A Case of Misfortune

Yet another amazing book by Sophie Cleverly! Violet Veil returns to solve her second mystery – and this one is just as exciting (and spooky) as the last.Longing for more mysteries and adventure, Violet soon discovers one when Miss Li asks her to find out more about the fortune-teller, Lady Athena, whose predictions keep coming true. With the help of Oliver, Bones the dog, and two new friends, Violet does what she can to unveil the truth behind the fortune-teller’s act. Though a seemingly harmless yet strange investigation at first, it isn’t long before a murder takes place. Now, Violet and her friends must figure out who the true culprit is before anyone else pays the ultimate price… Can they do it? Is Lady Athena the cause of it all, or is there more to it? Along the way, Violet must learn some important lessons if she is to succeed.I thoroughly enjoyed reading every page of this book. It was thrilling, gripping, and actually quite emotive. You could feel Violet’s passion and determination, as well as her anger, sorrow, fear, and even her content. It is, in my opinion, well-written in a way that is perfect for its target audience (children aged 9-12 years) and conveys the characters very well. There were plenty of twists and unexpected details, and the plot felt realistic. And it was great to see Violet’s special, ghostly ability in action again! I love the idea of this series in general, with the ghosts, the graveyard, Violet's powers, the interesting views she and her father have on death, and it being set in the Victorian era! Not to mention the awesome greyhound, Bones.Would I recommend this book? Definitely! If you like spooky mysteries – especially those led by strong female characters – Sophie is certainly the author to turn to. Her books are fun to read and engaging right to the very end. Plus, the Violet Veil series is a good read for those who like books with a bit of a gothic side. What’s more, although it is more aimed at children aged 9-12 years (as mentioned earlier), I am a few years above this age group, so there is nothing stopping anyone older from reading and enjoying this story!Overall, I give ‘A Case of Misfortune’ 5 out of 5 stars. With its incredible characters and suspenseful plot, it no doubt deserves such rating – in fact, I would give it 10 out of 5 if I could! Thank you to Sophie Cleverly for writing such a wonderful book (and thank you to Hannah Peck for the fantastic cover). I’m looking forward to the third book!