I noticed this book as a California Young Reader’s nominee a couple of years ago, and having enjoyed a few of the other nominees this was one I had always been interested in reading, and I was not disappointed. I love it when a book surprises me for the better and provided a story of magic and mystery mixed with clever and witty humor.

IDEAS: This book would work well in a display/book mark of juvenile mysteries, or perhaps a Halloween display of books with creepy themes. If a TAG group was to read this book, related programming ideas might be something along the lines of a murder mystery dinner or a game similar to Murder in the Dark.