Will Shakespeare Mysteries : The Stinky Stolen Toenails

LoveReading4Kids Says

First book in the Will Shakespeare Mysteries series, Kaz Penny’s The Stinky Stolen Toenails presents a manic mash-up of mystery and history, with the zippy, zany text further enlivened by Sammy Elgie’s characterful illustrations and the book’s excellent design. Think ink splats aplenty and a whole lot of invention on the font front.

“The name’s Shakespeare. Will Shakespeare. Or possibly Will Shaksper. Or Will Shackspeare — I’ve not decided yet”. Thus Will introduces himself to his readers, kicking off a comic crime-caper take on Romeo and Juliet that sees the young self-proclaimed genius resolve to become the “GREATEST PERSON-WHO-SOLVES-CRIMES in the world!”, despite living a humdrum life with his EXTREMELY DULL family in Stratford-upon-Avon, “probably the most boring town in the whole of England, or maybe even THE WORLD”.

Will’s first mission is summed up by his trusty sidekick Tybalt, a passionate poet, as being “the tragic story of Ronaldo and Judy/Their families fell out because their grandads were rude-y”, and begins when Ronaldo Moundsofgoo’s valuable family heirloom (an old bag of Henry VIII’s stinky toenails) goes missing. Believed to possess healing powers, if Ronaldo can’t find the treasure, his marriage to Judy Catapult will be called off. Cue Will stepping in, and stepping up, to solve the crime.

Stacked with a cast of larger-than-life characters that stack the odds against Will and Tybalt, The Stinky Stolen Toenails is a jamboree of comic adventure, and ideal for fans of fast-paced funny fiction.

Reviewed by Joanne Owen
Joanne Owen is a writer, reviewer and workshop presenter whose lifelong love of books began when she was growing up in Pembrokeshire, Wales.
More reviews by Joanne Owen

About Will Shakespeare Mysteries : The Stinky Stolen Toenails

Will Shakespeare knows he’s destined to be a genius at something, and he thinks that thing is becoming the greatest person-who-solves-crimes in the world. Trouble is, he’s part of a boring family living in Stratford-upon-Avon, possibly the most boring town in England. But, when the famous (for Stratford-upon-Avon) Moundsofgoo Treasure* goes missing, he might finally have a crime to solve.

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