Montgomery Bonbon: Murder at the Museum by Alasdair Beckett-King

"The darkness was like a black velvet curtain drawn around her as she transformed into the renowned detective. She did not need a mirror, she had done this many times before. First, she unzipped her backpack and pulled on his raincoat. Second, she tugged her beret down at a jaunty angle that implied a keen and inquisitive mind ... Finally, she produced a sticky false moustache and pressed it into place on her upper lip - giving it a few wiggles to make sure it was secure."

Bonnie Montgomery has a nose for crime. She dons her raincoat, hat and moustache and becomes .... Montgomery Bonbon - the world's greatest detective. Working with her trusty sidekick Grampa Banks, Montgomery is determined to solve the murder at the museum. 

Who has been murdered? Why? And who has stolen the priceless artefact - the Widdlington Eagle.

"The turret room was a small, eight-sided chamber with a single yellowish winder that let in very little light. ... In the exact centre of the chamber stood a solid marble pedestal, topped by a a square glass case. The case, Bonnie noticed, was empty. Completely empty. A detective does not miss that sort of thing."

This book would make a fun family or class read aloud. It heavily rifts off Hercule Poirot and other classic detective stories and it is a story with a huge heart. Yes there is a murder but, like all good Agatha Christie stories (and Midsummer murders on television) that is not really the point. The fun is the cast of characters and potential suspects and the daring of this young disguised detective to discover the truth.

Bookseller blurb: A brilliantly funny young murder mystery from a rising stand-up comedian, podcaster and filmmaker - and exciting new talent in children's fiction. Many people go their whole lives without noticing anything that is afoot, amiss, or even untoward; without ever experiencing that toe-tingling, stomach-twisting sensation that a mystery is about to unfold. Not Bonnie Montgomery - the world's best detective. Not that anyone (other than Grampa Banks) has heard of her... But they might have heard of the great Montgomery Bonbon, the well-dressed gentleman detective who (apart from the hat and moustache) looks suspiciously like a 10-year-old girl. Their newest case: solving the mystery surrounding a highly suspicious death at the Hornville Museum. Together they'll interview some dodgy witnesses, scour the scene for clues and - above all - hope no one notices that Bonnie and Montgomery are never in the same room at the same time...

This is a brand new book published in February 2023. There are lots of wacky illustrations inside by Claire Powell and I especially appreciated the cast of characters on the opening pages. This debut book is a madcap old fashioned romp which I think adults will enjoy just as much as younger readers. Huge thanks to Beachside Bookshop for my advance copy. 

While the plot is convincing enough to engage readers and keep them guessing, the underlying mood of Bonnie’s story is a gentle humour. And there is never any doubt that, without the false moustache and raincoat, Montgomery Bonbon looks remarkably like a ten-year-old girl. Book Trust