The Body under the Piano: Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen
by Marthe Jocelyn ill by Isabelle Follath
"being quoted by a journalist in reference to a murder is not an accomplishment to please your mother"
 | Twelve-year-old Agatha Caroline Morton, an inquisitive girl living in nineteenth century England is never without her notebook, recording her observations and penning verses. She lives with her rather eccentric grandmother, her grief-stricken mother still mourning her husband's death, nursemaid Charlotte, and dog Tony. The drama begins when Aggie discovers a corpse under the dance studio piano. It's the body of obnoxious Mrs. Irma Eversham, mother of Aggie's classmate Rose and sister-in-law to the dance instructor. Aggie wonders: who would want to murder Mrs. Eversham? (Well, almost everyone.) Why would someone want to eliminate this odious woman? (Possibly anger, revenge, or greed?) How did she die? ( Was it rodent poison?) Not one to sit around and wring her hands, Aggie sets out to uncover the truth and determine the culprit's identity. She enlists the assistance of a new friend, Belgian refugee Hector Perot. |
The murderer could be any of the individuals attending a recital at the dance hall. Mrs. Eversham was not well-liked. She bullied her daughter, alienated her sister-in-law, had little use for the neighboring hotel manager’s son who had his eye on her daughter, and publicly shouted at the young gardener. It's up to Aggie and Hector to piece together the clues and determine the identity of the culprit.
Quiet, shy Aggie possesses a wild imagination. She peppers her account with elaborate flights of fancy. This interior monologue is dripping with melodrama. Great fun to read aloud!
She envisions disposing of a corpse:
"chopped up in a suitcase, shoveled into a well, hurled from a clifftop, locked in a cupboard."
She suspects that an angry acquaintance must be;
"as steamed as a runaway train, as spiky as a hothouse cactus, as fierce as a stampeding rhinoceros, ready to erupt like a volcano..."
Like Agatha Christi, Jocelyn plants several red herrings throughout that will keep readers puzzling. Early on, I identified the person that I was confident was the culprit. Faulty assumption. On rereading, I found that there were numerous clues sprinkled throughout the story that I had overlooked. There is also a carefully disguised identity. Unlike the intrepid Aggie and Hector, I failed to piece all the evidence together. This is one of the joys of classic murder mysteries. One must parse the clues to determine which are worth noting and those that may be misleading,
Jocelyn ratchets up the tension with a nail-biting conclusion. Aggie sets out on a perilous mission, hoping to learn the truth. She uncovers a long-hidden secret that will expose the perpetrator. Things get ugly. Very ugly. Aggie finds herself alone on a dark deserted beach, locked inside a wooden box, and tossed into the frigid sea.
"I only wanted a very small adventure"
The Body Under the Piano: Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen is a classic "whodunit" that will introduce young readers to the thrill of reading a murder mystery with an intriguing plot, an ensemble of possible suspects, and "hidden in plain sight” clues which invite would-be sleuths to join in the search to discover the criminal. More Aggie Morton mysteries please.
| Follath captures the personalities of the major players with a deft hand. I frequently referred to these portraits of leading characters. Very helpful. |  |  |
Meet Agatha Christi
 | This very British, very charming murder mystery is a clearly a homage to the great detective novelist Agatha Christi. Born in Torquay in 1890, she taught herself to read at the age of five. She was an accomplished pianist. However her shyness prevented her from performing for those she did not know. Christie's books have sold over a billion copies in the English language and a billion in translation. |
Uncorrected copy provided by publisher.
Pub date: February 4, 2020 Publisher: Tundra Books ISBN: 978-0735265462
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