4 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
The Whistlebrass Clock People is book 3 of Jack Keely and Briar Lee Mitchell’s Whistlebrass Mysteries, reminiscent of Stranger Things, the TV movie series. Published by Permuted Press, the novel could be easily read as a standalone and is definitely hard to put down. Teenagers will absolutely love the heart-pounding ride on a terrifying adventure with just the right dose of suspense and supernatural.
Located in Northern Vermont, Whistlebrass is the typical isolated and misbegotten town where everybody knows everybody. This summer, the town folks are buzzing with excitement about the restoration of the marvelous 100-year-old tower clock in the central square. While they are busily preparing for the rededication ceremony, a peculiar crime wave is plaguing the town.
The Whistlebrass Whisperer headlines scream of one incident after another. Two rat catchers sent to check the town’s sewing system disappear without a trace. People report strange break-ins where robbers make off with household gadgets instead of money, jewelry or other valuables. Jocelyn Harbinger used to tutor students from the Arcayne College. She is now found dead, supposedly murdered during one of the robberies. Suspicions soon hang over Pike, the orphan teenage troublemaker. Unless his friends do something to prove his innocence, he will be forced to leave town.
In the prologue, a narratorial “we” welcomes the readers with the warning: “Summer in Whistlebrass can be murder.” Henceforth, the story is skillfully told by a third-person narrator who changes perspectives from one character to another and adds new pieces to an intriguing puzzle. I simply loved the narrator’s style punctuated with humorous moments of respite amidst the growing avalanche of gripping adventures.
The protagonists are a group of teenage friends who throw themselves in the heart of danger with all the enthusiasm and recklessness of youth. Each of them is wonderfully portrayed and plays a specific role in the overall jigsaw of the plot. Pike is a modern version of Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn. He had his share of troubles in the past and half the people in town think he is some kind of hoodlum. In reality, his greatest gift is his psychic connection with animals. Another key figure in the story is Casey Wilde, a big art and science nerd who uses his brain and knowledge to solve the mystery of the little mechanical creatures terrifying the townsfolk. Bobby Bamberger is mainly driven by his impulses for action whereas Bootsy, his twin sister, is the undisputed queen of the local middle school and the object of Casey’s infatuation.
Apart from the protagonists, the secondary characters, the setting descriptions and the dialogues all contribute to the general atmosphere of authenticity. I could actually feel the rhythm of the town. Here’s Miss G., Arachne Greenwebbe, the town’s eccentric widow who has inherited her father’s passion for exotic spiders. There’s Mitch Kestrel, the Whistlebrass detective who is no longer surprised by the bizarre incidents in town. Morton McMoreland is not only the owner of the local pharmacy, but also an aspiring opera soprano and candidate in the town’s talent competition. Dolly Pratt is the typical chit-chatter and busy body. Even the magnificent tower clock becomes a character in itself and turns into a threatening omen of the things to come. Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock.
I wholeheartedly rate The Whistlebrass Clock People 4 out of 4 stars and recommend it primarily to teenage readers with a penchant for adventure and mysteries. The supernatural elements never become too gloomy or creepy to deem the book inappropriate for young readers. Professionally edited, the novel also excels in narrative style as well as character and plot development. Adults with a young spirit and a passion for solving fantastic enigmas could confidently choose the book too.
******
The Whistlebrass Clock People
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes | on Smashwords
Like cristinaro's review? Post a comment saying so!
