Book Review | South by South East by Anthony Horowitz

Anthony Horowitz is a very popular kids author in the UK, and I saw a stack of his books in our library when I picked up The Boundless.  I picked up this one, largely because of the plaintive message from one of the characters at the front of the book “This is the third book in the Diamond Brothers series and if you enjoyed the other two, then you need help.”

Tim Diamond is an adult, but very inept, ex-policeman turned private investigator (in London).  Nick Diamond is his kid brother, and the one with the brains.  Together they create mayhem solve the mystery presented to them when one James McGuffin turns up at Tim’s office asking for help, leading to a bullet being shot at him through the Diamond’s window.  Tim is dim, and Nick is slick, and the MI6 agents, Ed, Ted, Ned and Red get them out of a spot of bother with the local police, one of whom is Inspector Snape – and I checked the publication date and I bet both authors were amazed they picked the same name.

This is a fun story with plenty of pun-ishment for those who hate corny jokes and word play.  I’ll poke a stick at jokes about Nick, and you get the picture ‘cos it’s a fixture.  There’s a chase across London, a trip to Holland, a requirement to save the world from an assassination that will lead to WW3, an auction of a Salvador Dali masterpiece, an ice rink and a windmill.  Plus baddies called Scarface and Ugly.  Oh, and of course, the mysterious master criminal Charon, who is behind the assassination attempt, but more importantly, out to put Tim and Nick out of commission for their role in McGuffin’s death.

It’s wild, wacky, and fun, and I thoroughly enjoyed it, reading it in one sitting while my Kindle recharged.  It’s also very British.  I’d love to know what American kids make of it!