Kirkus
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When Bonnie Montgomery’s mother, Liz, becomes a murder suspect, Bonnie, in her guise as detective Montgomery Bonbon, rushes to find the real culprit. Bonnie is excited about the annual Grimmfire Night celebration on the Widdlington Historic Quay. She’ll get to watch a fireworks display orchestrated by Liz and launched from the “REAL pirate ship” theDreadnowt, which is under the command of the syrupy Captain Roger Valancourt. But things go haywire: The show is sabotaged, and the fireworks all go off simultaneously. When the smoke clears, an injured Valancourt falls dead onto the deck—and police inspector Prashanti Sands arrests Liz. Bonnie dons the beret, raincoat, and mustache of her alter ego, the renowned detective with a “mysterious foreign accent” whose true identity even her mother doesn’t know. Assisted by loyal Grampa Banks and friend Dana Hornville, she hunts for the person who wanted Valancourt dead. The descriptions—of the ship, characters, mishaps and more—are laugh-out-loud funny. Action abounds as the trio clamber over the ship and quayside in their investigation. Liz begins her own inquiry and proves surprisingly astute; might she also discover the true identity of Montgomery Bonbon? Powell’s scribbly black-and-white illustrations capture the frenetic energy as Bonnie races to reveal the full scope of the intrigue. Bonnie and her family present white; the supporting cast contains racial diversity. Ipso facto calamari: another ridiculously clever mystery in the series. (diagram, cast of characters, author’s note)(Mystery. 8-12) Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.