Changes

There is a bit of a mismatch between the cover and blurb, which have a rather cartoonish, light-hearted feel, and the story which can be quite dark at times. Also, it's as confusing for the reader as it is for Mariel to sort out all the different characters that appear in the first few pages, particularly the uncles and aunts, and the occasional element, like Amelia's odour-problem, don't seem to go anywhere. Still, young readers who plough their way past these parts will be rewarded with a good story and even the occasional thrill of fear as they follow the steps in Mariel's journey towards understanding the mysteries, and the horror, of her family history.

Further reading suggestion: A lot of people are trying to kill poor Stanley Bound in [[The Space Crime Conspiracy by Gareth P Jones|The Space Crime Conspiracy]], also by Gareth P Jones, but its zany premise and delightfully eccentric cast make this an excellent read. And for more life-threatening thrills and mysterious characters, try [[Night on Terror Island by Philip Caveney]].