Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen: The Body Under the Piano
When I first discovered this book, I was bursting with fruit flavour. Every type; banana, watermelon, strawberry, kiwi… strawberry and kiwi.
Yep, I was so excited, I just couldn’t hide it.
As you may already be aware, I have somewhat of an obsession with Agatha Christie. Every evening, for the past twelve years or longer, I have read her books before bed. I’m even onto the recent ones written by people like Sophie Hannah. I’ve watched every version of her stories, the BBC ones of course, but also films featuring Peter Ustinov as Poirot, and more recently Kenneth Branagh. I’ve also discovered the French version called Agatha Christie’s Criminal Games and the Norwegian series Herjson—both very entertaining—and there’s something even more tragic.
I've not only watched or read them once, but numerous times. Yep. I’ve even read her autobiography, her secret notebooks and been known to have conversations with Agatha herself, blogging about it in my guise as the murder-mystery novelist Agatha Bellsy. Oh, and did I mention my childhood nickname was Aggie?
Therefore, as you can imagine, when I discovered this middle-grade series, written from the perspective of a twelve-year-old Aggie Morton, solving crimes with her new best friend Hector Perot, I was overjoyed. Not only that, once I dove in, I couldn't stop reading. I absolutely love Marthe Jocelyn’s writing style. It’s written in first person and sounds just like I imagine Agatha Christie would. There is even more excitement to be had. As the title suggests, a body discovered beneath a piano means this is not only a middle-grade murder mystery, but a musical middle-grade murder-mystery. Marvellous huh?
The story begins with Agatha reflecting on her fateful choice of confectionery. I had to include the whole passage, just so you can see how wonderful it is.
‘None of my lessons, nor any of the books I’d read, had yet explained how the smallest occurrence might cause a tremendous impact on the universe. If I had chosen chocolate buds on that Saturday, as I usually did, instead of strawberry drops (in the jar on a higher shelf, reached only by using a stool)... And if Frosty Paws had picked a different moment to pounce on her master’s bootlaces (dangling so temptingly from atop the stool)... And if the bell of the shop door did not announce costumes with such a strident jangle (causing Mr Dilton to twist around in surprise)... Hector Perot would not have walked through the door into the mayhem of shattered glass and scattered sweets, and we would have had no reason to speak to each other.’
What a tragedy that would be! Luckily the universe was on our side.
Later that evening, Aggie proceeds to the Mermaid dance room—as you may know, I also love mermaids—watching a recital of dancers. I can imagine they would be doing Eurythmics, just like Agatha—accompanied by piano. I’ve included some photos from her autobiography as reference… and a little amusement. (That's her in the centre).
Anyway, when our little Aggie Morton is called to recite a poem, poor shy Agatha has an attack of stage fright. Consequently she leaves her notebook behind–does that sound like someone we know–and the following morning she returns to retrieve and discovers… the body under the piano.
‘Had she suffered a heart attack? Some sort of conniption?’ Aggie wonders. ‘Was dull indigo the usual color of a dead person’s skin? Weren’t bodies meant to be ghostly white? Or was that only if the blood had been drained by leeches—or by a stab wound made by a knife?’
Fortunately, Aggie is on the case. She notices an odd smell and immediately her imagination runs wild, her mind ‘flies to murder’ and she is determined to solve the mystery. Of course, with the assistance of the eminent Hector Peret.
You can probably tell from the above quotations, that it’s a very entertaining read. What’s more, there are sprinkles of historical details relating to Agatha’s life. Her family visits to Torquay, her mandolin playing, aforementioned dancing, and of course her famous notebooks which she invariably would lose.
There’s also a lot of comedy and wit in this story of which I’m sure Agatha would deeply approve. In fact, I think that’s what makes it possible to read about murder without the slightest concern for nightmares. Termed cosy—or cozy if you are American—mysteries, they are just that. Something lighthearted, you can read over and over again, which is not to say, they are simple. Not at all. In fact, I believe it takes great skill to write like Agatha Christie. She uses just the right word rather than ten, keeps the plot moving with twists and turns, and her characters and dialogue are the most succinctly captured I’ve ever come across.
Just like my idol Agatha Christie, Marthe Jocelyn is fantastic and guess what? Marthe also informed me the third book features a violinist! Yay!
You should see the grin on Ferdinand’s face.
#marthejocelyn #agathachristie #middlegradebooks #bodyunderthepiano #childrensbookauthors #musicalbooksforchildren #creatingstoriesthroughmusic
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