I'm going to be terribly unprofessional here for a moment so please do humour me. THIS IS BRILLIANT.*Puts Critic hat back on*THIS IS BRILLIANTOh, this will never do. Okay, I'll have to do my best to restore some sort of professional overtones to this review. Laura Marlin is brilliant. Wait, it's not improving is it. She has a three legged Siberian huskey as a sidekick. Which is brilliant.Oh, I give in. THIS BOOK IS BRILLIANT. It's the Famous Five meets Nancy Drew. It has the wonderful Laura Marlin - bright, brilliant heroine that she is - and she's a delight to read. It has a shady uncle. An even shadier housekeeper. And it feels like sunshine and coconut fudge and fry-ups at the seaside cafe. Just go get it. Read it. Because it's brilliant. 11 year old Laura is an orphan. Her father, an American soldier, disappeared long before she was born, and her mother died during childbirth. All her life, Laura has lived at the Sylvan Meadow's Children Home. Always hoping and dreaming of finding a home where she can stay longer than half a day because she is fussy. And then finally, such a dream comes true. Her uncle, her mother's brother, is found, and agrees to take her in. She moves to Cornwall to live with her uncle and immediately falls in love with it.Her uncle, Calvin Redfern is a very intriguing character. Whenever he's around, you get the sense that there's something hidden about him. - secrets.Laura has always wanted to be a detective. Her idol being Matt Walker, a character in a series of books. And soon, mysteries begin to surround her in St Ives. What are the Mukthars hiding? Who is J? And what is her uncle hiding.It's gripping, hugely entertaining and has something special about it - I just can't put my finger on it. Lauren St John has written a beauty with this one! My only criticism is that it wasn't longer. I was left yearning for more! Very much looking forward to the second book in the series, Kidnap In The Caribbean, due next year.
What do You think about La Cala Del Muerto (2010)?
Read this book for my daughter as her bed time story. Both of us enjoyed it!
—kaylaannefn
I loved it, reminded me of Enid Blyton's "Famous Five".
—Marc
This is an excellent book, a great read!
—Tsubasacrazy
