mystery – BookBunnies

Caramel reviews The ABC Murders by Agatha Christie

Sprinkles is a huge Agatha Christie fan, so of course she was thrilled to see Caramel carrying around The ABC Murders, originally published in 1936. They are talking about the book today. As usual Sprinkles is taking notes and asking questions.

Sprinkles: I was so excited to see you reading an Agatha Christie book, Caramel! She is the best!

Caramel: Yeah, I can see that point of view, she is a pretty good writer.

S: Yay! So you liked the book! I mean, I know there are a lot of folks who would not consider Christie a serious literary figure, but I always enjoy her books and I think she is great at what she does.

C: Yup, she kept me guessing almost all the way to the end.

S: Was this your first Agatha Christie novel?

C: Nope. I had also read And Then There Were None when Marshmallow was reviewing it.

S: Ooh, that was a good one too. So, okay, back to The ABC Murders. I am sure I read this book but it must have been decades ago. And I do not remember much of the plot. Can you tell us a bit about it?

C: So Hercule Poirot receives a suspicious letter signed by “ABC”.

S: Oh, so this has Poirot as the main detective! That is cool! Go on.

C: Yes, so this letter tells him that there will be a murder in Andover, and then someone actually dies there, so Poirot goes to Andover to figure things out.

S: Poirot is Belgian, and often works with some British guy who writes about him, right? Kind of like Dr. Watson of Sherlock Holmes?

C: Yes. The main narrator is Arthur Hastings, and the book is written like he is recounting the story rather than living through it.

S: Apparently Hastings appears in quite a lot of Poirot mysteries. I suppose it is good to have a character like Hastings or Watson to tell us these stories about the genius detectives they are hanging out with and admire so much. This way the stories unfold naturally and we are in the dark about what is going on in the minds of these mysterious crime solvers until the very end.

C: Yeah, it’s like that, ‘cept Hastings ole’ fellow has quite the thinker on emself-

S: Wait, what are you saying? Please speak normally. You are not a British gentleman from the nineteen twenties.

C: Awww, ok, but that was fun! And I am only about a hundred years late! And not quite British… Anyways, the only difference is that Hastings is actually somewhat smart so he also figures some things out. Still it is clear to everyone including himself that he is not as smart as Poirot and is surprised when Poirot solves everything.

S: Yup, that agrees with my previous understanding of their relationship.

Caramel is reading The ABC Murders by Agatha Christie. — Caramel is reading *The ABC Murders* by Agatha Christie.

S: So tell me a bit more. Could you tell the book was almost a hundred years old?

C: Well, it is exactly ninety years old actually. The book read fine to me. I did not think they were using old fashioned words or anything. And it is supposed to be happening in between the two world wars, and I could not even tell that, really.

S: Yes, I think Christie’s language is clean and simple enough for us to not even notice it. Every now and then she uses a phrase that is unfamiliar to me, or she mentions something historical to me but contemporary to the story characters, but most of the time, I cannot tell at all that she wrote these things such a long time ago.

C: Yeah, that checks out. Though it seems that in these books the detective and other people sometimes use words that today’s people might not understand. Like some words or phrases that refer to the railway map in Britain at the time. Of course I didn’t know that till they explained what it was they were talking about. But most of the time, I could totally forget this was supposed to be happening in the 1920s. That was even before your time Sprinkles!

S: Yes, of course it was before my time. It was even before my parents’ time, Caramel.

C: Oopsie, or is that what you want me to think?

S: Okay, let us put aside any implications that I might be undead or-

C: Or a lich?!

S: Okay, let us not go there.

C: Sure, that’s what a lich would say.

S: Caramel! These seem like ideas more fit for Midnight’s reviews.

C: Oh yes, Midnight does like his fantasy books. But I like them too.

S: I know. You like playing Dungeons and Dragons, and various versions of it.

C: Actually these days, I prefer Pathfinder, which is really just D&D 3.5 edition.

S: True. But Agatha Christie tells stories that are in some sense a lot simpler. She manages to find evil in mainstream people living regular lives. Seems like she has no need to go fantastic.

C: That may be true for the books she has already written. But maybe when she begins to write new books, from BEYOND THE GRAVE?

S: Okay, I have a feeling it is getting too late for us to be talking about books sensibly.

C: That’s lich talk! Okay, okay, don’t get mad, I am kidding. But yes, you are probably right, it is getting late and it is a school night…

S: Yep. So let us wrap up this review. Do you think you might read other books by Christie at some point?

C: Sure. They are fun to read, and I do love solving puzzles!

S: Sounds great to me. Okay then, Caramel. What would you like to tell our readers?

C: Stay tuned for more book bunny reviews!

Caramel enjoyed reading The ABC Murders by Agatha Christie and recommends it to all bunnies who enjoy a little bit of detective mystery. — Caramel enjoyed reading *The ABC Murders* by Agatha Christie and recommends it to all bunnies who enjoy a little bit of detective mystery.

Marshmallow reviews The Fall of Iris Henley by Jennifer Graham

Today Marshmallow is writing about The Fall of Iris Henley, a 2026 book by Jennifer Graham.

Marshmallow’s Quick Take: If you like exciting mysteries about high schoolers with way more drama than average, then this is the book for you!

Marshmallow’s Summary (with Spoilers): Iris Henley perfectly fits the stereotype of a Texan cheerleader. Blond, pretty, and with a football-playing boyfriend (named Rocky), she seemed like a sure finalist for Homecoming Court. Unfortunately, things got seriously messed up when Rocky and Lynette (her ex-best friend) are found dead under circumstances that indicate Rocky was unfaithful. The police declare it to be an open-and-shut case: Rocky shot and killed Lynette and then committed suicide after with the same gun. This explanation is widely accepted until a couple of months later.

Iris is the top girl (meaning she is the flyer at the top of their pyramid structure) and cheer has taught her how to put on a smile and cover her feelings in order to stay on top. She’s been trying to come to terms with losing her best friend and her boyfriend to the hands of her boyfriend himself; how can she grieve for him when he is the reason why he and Lynette are both gone?

During a football game, an anonymous poster on the school’s gossip site Sekrit claims that Rocky wasn’t the murderer after all — Iris was. It would make sense from a certain perspective. Lynette had been struggling with a drug problem and Iris accidentally leaked this news to the cheer coach, leading to Lynette’s permanent suspension from the team. Though Iris had not intended for it to happen, she became the top girl, the coveted role Lynette had held before. Cheer had been one of the few things keeping Lynette from going completely off the rails, and her drug addiction worsened quickly, especially after Lynette isolated herself from Iris (Lynette believed Iris had wanted to steal her spot). Rocky — who wasn’t the greatest guy — began having an affair (and not his first) with her at some point, which would give Iris a huge motive for murder.

On top of all that, on the night of the murder, Iris was at a cheer sleepover and she wasn’t fully straight-headed the entire time. Past a certain point, she starts to wonder whether it is possible that she did commit the crime while drunk. Almost the entire school thinks she did it too. Her other two best friends (Hailey and Sophie) stick by her and so does the “cute” boy from sports camp she’s been texting. They figure the best way to clear her name is to find out who’s been posting lies on Sekrit; but while searching for the liar, new truths come to light and it becomes increasingly clear that no one is or was trustworthy to start with.

Marshmallow is reading The Fall of Iris Henley by Jennifer Graham. — Marshmallow is reading *The Fall of Iris Henley* by Jennifer Graham.

Marshmallow’s Review: The Fall of Iris Henley is a very good book! I only saw two plot twists coming, and there were far more I was completely unprepared for. The story is fascinating and exciting; I know it is cliche to say, but you cannot put this book down! The characters are all developed extremely well, but then the author changes everything you think, feel, or think you know about a person — and in a way that is still logical and believable.

Also, I found it very interesting to read about a mystery set in a community that is very different from my own. The rural football culture in Iris’ city of Varda was intriguing to read about, though I think the author does some subtle critiquing of that way of life. This was interesting from an outsider’s perspective, but I can also see how this location choice could also appeal especially to those who live in similar settings.

That said, certain things the characters do are undeniably deserving of criticism. Iris and her friends all drink regularly and occasionally take other types of drugs; her best friends are often vaping and they skip class at least once. They are not good role models. Also, the characters are almost all seniors in their last year of high school and they engage in sexual interactions so this is another reason why this book might not be very appropriate for some. Luckily, nothing is shown in detail (all of these things are mentioned vaguely in passing) but it might be too much for bunnies younger than thirteen or fourteen.

All that being said, The Fall of Iris Henley was very thought-provoking and the mystery was very hard to solve. The author did a very good job of resolving the mystery, giving a satisfying end to the main conflict while tying up character development in a nice bow. This was a very good book overall and I would highly recommend it to everyone who is old enough to read it!

Marshmallow’s Rating: 98%.

Marshmallow rates The Fall of Iris Henley by Jennifer Graham 98%. — Marshmallow rates *The Fall of Iris Henley* by Jennifer Graham 98%.

Caramel reviews Full Tilt by Neal Shusterman

Today Caramel is talking to Sprinkles about a book he has been reading for his English class: Full Tilt by Neal Shusterman, originally published in 2004.

Sprinkles: So Caramel, can you start us off by telling us a bit about the book?

Caramel: Okay, it’s about a kid named Blake, who’s going to college at 16, and he is sort of a scaredy cat, at least about roller coasters.

S: Well, roller coasters can be really terrifying.

C: True, but this kid seems to be scared of all of them, while his little brother Quinn is not afraid of anything.

S: Hmm, okay, I am sensing that you kind of liked Quinn more.

C: He sounds a lot more like a real kid, you know? But basically, he’s just not scared of many things. Anyways, the first thing that happens in the book is that Blake, Quinn, and Blake’s friends Russ and Maggie are at a theme park. Blake wins a game, and then he is given a teddy bear by a strange and mysterious girl named Cassandra. He takes the teddy bear home and inside is a ticket to another theme park.

S: That sounds curious. Then what happens?

C: When the two boys come home, they learn that their mom is engaged, and the two brothers get into a fight over the engagement. Quinn is not happy about the engagement but Blake is more accepting.

S: It is a tough issue of course.

C: Sure, I agree. Anyways, the brother then is found in a comatose state, and Blake sees carnival lights in Quinn’s open eyes.

S: That’s freaky! And kind of scary!

C: Yeah, Blake then takes his two friends and goes to the theme park that belonged to the ticket he had found in his teddy bear, and he finds a carnival.

S: This is getting weirder and scarier.

C: Yes. And did I mention that it is the middle of the night?

S: No wonder Wikipedia describes this book as a “psychological thriller” and a “fast paced horror thriller”! I am already getting all tense here, and I have not even read the book.

C: Yep, the book is kind of tense, but it’s a kind of tense that makes you wanna keep reading.

S: I guess that is a good kind of tense. Okay, go on.

C: At the carnival they witness some weird stuff. They have to go on some rides and each of them is weird. And real! I mean one can get really hurt.

S: Not like the holodeck on Star Trek?

C: Well, actually kind of exactly like the holodeck when the safety measures are offline.

S: I see. So the kids have to ride several rides and they are in real danger?

C: Yes. Actually they have to ride seven rides before dawn and finish them without failing. And to add to it, Blake sees his brother Quinn is there, too, riding these dangerous rides and is not taking things seriously at all.

S: And of course Blake is very worried, I can imagine.

C: Yeah, and he learns that Cassandra is in charge of the carnival, but I shouldn’t spoil it any more.

Caramel is reading Full Tilt by Neal Shusterman. — Caramel is reading *Full Tilt* by Neal Shusterman.

S: Okay, that makes sense. You have already gotten us deep into the book and all tensed up. So let us talk a bit about the book in another way. It was good at making you feel the tension, I understood that. But tell us also about the characters. You liked Quinn and kind of found Blake a bit too much of a scaredy cat, but did they feel like real people? How about Russ and Maggie?

C: Yeah, the story is told from Blake’s point of view, so you get a pretty good sense of him and his view of things. And the others are just his friends, and they all feel quite normal to me.

S: What about Cassandra? I mean it seems she is kind of a mysterious character. Is that how she felt to you as you were reading the book?

C: Cassandra never seemed normal, but Blake knows why now. And I do too, but I cannot tell. I don’t want to spoil the whole thing.

S: Okay, I won’t push then. All in all, this seems like a pretty neat book, and you got to read it for your English class. Did you have many discussions in class about it?

C: Yeah, it was neat!

S: Okay, cool. Would you then recommend this book to other bunnies?

C: Yes, but probably not the very young ones. It is really tense and younger bunnies can get scared.

S: The picture on the cover is scary too!

C: Yeah, it is kind of how you can picture the characters in that weird carnival. Maybe it is good that it is scary because younger bunnies won’t want to read it.

S: I agree. I found the cover picture quite scary myself. It makes sense a bit more now that you told me about the book. So okay, I think this is a good place to wrap up this review.

C: Sure. Let’s do that.

S: What do you wish to tell our readers then?

C: Stay tuned for more book bunny reviews!

.Caramel enjoyed reading Full Tilt by Neal Shusterman though he warns that it is probably not appropriate for the youngest bunnies. — .Caramel enjoyed reading *Full Tilt* by Neal Shusterman though he warns that it is probably not appropriate for the youngest bunnies.

Caramel reviews Spy School Blackout by Stuart Gibbs

Caramel has read and reviewed all books in the Spy School series by Stuart Gibbs, so he could not pass the opportunity to read and review the thirteenth book that just came out last week: Spy School Blackout. As usual, Sprinkles is taking notes and asking questions.

Sprinkles: I know you could not wait to talk about this book today!

Caramel: Yes! We got a new Spy School book! How cool is that?

S: Very. Okay so this is book thirteen, right?

C: Yes, in fact it is. And a very good thirteenth at that, most things are no longer good after the first ten books or movies, for example fast and furious.

S: Caramel, you have not even watched one of those movies! I did. Actually I did not think it was terrible. It definitely kept me paying attention.

C: Nope, I don’t know the movies, it is true, but I’ve heard it got bad after the first two.

S: Yes, I suppose critics did not like them. But the studio keeps making them so lots of people must be watching, don’t you think? Doesn’t mean we would like them of course. And anyways, I think your point was that this book is still very good even though it is number 13 in the series.

C: Yep, it is very very good

S: So tell us about it a bit. I am guessing it is still about Ben Ripley.

C: Yes. In this one, the group is in Indonesia to take a vacation, and then the power goes out.

S: Oh, that is interesting. I had read the quick summary which said “On their latest mission to save the world, Ben and his friends face a conniving villain, assassins, pirates, sharks, and very big lizards in the most remote—and deadly—location of any spy school yet!” And I was wondering where that most remote and deadly place was. So they are in Indonesia!

C: Yeah, but the power is not just out in Indonesia, but around the whole world, everywhere.

S: I guess that is why the book is titled “Blackout”.

C: Yep, you are pretty smart, Sprinkles!

S: I am humbled and honored. Anyways. So the power goes out everywhere. How could that happen? Who could have done such a thing? Power networks around the world are not all connected, are they?

C: Birthday cake.

S: What do you mean?

C: it’s apparently the code word for a precision attack on the power systems.

S: So someone simultaneously attacks all the networks. I am guessing it is a cyber-attack, like a virus or something.

C: Yep, pretty much.

S: Hmm, that sounds terrifying. Remember how a few days ago we were talking about how we get to stay up after sunset because we have electricity and can still read or do other things at home even when there is no natural light?

C: Yep, I do remember us talking about that.

Caramel is reading Spy School Blackout by Stuart Gibbs. — Caramel is reading *Spy School Blackout* by Stuart Gibbs.

S: I cannot imagine there not being any light at night. And the fridge would not work, either! Oh my goodness, that would be horrible too.

C: Yep, it would be almost world ending, or saving at the same time.

S: Wait, are you suggesting the person or group that does this has some environmental ideals and that is their reason?

C: No, not really, they are just evil. But I was thinking just that since humans rely on power so much, if it disappeared, the carbon emissions would decrease by a huge amount and then maybe forcing us to find a way around it, but would also cause all infrastructure to fail, and most likely make many people die from either hypothermia or too much heat. And all the machines in hospitals would stop working once the generators ran out and so on.

S: Yes, people could still probably use gas-based cars and generators, but so much of the world we know would collapse. That is a terrifying scenario, Caramel. Okay so that is the basic idea of the book, then. But I am guessing our hero Ben will figure things out?

C: I shouldn’t really give it away but I suppose it is no big secret. After twelve times when the world was about to end Ben saved it, you would expect he would do it again.

S: Phew! I wonder how he does it. But don’t tell me. We don’t want to spoil it for our readers.

C: Yeah, I guess we don’t. You and our readers, too, will just have to read the book!

S: Hmm, I also might ask you after we wrap this up?

C: Hmm, we will see how much I will tell.

S: Okay, we will see. But overall you really enjoyed reading this book, right? Compared to the other twelve, how do you think it would rank?

C: I think this might be my favorite so far!

S: Wow! That is impressive. Maybe I will read the book after all. Okay, I suppose it is time to wrap this up then. What would you like to tell our readers, Caramel?

C: Stay tuned for more book bunnies reviews!

Caramel was delighted to read Spy School Blackout by Stuart Gibbs, and is hopeful that there will soon be a fourteenth book, or at least maybe a graphic novelization of some of the earlier books. — Caramel was delighted to read *Spy School Blackout* by Stuart Gibbs, and is hopeful that there will soon be a fourteenth book, or at least maybe a graphic novelization of some of the earlier books.