The Third Goth Girl Novel - Goth Girl and the Wuthering Fright

Goth Girl is one of those guilty pleasures that you can't help but enjoy, regardless of the fact it is a children's series intended for young readers.  While it may be over 200 pages in length, with full page illustrations pretty nearly every other page, a few two-page spread illustrations, and other illustrations spattered throughout, the actual story itself is likely only 100 pages or less. Regardless, they are fun tales with a perky little protagonist (Ada Goth) who stumbles onto mysteries within her unusual and weird homestead that she must solve with the help of her friends (the "Attic Club"). But, there is something else that brings a smile to my face with each book that I read:

Charlotte, Emily, and Anne (the Vicarage sisters)
Sir Walter Splott
Plain Austen
William Timepiece Thackeray
Georgie Eliot
Homily Dickinson
Hands Christmas Andersen
Countess Pippi Shortstocking

I'm sure, just by reading those names, you are either (a) grinning, (b) groaning, (c) rolling your eyes, and/or (d) all of the above! For me, though, it is the author's twist on the literary giants that give these books part of their charm. Author Chris Riddell (who also provides all of the illustrations throughout the book) has taken the timeless concept of a young girl with only one parent who loves to solve mysteries and given it a unique spin.  The stories are humorous, poke fun at stereotypes, and manage to weave some pretty intricate little mysteries into such a short amount of story. I'd say that makes for one very talented writer!

This time around, Ada's father, the Lord Goth, has agreed to play host at his estate to the Ghastly-Gorm Hall literary dog show. World-famous authors (whose names have been tampered with to protect the originals!) gather together at Ghastly-Gorm Hall to show off their precious canines in a show to top all dog shows. At the same time, Ada's best friend, Emily Cabbage, and her chameleon brother, William (and yes, he really does have the ability to blend in with his surroundings) come for a visit during their school break, bringing with them some friends of theirs. Before you can say, "Good dog," there's a mystery that Ada and her friends must solve.

Strange howls in the night are scaring Ruby Kipling (the maid), and mysterious prints in the snow that start out human and end in paw prints have Ada and her friends stumped. Plus, the three seemingly trained monkeys that are helping Emily and William's father with his creation of his "Cogwheel Brain" seem to be going in and out of the library quite a bit.  Throw in a cheating butler, a free-spirited bully, and the looming threat of having her friends and their father kicked out of the house, and you've got a fun-filled supernatural tale of ghosts, werewolves, vampires, and things that go bump in the night! What could be more Gothic than that?

Riddell keeps a good pacing with the story, he continues to develop the characters by building on prior books and the experiences therein, but at the same time, any of these books are easily readable o their own.  This is a series I would highly recommend to anyone who wants a break away from the serious and dark mysteries that mirror the state of today's world - and find some escape in a gloomy castle filled with all kinds of stories, creatures, and settings that will make you smile and sometimes even laugh out loud!

RATING:  10 stealthily stolen Christmas baubles out of 10 for keeping it fun, lighthearted, and enjoyable!