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Withering-by-Sea: A Stella Montgomery Intrigue (Judith Rossell, ABC Books)

Set in a glum Victorian seaside town, Judith Rossell has written an engaging and evocative mystery-adventure story. Eleven-year-old Stella Montgomery lives a dreary life with her three horrible aunts in a seaside hotel. She longs for a more exciting life, but gets more than she bargained for when she witnesses a terrifying crime and is tasked with protecting an object of great power. Stella is unexpectedly thrust into a world of old magic and men who will stop at nothing to get it. Withering-by-Sea is a delightful, thoroughly enjoyable book. Stella is a curious, resilient and good-natured heroine, despite her Dickensian upbringing. Lots of detail and a sharp ear for cockney-style dialect brings sparkling life to both the setting and characters. This is recommended for fans of Lemony Snicket, ‘The Sisters Grimm’ and ‘Verity Sparks’. It is suitable for children aged nine and up, as the darkness of the storyline is offset by the friends Stella makes along the way.

Fay Helfenbaum is a bookseller at Avenue Bookstore

 

Category: Reviews