Goodly and Grave in a Deadly Case of Murder
Justine Windsor
Harper Collins
In the first Goodly and Grave, we are introduced to the characters and learn how Lucy Goodly and Lord Grave become the unlikeliest of crime-cracking partners. It’s a fast-paced, madcap adventure full of warmth and humour (as well as plenty of weird and wonderful plot twists and more than a splash of mayhem). Oh and they have magical powers. I guess the books would appeal to children around the age of 7 to 10; and as a teacher I couldn’t wait to share this book with my Year 4 class, who lapped it up, laughed out loud and were eager to learn of a sequel.
So for the second book, we follow Lucy’s adventures as she joins Magicians Against the Abuse of Magic (MAAM), hosted by Lord Grave. Soil is being stolen from freshly-dug burial grounds and it’s up to Lucy, Bertie (Lord Grave’s son), Smell the cat and the rest of the cast of Grave Hall to piece together the mystery.
As you may suspect from the title, this second book has a darker and more sinister tone; episodes in graveyards at midnight, a disreputable inn, and the creation of powerful creatures that can be used to carry out your will. Not to mention the murders. This is all great news for the plot which zips along with plenty of momentum and a number of surprising turns. The whodunnit element will be guessed early on by the mature reader, but that doesn’t detract from the entertaining chase.
Throughout, Justine Windsor continues to add detail to the magical world she has created. Lucy is constantly learning of new powers and magical phenomenon as the book (and the series) develops. Windsor’s writing is full of verve and seems effortless; I really admire the vocabulary choices which will challenge and inspire the young reader.
Illustrations by Becka Moor really support the identity of the book – hilarious depictions of zombie giraffes are one of the highlights and there are plenty of other comedic episodes. Becka has done a great job in anchoring a victorian ambience to the book, particularly through the Penny Dreadfuls, picture frames, character costumes and endpapers.
This all adds up to a very amusing, slightly eccentric and thoroughly entertaining read. Recommended.