Synopsis: Warning: do not read this book! … For amongst its strange and alarming contents you will find: two extraordinary adventurers … a missing magician’s diary… a symphony of smells… and a deadly secret. But wait, you already know too much! It is too late. I’m afraid nothing will stop you now. Open the book if you must. But, please, tell no one.

Spending time with her two surrogate granddads in their antique store, eleven year old Cass is intrigued by the Symphony of Smells discovered in the burnt remains of a magician’s house. With schoolmate, aspiring stand-up comedian Max-Ernest, she sets out to discover the “deadly secret” that the author is so reluctant to reveal. Along the way the pair encounter the sinister and curiously youthful Dr L and Ms Mauvais. With the help of their code-cracking skills they save Benjamin Blake (kidnapped because he has synaesthesia) from a pyramid in the Spa of the Midnight Sun. And they thwart the evil duo’s plans to discover the secret of immortality.

 Review: The tantalising blurb and the author’s absurd name make this a book that even the reluctant reader may find hard to resist. With a narrator reminiscent of Lemony Snicket, it is a thoroughly entertaining read, both funny and addictive. The word games that Cass and Max-Ernest must solve to progress will keep the reader completely involved with the characters’ adventure and the intrusive narrator’s frequent reminders that this is a secret ensure that the pace and intrigue of the story are maintained throughout. Beyond the author’s dire warnings, however, is a good adventure story with real warmth and unique and quirky characters. Certainly the story could spark some useful discussions about family relationships and friendship - all three children central to the story are outsiders amongst their peers, Cass doesn’t know her father and Max-Ernest’s parents are divorced (their ludicrous living arrangements are a great example of what adults think children need). Despite its length a good book to read aloud.

2008-06-04