Description
Virginia Tillis can solve any murder-mystery. But the murders have always been fictional until now …
Virginia spends her summers roleplaying murder mysteries with her grandmother and the other theatrical residents of Castle Claude. But this year, everything has changed. Claude, the building owner, has died, and everyone from estranged relatives to sleazy property developers is deadset on getting the most from his will.
To save the community they have always loved, Virginia will have to team up with Felix, the frustrating – or is that frustratingly handsome? – grandson of another resident. Armed only with witty banter, a knack for problem-solving and a determination to win at all costs, can Virginia and Felix crack Castle Claude’s most complex mystery yet?
A cosy and romantic YA murder-mystery about family, community and finding the Watson to your Holmes.
Review
Virginia has always enjoyed spending her summers with her extravagant Grandma, roleplaying murder mysteries. She lives at Castle Claude with a bunch of other theatrical old folks, in a sort of marvellous share house. But this year will be different. Claude, who made the Castle a thing, has died and left something to all of them in his will.
Virginia quickly meets another grandchild, Felix, who has also spent holidays at the Castle, although not when Virginia was there.
Claude’s horrible sister has inherited his apartment and she is hell bent on changing things, and her nephew Bradley also has ideas of turning the place into a bro-pad using money from his rich developer father.
Then Bradley mysteriously dies, and Virginia and Felix team up to try to solve the crime. Could any of these seemingly harmless older people really have committed murder? And will Virginia and Felix ever acknowledge their obvious feelings for each other?
This is an easy read, that shines a positive light on older people. Good vibes, barbs thrown as the romance develops, roleplaying murder games, and then an actual murder, all add spice to the story. This is a feel-good and romantic murder-mystery that will appeal to readers aged from twelve to sixteen years.
