Amanda Lester and the Blue Peacock's Secret
Publisher: The Writing Show
Publication Date (March 2016)
ISBN 10 - 1942361041
ISBN 13 - 978-1942361046
338 pages of story
I've come to realize that another reason I enjoy series books so much, as opposed to stand-alone stories, is because the soap opera feel to the ongoing stories. Yes, each individual mystery or adventure may stand on its own; but, the ongoing subplots and character development keep me interested in the characters, to see how they are growing and where they will go next. The world of Amanda Lester definitely proves my point. In the course of her first four books, Amanda and her supporting cast have evolved, matured, learned, and become stronger, while the ongoing subplots regarding Blixus Moriarty, the Detective's Bible, and Amanda's love for both Nick Moriarty and Scalpulus Holmes continue to interest me.
Amanda Lester and the Blue Peacock's Secret picks up on the story of the Arthurian coins that were discovered in the last mystery, as Ivy Halpin's father begins an archaeological dig to uncover the truth. Are the coins really from Camelot, or is it all one big hoax? Professor Halpin and the young aspiring detectives of Legatum Continuatum School for the Descendants of Famous Detectives set about to validate their find - and when they discover what appear to be pages from the Book of Merlin in a hidden room in the tunnels, it seems they might just get their wish.
But someone is determined to sabotage the whole discovery...and someone else has been discovered to have faked the pages from the Book...and while all of this is going on, Amanda has discovered the Nick has been living on his father's houseboat and will do just about anything to prove himself worthy of her and of returning to Legatum - even if that means giving up the location of his father.
And just what is going on with those blue peacocks that keep chasing after Amanda?
I have to give author Paula Berinstein credit. Not only does she have a plethora of characters with whom she must keep track (and she must have a card catalogue or something, because as a reader, even I have a hard time remembering the names of all these people - and what names they are! Elbow Macaroni. Banting Waltz. Alexei Dropoff. Dreidel Pomfritter. Twinkle Earnshaw. Seriously, those are character names in the book!), but she has to remember who has said and done what, where they currently are (still at school, kidnapped, run off, etc.) and how they fit into the story at hand. And this story has more going on than any of the prior books. There is the archaeological dig for Camelot; there is the continuing search for the pages of the Detective's Bible. There is the ongoing fear of Blixus Moriarty and his threats. There is the matter of the kidnapped students and family members. There is the concern over Thrillkill's disappearance. There is the mystery surrounding the zombies that appeared in the previous book. There is the return of Nick Moriarty and what that means for both Amanda and the school. The separation of the Punitori from Legatum. The appearance of Amanda's mother as a new teacher at the school. And last, but not least, those darned blue peacocks and the secret that they hold (although, honestly, I was a bit disappointed how little those peacocks really play a part in the story, considering the book is named for them!).
Overall, another satisfying tale of Amanda Lester's world that, once again, leaves us with more questions than answers - and the last two pages definitely set the stage for her next book (as do certain creatures that are seen down in the tunnels while searching for proof of Camelot...).
RATING: 9 poisoned heads of lettuce out of 10 for expanding not only Amanda Lester's world, but also the readers' minds and enjoyment of a good mystery!
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