The Death and Further Adventures of Silas Winterbottom

THE DEATH AND FURTHER

ADVENTURES OF

SILAS WINTERBOTTOM

The Body Thief

By:  Stephen M. Giles

FIRST SENTENCE

“Washington, a stocky black bulldog, was licking at the saucer of milk and purring softly when Mr. Walter Fester entered the kitchen muttering to himself about the outrageous price of eggs.”

SUMMARY
from book jacket

Adele, Milo, and Isabella Winterbottom haven’t heard from Uncle Silas in years – unless you count the occasional insult.  So when the cousins receive a mysterious invitation from their disagreeable relative, curious eyebrows are raised.  But Silas is dying, and a dying man with a vast fortune usually wishes to find an heir.

Or so the children believe.

But when they meet dear, old Uncle Silas and his hungry pet crocodile, the trio suspects that he may have a more sinister reason for inviting healthy, young relatives to a secluded island estate, where nothing is as it seems …

REVIEW

This middle grade book combines cute and dark with great results.  The three cousins are all so different from each other and their bickering is pretty funny.  Adele is a bookworm, Milo wants to be a gardener, and Isabella is spoiled rotten.  I loved the scene where Isabelle ended up in a pile of horse manure – she deserved it!

The dark side of the story comes into play through old Uncle Silas.  He is hatching an evil scheme that the cousins are slowly uncovering.  I was surprised by what he had in store for the children and the ending caught me off guard in a good way.

This entertaining story has plot twists that you won’t expect and it’s a quick read.  It is perfect for a middle grader who likes mysteries and humor.  I had a good time reading about mean Uncle Silas.

RATING

4        Plot

5        Characters

4        Attention Grabbing

4        Girlie Meter

5        Ending

22      TOTAL

5        STARS