Georgia and her best friend Billy are trying out for the school play that's being organised by Mr Truckle. After the first rehearsal, Georgia realises she's left her bag in school and returns to fetch it from the rehearsal room when she hears a noise. Going to investigate, she finds Mr Truckle dead in the library. She races to get help but when she returns, Mr Truckle has vanished. Unfortunately, none of the staff believe Georgia when she tells them, so she confides in Billy who promises to help her find out exactly what has happened. And so the pair embark upon solving the mystery.
I love a good murder mystery so was excited by the sound of Lessons In Death. I must admit that the blurb, at first glance, made me think of Murder Most Unladylike; however, one chapter in and I was quickly reassured that the books would be very different (don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of Robin's books, I just didn't want them to be similar).
The pace of the book is fast and you are quickly swept away trying to work out what exactly has happened to Mr Truckle. It's clear he's a well-liked member of staff and Georgia can't understand why staff aren't more worried. Mention of messages from him don't reassure her so she feels she has no choice but to take matters into her own hands.
There is a strong bond between Georgia and Billy, but then Wren enters the equation. New to the school, she is keen to make friends. Georgia is aware that her mum and Wren's were childhood friends but Georgia seems reluctant to befriend her. Wren is just keen to fit in and is desperate for that sense of belonging so why is Georgia so reluctant - this element of the plot will create interesting discussions. Georgia is resilient, stubborn and clearly has her faults - I like that about her.
Set in a secondary school, there is a more grown-up feel to the book whilst maintaining an MG appropriateness, making it perfect for pre-teens who aren't quite ready for YA yet. I already know that the book is going to be popular with my Year 6s.
Publishing 11th September, Lessons In Death is a page-turner of a book full of twists that will keep readers guessing until the end (I didn't guess the outcome!). I love that this is the first in a new series and I can't wait to read more.
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