Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero
This is an excellent spoof of ‘Scooby Doo’ and various Enid Blyton tropes. In 1977 4 kids and their dog unmasked another low life fortune hunter masquerading as a monster. And he would have got away with it too if not for those meddling kids.
In 1990 the grown up ex kid detectives are haunted by their last case and events that cannot be explained by a man in a mask. Andy is prone to violence, Kerri threw away her career, Nate is in an asylum and their former leader Peter is dead. The surviving ex kid detectives and Tim (the great grandson of the original canine member of their club) return to the small town where is seems malign activities never ceased.
With a narrative penchant for comedy and an existentially threatening problem lurking, this is an endearing read full of dry nonchalance, idiotic over-confidence, imminent threat, inexplicable events and a terrifying reality. This is a savagely funny and ingenious book.
Best Lines:
“No theatrical soul had etched an agonizing KEEP OUT on an ineptly crafted wooden sign; no vultures or forgotten human skulls livened the place.”
“Resurrection is impossible.”
“The kids who spent their childhood running from losers in costumes.”
“He was still growling threats at the door. And the worse part was something was threatening back from the other side.”
“A star beyond the explored universe.”
“A story that seemed not to have caught them completely by surprise.”
~
The Queens Of Innis Lear by Tessa Gratton
This fat fantasy novel inspired by ‘King Lear’ is a suffocatingly dour, badly written, boring piece of dreck that is full of love withdrawn, lurid predictions, lingering resentment, emotional blankness and people murdering their way to infamy. I felt abhorrence for this shattering disappointment.
Best Line:
“The king is not so noble as he pretends.”