It wouldn't be a murder mystery weekend without a body or two, and the place is soon awash with shadowy figures, secret staircases and a strange book which seems to move round the house at will. There's even a noose hanging up in a dark corner, heavy with cobwebs and menace. Jiggy's parents are no help (in fact, once you meet them, you begin to see why Jiggy is the way he is). His mum's too busy behaving inappropriately in the garden, and the two dads have no other ambition in life than to slip off at the earliest opportunity to the local pub. So, once again it's up to the Musketeers to solve the mystery, catch the villain and save the day. Well, maybe!
Michael Lawrence has created a very distinctive brand of humour in this series of books which, judging by the amount of awards and nominations he's received, hold a strong appeal for many young readers (and, to be honest, quite a few older ones, too). There's something rather comforting about the fact that no matter how clumsy you are, how ridiculous you look or how embarrassing your mistakes, you will never, ever, ever mess up as disastrously and publicly as Jiggy does. His wry tone as he recounts his latest disaster, his absolute conviction that no matter how bad something is, it can always get worse, and his philosophical, almost cheerful acceptance of his fate, make him endearing and very, very funny. The toilet-centric topics, the groan-worthy puns and the daffy names (how could a weekend organised by Roderick Basket-Case be anything but an unmitigated disaster?) will delight boys and girls alike and do more to encourage 'literacy' than a bucketful of educational initiatives. This isn't great literature, and why should it be? It's just sheer, silly fun from start to finish, and young readers will love it.
Oh, by the way, Jiggy also has his very own website, which is well worth a visit. Try the Pants Olympics, for starters!