Description

Discover the hilarious New York Times bestselling mystery adventure perfect for fans of Robin Stevens and Lemony Snicket.

‘A stunning debut . . . laugh-out-loud funny’ – Observer

On the day they are born, each Swift is brought before the Family Dictionary. They are given a name and a definition, and it is assumed they will grow up to match. Unfortunately, Shenanigan Swift has other ideas.

So what if her relatives all think she’s destined to turn out as a troublemaker, just because of her name? Shenanigan knows she can be whatever she wants – pirate, explorer or even detective.

Which is lucky, really, because when one of the Family tries to murder Arch-Aunt Schadenfreude, someone has to work out whodunit.

With the help of her sisters and cousin, Shenanigan grudgingly takes on the case, but more murders, a hidden treasure and an awful lot of suspects make thing seriously complicated.

Can Shenanigan catch the killer before the whole household is picked off? And in a Family where definitions are so important, can she learn to define herself?

Winner of the Nero Book Award and the Barnes & Noble Children’s Book Award, and nominated for the Carnegie Medal.

Publisher Review

A stunning debut . . . This is an exquisitely written book about identity and wordplay that’s as warm, masterful and up-to-date as it is laugh-out-loud funny. — Kitty Empire * Observer * Deliciously, quirkily Gothic — Robin Stevens * New York Times Book Review * Murder most splendid in this ghoulish debut — Emily Bearn * The Telegraph * Gothic mystery brimming with bonkers characters and boundless energy * Daily Mail * A fun read with diverse characters and an enticing setting. — Alice Clifford * The Sun * A mystery that is as clever and impish as its heroine * Publisher’s Weekly Starred Review * An absolutely delightful debut * Kirkus Reviews Starred Review * A witty confection of highly colourful characters * The Horn Book * A delightful pick for sharp readers enamoured of gothic sensibilities and clever prose * Shelf Awareness Starred Review * This witty, imaginative entry deserves a prominent space on the MG shelf. * PaperBound *