Barnabas Tew and the Case of the Missing Scarab
Barnabas Tew and the Case of the Missing Scarab by Columbkill Noonan Crooked Cat Books Mystery & Thrillers , Sci Fi & Fantasy Pub Date 26 Jul 2018
Review
Clever, funny, and utterly unique, Barnabas Tew and The Case of the Missing Scarab is a novel to treasure. This delightful and unconventional mystery places two of England’s most hapless detectives in the Egyptian underworld. Here, at Anubis’s bequest, Barnabas and Wilfred are tasked with finding Khepre, the god who moves the sun across the sky. Quintessentially English and naive to a fault, the duo stumble from deity to deity making a nuisance of themselves and falling for more than
a few tricks. Columbkill Noonan’s skillful wordplay and comical depictions transform a good novel into an exceptional one. Noonan’s style perfectly captures both the slight stuffiness and well meaning idiocy of Barnabas and Wilfred, as well as the absurdity of the situation they are in.
While the humor of Barnabas Tew and The Case of the Missing Scarab won’t appeal to all readers, those who enjoy clever wordplay and absurd situations will enjoy this charming mystery. It is especially fun if you have some knowledge of Egyptian mythology- but that is not a necessity. With its lack of violence and gentle humorous nature, the novel can be enjoyed by younger readers, but it is likely they will need a dictionary on hand to look up more challenging words.
5 / 5
I received a copy of Barnabas Tew and The Case of the Missing Scarab from the publisher and NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
— Crittermom
Description
Barnabas Tew, a detective in Victorian London, is having a hard time making a name for himself, probably because most of his clients end up dead before he can solve their cases. His luck is about to change, though, for better or worse: Anubis, the Egyptian god of the dead, notices him and calls him to the Egyptian underworld. A terrible kidnapping has occurred; one that promises to put an end to the status quo and could perhaps even put an end to the entire world. It is up to Barnabas (along with his trusty assistant, Wilfred) to discover the culprit and set things to right. Can he turn his luck around and solve the most important case of his life?
