The Death (and Further Adventures) of Silas Winterbottom: The Body Thief
Three young scions of a notably dysfunctional family find themselves pitted against a dying uncle as evil as he is massively wealthy in this melodramatic kickoff to the Death (and Further Adventures) of Silas Winterbottom series. Invited to visit their reclusive uncle Silas so that he can select an heir, shy Adele, angry Milo, and Isabella (an accomplished liar and sneak thief) start off at odds but slowly come to form an alliance as it becomes plain that Silas intends no good for any of them. What is his malign scheme? Is it connected to the mysterious coffinlike device being constructed in the dungeon below the manor? Readers who relish the sort of tale that features hidden passages, oddball relatives, mad scientists, veiled or not-so-veiled threats, frequent deadly “accidents,” and the occasional crocodile attack will enjoy the ride—and may well be pleased that bad-to-the-bone Silas, who is the most vivid character here, plainly has a role to play in future episodes despite being reduced to a pile of dust at the end. Grades 5-7. --John Peters