Illustrated by George Ermos
Published by Usborne
The Beanstalk Murder is a terrifically twisty murder mystery that kept me utterly spellbound as I followed Anwen and Cerys to the Sky Kingdom to solve a gigantic whodunnit …
Apprentice meadow-witch Anwen Sedge is attending the weekly market in Old Stump trying to avoid trainee sorceress Cerys Powell who she blames for sabotaging her entrance exam to attend the Academy of High Magic. Cerys is not at all impressed with the way Anwen is exacting revenge which leads to an argument between the two. However, something much worse than pigeon poop falling from the sky is about to change their lives …
A giant falls from the sky, flattening the village of Old Stump. When Anwen and her Grandma Eira examine the body, Anwen makes a discovery: the giant has been murdered and dumped in their village! Despite no contact between giants and humans since the signing of a treaty at the end of the Great Beanstalk War, Eira is determined to seek justice and let the giants know what has happened to one of their own. Luckily, she just so happens to have an illegal magic bean which she plants to grow to the Sky Kingdom so that she can send a message to the giants. Unfortunately, her plan doesn’t quite go as she had intended and Anwen and Cerys find themselves at the top of the beanstalk and facing the giants whose King is missing …
And so begins an incredibly exciting, action-packed mystery as Anwen and Cerys discover that a royal murder has been committed, but who could be the culprit and what possible motive could they have? Anwen is determined to use her witchy-skills and her now-diminutive size to her advantage to solve the colossal case and drags Cerys into her investigations whether she likes it or not. But can these two daring young sleuths keep themselves safe whilst all around them there is giant danger for the tiny duo? I absolutely loved the twists and turns, the secret revelations, following the trail of clues and red herrings … and loved that I didn’t have a clue who the culprit was, but enjoyed guessing – and being proved wrong!
This is an ingenious twist on a fairytale and murder mystery and I can see so much scope both for another adventure in this world and for other fairytale murder mysteries to join this one. The world-building is fantastic! I loved wandering around the Sky Kingdom Palace, meeting some of its wonderfully helpful animal characters and would love to spend some time in Fortune Hall. I loved both the Folk Magic linked to an appreciation of nature that Anwen uses and the High Magic that Cerys excels at from projection to glamour.
I loved seeing how Anwen and Cerys begin to work together as a team and slowly build friendship despite a fractious relationship. Cerys is incredibly driven to attend the Academy of High Magic and is proud of what she has achieved so much so that she can appear boastful and derogatory about Anwen’s Folk Magic skills. Anwen is an astute, keenly observant and curious young girl who gives as good as she gets. I loved that both girls come to accept and respect both their own, and each other’s, magical abilities which leads to a much closer friendship.
A wonderfully warm-hearted, magical whodunnit that reaches giant-sized heights of delight, perfect for readers of 9+.
Thank you to Usborne Publishing for sending me a copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Book Craic 