*I received a free copy of this book with thanks to the author, Boldwood Books and Rachel Gilbey at Rachel's Random Resources blog tours. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
Blurb: When English teacher Gemma Lamb's school flat is wrecked by storms, maverick headmistress Hairnet insists the girls must fund its repair by setting up their own businesses – the start of a series of hilarious unintended consequences.
Meanwhile Gemma's worries are compounded by the arrival of bossy new girl Frieda Ehrlich, sponsored by a mysterious local tycoon whose wealth is of dubious origins. Fearful for the school's reputation, Gemma recruits an old friend to help investigate the tycoon's credentials, jeopardising her romance with sports teacher Joe Spryke.
What is Frieda hiding? Why is her sponsor living in a derelict manor house? Why is his chauffeur such a crazed driver? And what has become of McPhee, Hairnet's precious black cat? With a little help from her friends, Gemma is determined to solve these mysteries, restore her flat and save the school.
For anyone who loved St Trinian's – old or new – or read Malory Towers as a kid. St Brides is the perfect read for you!
Gemma Lamb is back at St Bride's in her fourth adventure, along with Joe, Oriana, Hairnet, the Bursar - all the old favourites.
As this is a series, I would recommend reading in order to find out how Gemma ended up at St Bride's boarding school for girls and to see the development of her relationships with the staff there (along with a few surprising revelations about said staff!). That said though, none of the backstory is really necessary to enjoy this gentle school-based mystery in its own right.
The main plot features a sullen new girl with strange family circumstances and the usual desperate need for funding at the school - due to a collapsed roof this time - requiring the girls to get creative (and artistic, as you can tell from the title) to try to raise some funds. Add in a splash of romance with Joe, some humour - I do have a soft spot for Max Security - and you've got the perfect recipe for a lovely, quick and easy read that would be suitable for mystery lovers tween-aged upward (no sex, violence or bad language... just pure, clean family fun!).
The comparisons to both St Trinian's and Mallory Towers are very appropriate, as staff and girls get into scrapes and hi-jinks, so for fans of those classics there is a pleasant sheen of nostalgia over these stories as well, even though they have a fresh style of their own.
I confess that I am now thoroughly obsessed with St Bride's and fully intend to read every single book in this series! I need to know whether Gemma and Joe ever make things work with their work-life balance, whether Oriana ever lands a millionaire and whether the library, art block and sports department ever do manage to get fully-funded! I'll keep you posted as I find out...
'Bye, Frieda,' said Imogen pleasantly, apparently holding no grudge against the new girl's hostility, and remembering her manners. 'And welcome to St Bride's, by the way.'
Her friends echoed her words, but Frieda's face remained sullen.
'You're welcome to St Bride's,' she replied stonily.
But when she thought no one was looking, I saw her bite back a smile.
- Debbie Young, Artful Antics at St Bride's
About the author
Debbie Young is the much-loved author of the Sophie Sayers and St Brides cosy crime mysteries. She lives in a Cotswold village where she runs the local literary festival, and has worked at Westonbirt School, both of which provide inspiration for her writing. She is bringing both her series to Boldwood in a 13-book contract. They will be publishing several new titles in each series and republishing the backlist, starting in September 2022.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorDebbieYoung
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DebbieYoungBN
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/debbieyoungauthor/
Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/DebbieYoungNews
Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/debbie-young
Don't forget to check out the other blog stops on the tour for more great reviews and content (see the poster below for details)!
No comments:
Post a Comment