A Good Read

Skulduggery Pleasant, by Derek Landy

Gordon Edgley's sudden death came as a shock to everyone--not least himself. One moment he was in his study, seven words intot the twenty-fifth sentence of the final chapter of his new book, And the Darkness Rained upon Them, and the next he was dead. A tragic loss, his mind echoed numbly as he slipped away.

Although his death is unexpected, Gordon has a will and has left his entire estate and fortune to his favorite neice, Stephanie. It doesn't take long for Stephanie to learn that Gordon's books--tales of horror and magic and wonder--are based on reality, though, for dark forces quickly seek her out. She is rescued by a friend of Gordon's who calls himself Skulduggery Pleasant. Skulduggery is a wizard who has returned from death as just a skeleton, a "survivor" of a centuries-long war between the powers of magic and currently operating as a detective in that hidden world of sorcerers. Stephanie attaches herself to Skulduggery, initially out of fear but also because she is intrigued by this new world, and quickly learns that her uncle was murdered. A new war is coming, and Stephanie may be getting more adventure than she bargained for.

While Stephanie is not a realistic portrayal of a 12-year-old, this book is a lot of fun and just dark and mature enough to keep it interesting. It's a J, but I also recommend it for teens.