Author: Derek Landy

ISBN: 978-0-06-12315-5

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

You Can Purchase This Book From Amazon 

 What can I say about Skulduggery Pleasant? He’s an accomplished detective with a flair for fashion and witty conversation. I suppose I should also tell you that he’s a sorcerer who snaps up fireballs faster than I can crack gum. Okay, there’s one more tiny detail—he’s one of the undead, but he’s really a nice guy folks, honestly! Did I forget to mention that he’s a walking, talking, wisecracking skeleton?

The books heroine, Stephanie Edgley, first meets Skulduggery at her uncle’s funeral. Well, they don’t meet, but she does see him skulking nearby wrapped in a scarf, hat, sunglasses, and an overcoat. He certainly is oddly dressed consider the warm weather. At the reading of the will, Stephanie discovers that she has inherited most of her rich and famous uncle’s estate. Skulduggery is also at the reading, although no one in the family knows who he is. When a storm traps Stephanie overnight at her uncle’s estate, Skulduggery saves her from certain death and the adventure begins.

Stephanie and Skulduggery battle all sorts of magical misfits and bad guys while trying to save the world from the return of the Faceless Ones (some really, really bad guys). Along the way, she meets a number of magical good guys and a few fence sitters. She also realizes that she has a gift—the gift of magic. At just twelve, Stephanie’s life changes forever.

The story is creative, unique, and well told. Technically, the writer and editors did a superb job. There are no unanswered questions, no “wait a minute…” shortcuts, and not a single weak twist or character. I didn’t even miss the other teen characters that one expects in this type of book. They’re not necessary. Not once did I think, “Why doesn’t Stephanie have any normal friends?”

While the story’s pure fantasy, you’ll quickly be caught up in the antics of these mismatched heroes. Mismatched only because one’s alive and the other isn’t. It’s a bit of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Star Wars, and Scooby Doo, all rolled into one. I can easily see this book making it to Hollywood’s big screen or a television or cartoon series. The ending sets us up for a sequel, so I’ll be on the watch. 

The above review was contributed by: Susan Sales Harkins: Susan is a Software consultant and the author of several articles and books on database technologies. She and her husband, William, collaborate on children's non-fiction. Click Here to read more of Susan’s Reviews