Montgomery Bonbon: Sabotage at Sea

Description: As the witty murder-mystery series continues, Bonbon returns for a pyrotechnic display aboard ship--until a shocking demise puts a damper on the festivities.

Shenanigans are once again afoot in the town of Widdlington, and this time they're on board the Dreadnowt--a galleon that's set to host a fireworks display for the town. Bonnie Montgomery and Grampa Banks are on board as guests, but just after sundown, a fog rolls in and a terrible cry is heard over the crash of the waves. Captain Valancourt stumbles out of the mist, dripping wet and covered in red welts the like of which a sea monster would leave behind, and is soon pronounced dead by the doctor on board. The crowd is shocked, and Bonnie's fishy-o-meter is off the charts. While Inspector Sands takes over as captain, Bonnie transforms into Montgomery Bonbon, and it's not long before she's laid anchor on her prime suspects. Can Montgomery Bonbon hoist his moustache and figure out which scallywag is responsible for the death of the ancient mariner?

Review Quotes: This installment is just as entertaining as the first three. . . . As usual, part of what makes this book such a great read is amazing writing--colorful vocabulary, masterly figurative language, and hilarious puns--paired with Powell's delightfully eccentric artwork. . . . an excellent choice for middle grade mystery lovers.
--School Library Journal

The book's illustrations feature visual gags that mirror the text's timing. These drawings highlight physical comedy, clarify chase and discovery scenes, and reinforce the pacing of the unfolding mystery, whose brisk prose and tight-staged scenes guide the investigation toward a gathering of suspects and a satisfying reveal of the saboteur.
--Foreword Reviews

The descriptions--of the ship, characters, mishaps and more--are laugh-out-loud funny. . . . Powell's scribbly black-and-white illustrations capture the frenetic energy as Bonnie races to reveal the full scope of the intrigue. . . . Ipso facto calamari: another ridiculously clever mystery in the series.
--Kirkus Reviews