3 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
'SERENDIPITY MYSTERY: Diary of a Snoopy Cat. The Inca Book Series (Number Seven)' by R. F. Kristi, is an easy read enhanced by tasteful illustrations by Jorge Valle. I give this mini adventure book 3 out of 4 stars. Though small (124 pages) I believe it will delight girls as well as boys who relish an engrossing, adventurous romp in a foreign country. In this mystery, the country is Sri Lanka, an island-nation in the Indian Ocean, south of India.
The entire narrative is structured as entries in a diary that belongs to Inca, the book’s lead animal-character that happens to be a Siberian girl-cat. She describes herself as a ‘super-duper cat detective.’ Inca, her cat-siblings, and friends are on a vacation from London with their human owner. Her siblings are Cara, her sister, and Fromage, her brother. Then there are Charlotte, the hamster and Terrance, a dog sleuth, who fits right in with Inca’s ‘detective agency.’ Terrance’s master, Solo, is the human international detective tasked with solving the book’s mystery that materializes.
As children from ‘cold and gloomy’ London would, the kittens and their friends enjoy the sunny island. They also make friends from the island-community. Soon, Meena, a young elephant, and Rani, a sea turtle, are chatting and playing with the visitors. The kittens are, however, wary of specific locals—namely the monkeys. By and by, however, the visiting children and friends learn a vital lesson about life: that the perception of difference between animals isn't necessarily a bad thing.
But let’s move on to the ‘mystery’ part of the title. While on the island a very precious antique sword is stolen from a local museum. The head of the institution calls in Solo, the human international detective, to solve the case and retrieve the valued weapon before it leaves the island. Unknown to him, however, Inca activates her detective agency, and starts a parallel investigation. She solicits assistance from her newly-made Sri Lankan animal-friends which turns out to be a great move. In the end Inca and her team secretly solve the case before Solo the human detective does.
At the core, 'SERENDIPITY MYSTERY: Diary of a Snoopy Cat. The Inca Book Series (Number Seven)' is a delightfully written detective story for minors. Why then have I given it only three stars out of four? I feel the author could have held back from making a black stereotype out of the book’s leading scoundrel, Apu the caretaker, who she describes as ‘a great scowling man, very tall, whose skin was a deep soot black.’ Skin-color prejudice, unfortunately, continues to be a divisive issue internationally. I wish R. F. Kristi had been more judicious with her ‘pen’ and had taken the higher ground.
******
Serendipity Mystery
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like Harview's review? Post a comment saying so!