The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place

By Author / Illustrator

Julianna Berry

Genre

Adventure

Age range(s)

11+

Publisher

Templar Publishing

ISBN

9781848124370

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

01-01-2015

Synopsis

An outrageous plot of villainy starring seven brilliant young girls.At Prickwillow Place, Disgraceful Mary Jane, Smooth Kitty and their fellow students are keeping a deadly secret.When the headmistress of St Etheldreda's School for Young Ladies drops dead at Sunday dinner, her seven pupils agree on a clever scheme: to bury their teacher in the vegetable garden, dress up Stout Alice in her place, and educate themselves. This is tricky enough in a small Victorian community, but when the girls deduce that their teacher was poisoned - (it was the veal!) - they realise there is also a murderer on the prowl . . .An outrageous plot of mysterious happenings, farce and friendship.

Reviews

When their headmistress and her brother suddenly die during Sunday lunch, the pupils of St Etheldreda's decide to bury the bodies and carry on as if nothing had happened. Hiding the deaths soon proves to be much harder than they thought it would be and events quickly spiral out of their control. As more deaths occur, will the seven unlikely heroines unmask the murderer before one of them comes to harm? A rollicking good read, this story is full of outrageous situations and very individual characters. The story follows the seven pupils of a Victorian boarding school in Ely, Cambridgeshire, as they attempt to cover up the murder of their headmistress and her brother so that they can stay together. The author cleverly juggles the actions and personalities of the girls so each one develops as an individual, yet they work collectively to move the plot along. The humour of the story and the tongue-in-cheek style of writing make this a delightful book with a satisfying mystery to solve. Complication after complication leads to farcical situations for the young ladies to overcome. There's even a touch of romance! Perfect for those who enjoy a satisfying read and are looking for something a bit different, The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place is a charming story about friendship in difficult circumstances! 327 pages / Ages 12+ / Reviewed by Sue Wilsher, teacher.