Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Book Review: Bad Machinery vol #3


Book: Bad Machinery volume #3: The Case of The Simple Soul by John Allison

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: December 10, 2014

Description:

The Tackleford gang is back with a new case that demands solving! When Tackleford's derelict barns begin going up in flames, Linton and Sonny are on the case with a moderately mysterious new friend. Paths cross, however, when Lottie and Mildred meet a terrifying yet misunderstood creature living beneath a bridge! Throw in an overly enthusiastic Fire Brigade, a transforming skate ramp, and a new French teacher and you've got the kind of charming genius that can only be found in John Allison's bad machinery.


Rating: 4 stars

Review:

In the small British town of Tackleford, strange and supernatural things occur but it's just a normal part of life there. As summer break approaches, mysterious barn fires are being set, Linton and Sonny are attempting to solve the case. But with their friend and third member of their group Jack sidetracked by his new relationship with Shauna, the two guys reluctantly join up with new kid Colm who may be more trouble than the mystery. Colm also has a crush on Charlotte and he thinks he may know who is setting the fires, a troll.

Speaking of the troll, Charlotte and Mildred are trying to help him find love. Armed with advice from women's magazines the two girls set out to pair the troll up with one of their teachers. Shauna tried to talk Charlotte out of the troll situation but it didn't work. After getting the troll ready they take him a round to the local pub which is where the teachers go after the last day of school. Let's just say that experiment didn't work out for the best seeing how it caught the eye of a reporter and now the whole town is after the troll thinking he may be behind the fires.

Now that summer break has started and the towns people have gone troll hunting crazy it doesn't look like the fire starter mystery is any closer to being solved. But a culprit may be found, after one of Colm's romantic attempts to woo Charlotte went wrong, he was accused of being the fire starter, leaving Linton and Sonny to try to prove his innocence.

Meanwhile, Charlotte and Mildred were trying to make extra money but when one more barn fire is set this time with both Colm and the troll inside the mystery solving girls and boys are heading to the scene.

This book was hilarious, I couldn't stop laughing at it. These kids are crazy and their whole town is crazy. Mystery solving might not be what these kids are best at because only two of the kids solved the fire mystery but one won't tell on the suspect while no one believes the other one.

So not the best mystery solvers but it's a funny book. This is the first time I've read anything from this series by this author, I'm glad I gave this a read.

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