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Goodly and Grave #1
Goodly and Grave in A Bad Case of Kidnap: Goodly and Grave, Book 1
An archly funny, classic mystery adventure with a magic twist!
Lucy Goodly is the new boot girl at Grave Hall, working for the cold, aloof Lord Grave. The other staff – Vonk the Butler, Mrs Crawley the cook and Violet the scullery maid – all seem friendly but Lucy soon notices that strange things are afoot in her new home – and not just Mrs Crawley’s experimental anchovy omelettes. There are moving statues, magical books and Lord Grave has a secret. Meanwhile, all over the country, children are vanishing. Could the mystery of the missing children be linked to the strange goings-on? Lucy is determined to find out…
Lucy Goodly is the new boot girl at Grave Hall, working for the cold, aloof Lord Grave. The other staff – Vonk the Butler, Mrs Crawley the cook and Violet the scullery maid – all seem friendly but Lucy soon notices that strange things are afoot in her new home – and not just Mrs Crawley’s experimental anchovy omelettes. There are moving statues, magical books and Lord Grave has a secret. Meanwhile, all over the country, children are vanishing. Could the mystery of the missing children be linked to the strange goings-on? Lucy is determined to find out…
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First published March 9, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
March 31, 2017
I received a copy of this title from HarperCollins Australia for review.
Ten Second Synopsis:
Lucy loses what she thinks is an un-lose-able poker game and as a result, must go to work as rich Lord Grave's bootgirl. While Lucy has a secret that has so far been to her advantage, she discovers goings-on at Grave Hall that put her simple secret in the shade, in terms of shadiness.
This is an original framing of magic in middle grade, with unexpected twists aplenty. Lucy is in possession of a secret playing card that seems to be imbued with some kind of magical capacity, allowing her to win every game of poker she plays. After being inexplicably beaten by Lord Grave and subsequently required to serve as his Bootgirl, Lucy has plenty of time in which to ponder how her magic card could have let her down so badly. The author has plotted this story to ensure that the reader can never get too comfortable with the situation at hand before a strange new revelation crops up. I was particularly impressed with the mechanical raven (which of course is hiding a secret) and young maid Violet's stuffed frog toy (being, as I am, a fan of stuffed toys). The illustrations throughout the book also liven things up enormously, and these, as well as the little newspaper clippings here and there, will enhance the experience of young readers.
This story is a bit unusual in that instead of the usual single major plot twist three quarters of the way in, there are several revelations throughout that throw Lucy's cleverly thought-out theories on their heads and force her to go back to square one and re-evaluate who she can trust. The narrative style is light and slightly melodramatic and a tad silly in places, so is a perfect choice for young readers who like to mix mystery and magic with a giggle here or there. I quite enjoyed the ending, as it provides a bit of a launching pad into the second book in the series - although I can't imagine what might happen next! I would recommend this one for fans of plucky young not-orphan stories set in a fictional past.
Ten Second Synopsis:
Lucy loses what she thinks is an un-lose-able poker game and as a result, must go to work as rich Lord Grave's bootgirl. While Lucy has a secret that has so far been to her advantage, she discovers goings-on at Grave Hall that put her simple secret in the shade, in terms of shadiness.
This is an original framing of magic in middle grade, with unexpected twists aplenty. Lucy is in possession of a secret playing card that seems to be imbued with some kind of magical capacity, allowing her to win every game of poker she plays. After being inexplicably beaten by Lord Grave and subsequently required to serve as his Bootgirl, Lucy has plenty of time in which to ponder how her magic card could have let her down so badly. The author has plotted this story to ensure that the reader can never get too comfortable with the situation at hand before a strange new revelation crops up. I was particularly impressed with the mechanical raven (which of course is hiding a secret) and young maid Violet's stuffed frog toy (being, as I am, a fan of stuffed toys). The illustrations throughout the book also liven things up enormously, and these, as well as the little newspaper clippings here and there, will enhance the experience of young readers.
This story is a bit unusual in that instead of the usual single major plot twist three quarters of the way in, there are several revelations throughout that throw Lucy's cleverly thought-out theories on their heads and force her to go back to square one and re-evaluate who she can trust. The narrative style is light and slightly melodramatic and a tad silly in places, so is a perfect choice for young readers who like to mix mystery and magic with a giggle here or there. I quite enjoyed the ending, as it provides a bit of a launching pad into the second book in the series - although I can't imagine what might happen next! I would recommend this one for fans of plucky young not-orphan stories set in a fictional past.
April 22, 2017
Lucy and her parents are gamblers and they have something that ensures they always win when they need to. But someone has figured them out and suddenly Lucy is part of a bet and they lose! She is taken to a grand house by a Lord Grave and is to be his boot girl. She is used to a grander life and baulks at her new one, but is soon caught up in a scheme of magical proportions. Flying horses, tears in time, missing children and black panthers - not to mention an evil witch and a farting cat.
Lucy's gambling skills are quickly forgotten as she discovers her magical ones. Who are the goodies and who are the villians? The plot swings one way and then the other, drawing the reader into the story. Full of action, magic and mystery, this is a rollicking read.
Lucy's gambling skills are quickly forgotten as she discovers her magical ones. Who are the goodies and who are the villians? The plot swings one way and then the other, drawing the reader into the story. Full of action, magic and mystery, this is a rollicking read.
August 12, 2018
While this book wasn`t what I had been imagining it to be, as it was infused with more fantastical elements than I had expected, I still really enjoyed it. The magic throughout the book was so interesting, and it ended up being one of my favourite parts of the novel. I`m intrigued by the world, and I`m looking forward to finding out more about the world in the sequel. Another part of the book I liked was Goodly herself. Lucy was the exact sort of heroine I can get behind; Justine Windsor really balanced strengths and weaknesses to create a genuinely likeable, plucky character. A final thing I loved about the book were Becka Moor`s illustrations. I honestly think that Becka is one of the most talented illustrators currently working on children`s books, and her illustrations were actually the reason I picked this book up, so I`d have liked even more. The only thing about the book that I wasn`t keen on was that I guessed most of the twists, but it was an overall fabulous fun read that I`d recommend to fans of middle grade fantasy and mystery.
April 26, 2020
In this magical-realism story, we meet Lucy who finds herself working in the Grave mansion and uncovering its secrets. As in good middle-grade fiction fashion, the ending is "everything works out" while leaving the door open for some great sequels.
I listened to the audio and while the narrator did quite a good job, there were one or two voices I couldn't quite reconcile with how the character seemed to be from dialogue and description, so I would recommend this as one to read, not listed to, and develop your own voices for the characters.
I listened to the audio and while the narrator did quite a good job, there were one or two voices I couldn't quite reconcile with how the character seemed to be from dialogue and description, so I would recommend this as one to read, not listed to, and develop your own voices for the characters.
August 28, 2017
Children have gone missing, can they be found?
Lucy Goodly has taken over her parents gambling to try to regain some control over their finances, she cannot loose...with a little magic
Until...
Lord Graves.
Lord Graves is evil and Lucy must go to work for him as a boot girl, to pay her debts.
Lucy encounters many strange and funny things at her new home, from talking animals and pictures to vanishing people.
This would be a wonderful book as a read aloud in my school, it will draw in everyone, including those reluctant readers.
Thank you #harpercollin #harperclassroom for this ARC
Lucy Goodly has taken over her parents gambling to try to regain some control over their finances, she cannot loose...with a little magic
Until...
Lord Graves.
Lord Graves is evil and Lucy must go to work for him as a boot girl, to pay her debts.
Lucy encounters many strange and funny things at her new home, from talking animals and pictures to vanishing people.
This would be a wonderful book as a read aloud in my school, it will draw in everyone, including those reluctant readers.
Thank you #harpercollin #harperclassroom for this ARC
July 14, 2017
Adventure, magic, humor, and talking animals, what more could you want in a kids book. Forget kids, what more could you want in any book? This book has all of that plus the mystery of who is good and who is bad. The best part about having some mystery to this book is the knowledge that answers are going to come as you read. Not everything is revealed at once, just little pieces at a time. I know that there is a second book out now, and I can't wait to see what happens next. This is a fun book for all ages. I would recommend it to anyone that wants to enjoy a good mystery with magic thrown in.
February 11, 2018
Lucy Labell est imbattable au poker grâce à une carte de jeu magique qu'elle a dérobé à une mystérieuse dame en rouge. Pourtant, elle est battue à plates coutures par Lord Labett. Perdante, elle doit se rendre dans son château, rempli de serviteurs loufoques, de bêtes sauvages, d'objets animés, et de mystères à résoudre... Il y a de la magie dans l'air !
April 29, 2019
Our younger book club group really enjoyed Goodly and Grave. They liked the twists and turns, the magic and Grave's impressive moustache :) 5 out of 6 of us would read the next book in the series.
We rated it:
8 / 10 / 9.5 / 10 / 8 / 8
@HarperCollinsAU
We rated it:
8 / 10 / 9.5 / 10 / 8 / 8
@HarperCollinsAU
June 20, 2017
its a good book for people who want to read big chapter books its just like some with some newsepaper cover in pages but not a real one hope you read it find out wat its about
September 12, 2017
3.5*
A very entertaining adventure of magic and mystery; great characters, good plot (some unexplained bits, but it's middle grade), spot on pacing, very visual. Really very good.
A very entertaining adventure of magic and mystery; great characters, good plot (some unexplained bits, but it's middle grade), spot on pacing, very visual. Really very good.
June 26, 2018
3.5/5
Love the adventure, it was enjoyable and definitely love all the magic writings in the book. Very light reading and it's quirkiness will make you want to read the book in one sitting!
Love the adventure, it was enjoyable and definitely love all the magic writings in the book. Very light reading and it's quirkiness will make you want to read the book in one sitting!
January 13, 2024
This was a fun read.
March 11, 2024
Well this was a great start to the series. From the beginning I was pulled in. Lots of twists, mystery and adventure. Can’t wait to see what the second one holds.
February 7, 2017
Would definitely recommend to every kid I know if it's one day translated to French!
Can't wait for the next one
Can't wait for the next one
April 1, 2017
I taught in schools for many years and have known hundreds of children and I know this book is going to have wide appeal! It's really different and fresh and fun. It's also a book I would have read to my class - not only because it will appeal to boys and girls alike, but because it would read well aloud. I read it in one sitting. The plot and characters grip you, making you laugh and wonder what on earth will happen next. The situations Justine Windsor invents are original and surprising - Lucy 'rescues' Lord Grave from a panther, feeds the animals in Lord Graves' safari park dressed in armour so they don't eat her, and uses the mysterious wish book to make things happen, so that she can discover the fate of the missing children. Highly recommended. Look forward to the next one!
April 17, 2017
This is a fun, quirky tale that has all the whimsy of a Diana Wynne Jones book with a dashing of a Victorian Penny Dreadful adventure thrown in for good measure. If you like magic and mayhem, then this could well be for you. Even less confident readers should enjoy this, thanks to the illustrations of Becka Moor sprinkled throughout.
Lucy Goodly is not a girl that let’s life happen to her. Fed up of her parents’ gambling ways, Lucy takes control of the finances (and the card table) and finds a way to keep their small family afloat. Until she runs up against Lord Grave and ends up working as his new boot girl in his strange manor, surrounded by exotic creatures and some curious members of staff. But Lucy isn’t defeated yet and she’s determined to find a way to escape even as she stubbornly resists the lure of making friends and possibly enjoying herself.
I like Lucy, she can be rather rude and is certainly stubborn, but she’s not afraid of taking control of whatever situation she finds herself in. Which is very useful when things take a turn for the unexpected and magic enters her life in a most surprising way. She does occasionally jump to conclusions that had me shaking my head, but she’s clever and capable enough to at least try and rescue herself when trouble arises.
I loved the magic too, some of which is fiendishly clever and some of which is delightfully mundane – which is why it reminded me so much of DWJ. There’s food magic and card magic, a fascinating library that can only be accessed in an unusual way, plus a pet panther and a guard elephant, to name but a few. If you love reading about the unexpected, this book definitely gives you that.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed it and can’t wait to see what Lucy and co get up to next.
(Review copy provided by the publisher via Amazon Vine.)
Lucy Goodly is not a girl that let’s life happen to her. Fed up of her parents’ gambling ways, Lucy takes control of the finances (and the card table) and finds a way to keep their small family afloat. Until she runs up against Lord Grave and ends up working as his new boot girl in his strange manor, surrounded by exotic creatures and some curious members of staff. But Lucy isn’t defeated yet and she’s determined to find a way to escape even as she stubbornly resists the lure of making friends and possibly enjoying herself.
I like Lucy, she can be rather rude and is certainly stubborn, but she’s not afraid of taking control of whatever situation she finds herself in. Which is very useful when things take a turn for the unexpected and magic enters her life in a most surprising way. She does occasionally jump to conclusions that had me shaking my head, but she’s clever and capable enough to at least try and rescue herself when trouble arises.
I loved the magic too, some of which is fiendishly clever and some of which is delightfully mundane – which is why it reminded me so much of DWJ. There’s food magic and card magic, a fascinating library that can only be accessed in an unusual way, plus a pet panther and a guard elephant, to name but a few. If you love reading about the unexpected, this book definitely gives you that.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed it and can’t wait to see what Lucy and co get up to next.
(Review copy provided by the publisher via Amazon Vine.)
May 1, 2017
Justine Windsor's debut historical fantasy novel for children aged 9 - 12 (the first in a trilogy) is a charming tale that's well illustrated by Becka Moor and which has a plucky main character who learns from her mistakes and is supported by a fascinating mix of supporting characters so that while there's a lot of set-up here there's also enough promise to make me read the next book.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews