Mysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, is publishing a new review of The Curse of Shipwreck Bottom by Wayne Madsen. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.
The Curse of Shipwreck Bottom by Wayne Madsen
The Misadventures of Inspector Moustachio
Community Press (Trade Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-9797572-2-3 (0979757223)
ISBN-13: 978-0-9797572-2-8 (9780979757228)
Publication Date: November 2008
List Price: $16.99
Review: Jake and his sister Alexa head off on another misadventure on the other side of the magnifying glass in The Curse of Shipwreck Bottom, the third mystery in this series for 9- to 11-year-old readers by Wayne Madsen.
While playing a game of Go Fish (but of course), the magnifying glass comes alive with the image of Cap'n Snappy, who relates to the young detectives a tale of the battle between the evil sea witch Jezebel and King Neptune for control of the kingdom of Atlantis. After Jezebel captured Atlantis and banished it into a magical seashell, King Neptune captured her, trapping her in another seashell. Pirates are now searching for Jezebel's shell to release her, and together gain control of the Seven Seas. But Cap'n Snappy needs help stopping them and pleads with Inspector Moustachio and his investigative team to join him and his crew to save the world from the evil that lies at Earth's End.
The Curse of Shipwreck Bottom, like the earlier books in this series, has a Wizard of Oz or Alice in Wonderland style (and appeal) to them. Jake (Inspector Moustachio) and Alexa (Inspector Girl), together with their cat Rex (critter detective) and guinea pig Sandy (pet detective in training), meet a number of imaginative and unusual people and creatures (they're really one and the same on the other side of the magnifying glass) on their journey to Earth's End. Like him or love him, and there's probably little reader emotion in-between, Rex is frequently the center of attention. His "We're doooooooomed", a typical response to any given situation, gets a little tiresome, though.
The plot of The Curse of Shipwreck Bottom is straight-forward, however the path taken is somewhat serpentine; younger readers may have a hard time following some of the action. The riddles the team must solve add interest to their quest. In the end, Jake knows a bit more about the mystery behind the magnifying glass but realizes he has much to learn. Fortunately he'll have another chance to expand his knowledge in the next book in the series, The Secret of the Pharoah's Feline; Rex ought to really be in his element here!
Special thanks to Community Press for providing a copy of The Curse of Shipwreck Bottom for this review.
Review Copyright © 2009 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved
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Synopsis (from the publisher): In this swashbuckling misadverture, brave Jake Moustachio is quickly learning to control the powers of his magical magnifying glass -- and not a moment too soon! The fate of our young detectives, their precious guinea pig, Sandy, and their not-so-fearless cat, Rex, is starting to reveal itself, as they are tossed into a double-crossing, fantastic world on the high seas.
Earth's End is waiting for the mystery-solving foursome as they navigate an ocean full of dangerous suspects, sailing about on the other side of the magnifying glass.
Captain Snappy, a cranky pirate, calls upon the Moustachios to break the curse cast upon his ship and crew by the wicked sea witch Jezebel. But the evil Baron Von Snodgrass and his unrecognizable, evil partner are also sailing among the tumultuous waves of the sea, more determined than ever to stop the young detectives from fulfilling their destiny.
Only two adventurous kids can solve the puzzle to reverse the curse and save the cosmos from its impending doom.
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