The Mystery of the Raddlesham Mumps

by Murray Lachlan Young, Juiie Verhoeven (Illustrator)

With 52 original illustrations, and told entirely in verse, The Mystery of the Raddlesham Mumps centres on young Crispin, the recently orphaned master of the Raddlesham Mumps. With only the company of the ancient butler Kenilworth, Crispin hears the tale od the lords of Raddlesham Mumps and their untimely demises. But Crispin doesn't realkse that the malevolent force that has been the bane of his family for generations has turned its gaze towards him.
Ghosts faeries and witches are brought to life by artist Julie Verhoeven. Young and Verhoeven's gothic collaboration outlines the perils of inheritance.

110 pages, Paperback

Published August 1, 2018

Reviews

[Simon Howard]

I have absolutely no memory of how this book ended up on my "to read" list. It is certainly different to most things I read, so I can only surmise that someone must have recommended it to me, or that I must have read about it somewhere.

It is a lavishly illustrated Gothic poem targeted at children concerning the seven-year old Crispin de Quincy de Faversham-Clumps who inherits the cursed stately home-esque Raddlesham Mumps following the sudden death of his parents.

Murray Lachlan Young has clearly and successfully constructed this to be one of those works which is designed to appeal to both children and adults, with enough silliness, mild horror and gore to keep the youngsters on board and enough subtle satire to appeal to adults.

This may not be my usual kind of thing, but I thoroughly enjoyed it nonetheless.

[David Kenvyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crispin de Quincy de Faversham-Clumps is the kind of child who, in an earlier age, like Lord Lundy would have been told to “Go out and govern New South Wales”. In all probability he pulls his teddy bear by the leg down the stairs, bump, bump, bump, just like Christopher Robin. The ghosts in his family make those in Gilbert and Sullivan’s “Ruddigore” look positively normal. The story begins with young Crispin, at the age of seven, inheriting the Lordship of the Raddlesham Mumps from his suddenly deceased parents. The Raddlesham Mumps are cursed and this is the story of how the curse came into place as told in part by Kenilworth, the ancient and cadaverous family butler.
This is a tale of Gothic horror to be relished. Crispin’s ancestors meet untimely, unlikely and positively unnatural deaths, until he is the last of the line. The fate of the Faversham-Clumps, and of the crumbling house of Raddlesham Mumps lies in his hands, providing he can survive the murderous enemies of his family, plotting his own demise.
The question is this: does our plucky young hero survive? That is why you have to read the book – to find out.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fast, fun read!

Clever, witty and full of twists. Young Crispin is a hero for readers of all ages. Now I really want to set the stage play!

[Antarctica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never knew this sort of poetry storytelling style was still about in today’s literature. I adored every minute of this book.