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jaynecm's review
4.0
A very enjoyable series featuring child amateur sleuths Aggie Morton and her Belgian friend Hector Perot. Inspired by an imagined potential childhood of Agatha Christie and with lots of little Christie Easter Eggs throughout, this series is sheer delight. The wonderful friendship between Aggie and Hector, Hector's foibles, the charming late Victorian setting and the visit to the baths so Mummy can 'take the waters' are all charming. The mystery is intriguing and certainly kept my interest.
zoeslibrary's review
5.0
Detective stories are my comfort books, and so I can be extremely critical of them. I love middle grade Murder mysteries and I am so happy I found this series. Both Aggie and Hector are delightful and Grannie is my second favourite only after the reporter who is EVERYWHERE. I also love the authors explanation about the characters in the end. Hector and Grannie will be Aggie’s inspiration and not the actual Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. I’d recommend this to anyone who likes Agatha Christie and middle grade Murder books. Can’t wait to read the next one in the series!
sandaru's review against another edition
Unlike the previous ones, it got a bit boring
congressbaby143's review
5.0
Gripping!!
I have really grown fond of the female characters in these stories. I also admire this author for letting me trust her not to be careless with her writing to an extent that I knew she would never allow for a person with a handicap to be the villain (as it’s usually the problems with crime and mysteries set at this age). On that note, too, I like how she writes her characters. Knowing that this is a middle grade book written for middle grade readers, I am very excited for kids who were once my age to pick this up and find that progressive-thinking is great no matter the constraints of their time or of their age.
I grew up with the Nancy Drew Notebooks by Carolyn Keene, how I wished I grew up with these too.
As someone who, only last year, finished a copious amount of Poirot novels and dabbled in other of Miss Christie’s work, this series is a wonder. It echoes some of Miss Christie’s great works and even satisfies the back-and-forths between Hastings and Poirot through Aggie and Hector respectively. I love how Hector is written so honestly after my beloved Papa Poirot. I’d like to imagine that Hector grows up to be Poirot, I find solace in the idea. I really recommend fans of Miss Christie to read this book. It is like being wrapped in a warm hug or like taking Hector Perrot’s favorite chocolat on a cold winter’s day.
Mr. Augustus Fibbley is so endearing a character, too!
Ny Morbid Preoccupation cannot wait for the next installments. 5/5 stars ⭐️
I have really grown fond of the female characters in these stories. I also admire this author for letting me trust her not to be careless with her writing to an extent that I knew she would never allow for a person with a handicap to be the villain (as it’s usually the problems with crime and mysteries set at this age). On that note, too, I like how she writes her characters. Knowing that this is a middle grade book written for middle grade readers, I am very excited for kids who were once my age to pick this up and find that progressive-thinking is great no matter the constraints of their time or of their age.
I grew up with the Nancy Drew Notebooks by Carolyn Keene, how I wished I grew up with these too.
As someone who, only last year, finished a copious amount of Poirot novels and dabbled in other of Miss Christie’s work, this series is a wonder. It echoes some of Miss Christie’s great works and even satisfies the back-and-forths between Hastings and Poirot through Aggie and Hector respectively. I love how Hector is written so honestly after my beloved Papa Poirot. I’d like to imagine that Hector grows up to be Poirot, I find solace in the idea. I really recommend fans of Miss Christie to read this book. It is like being wrapped in a warm hug or like taking Hector Perrot’s favorite chocolat on a cold winter’s day.
Mr. Augustus Fibbley is so endearing a character, too!
Ny Morbid Preoccupation cannot wait for the next installments. 5/5 stars ⭐️
asreadbykat's review
4.0
True Rating: 4.5/5
This series has been a blast to read so far, mostly because it's a perfect example of an author improving with every book. There are so many examples of series out there that either a) start off great but get worse, b) start off bad and stay bad, or c) start off mediocre and stay mediocre. The Aggie Morton series is one where the series gets better with every book, in different ways.
If the first book was setting up Aggie's "Morbid Preoccupation" and the second one setting up the adult characters Aggie (as a child) can count on, then this book not only continues both themes but also focuses on Aggie's growth as a person.
"The Dead Man in the Garden" focuses on only on the titular murder, but also Aggie's troubles as a 12-year-old with a young widowed mother. Aggie battles an unknown murderer as well as her own anger and confusion over how certain people are reacting to her mother, and it's wonderful to see the growth. One of the best things about reading mysteries for young children is that the focus isn't purely on the mystery/murder; it's also on the children themselves, and how they interact with and move through the world around them.
Aggie Morton isn't a series an older reader would pick up for the mystery; you pick it up because you want to know more about these characters, compare them to their original counterparts (Agatha Christie for Aggie, Jane Marple for Grannie Jane, etc.), and watch them grow. The mystery is just an added bonus, and it seems Jocelyn has a great understanding of this. I know there's a fourth book, and I'm extremely excited to read it after this one.
The only reason I didn't give this 5 stars is because it did, once more, fall back on Aggie and Hector mostly acting on their own, only relying on their adult "colleagues" when necessary. I thought they had learned their lesson last book, so it was a little disheartening to see them returning to it. However, their actions do make a bit of sense, so I'm not going to be TOO critical of it.
TL;DR: Great emotional growth for Aggie, an interesting setting and mystery; goes back to the children acting without too much help from their adult chaperones.
This series has been a blast to read so far, mostly because it's a perfect example of an author improving with every book. There are so many examples of series out there that either a) start off great but get worse, b) start off bad and stay bad, or c) start off mediocre and stay mediocre. The Aggie Morton series is one where the series gets better with every book, in different ways.
If the first book was setting up Aggie's "Morbid Preoccupation" and the second one setting up the adult characters Aggie (as a child) can count on, then this book not only continues both themes but also focuses on Aggie's growth as a person.
"The Dead Man in the Garden" focuses on only on the titular murder, but also Aggie's troubles as a 12-year-old with a young widowed mother. Aggie battles an unknown murderer as well as her own anger and confusion over how certain people are reacting to her mother, and it's wonderful to see the growth. One of the best things about reading mysteries for young children is that the focus isn't purely on the mystery/murder; it's also on the children themselves, and how they interact with and move through the world around them.
Aggie Morton isn't a series an older reader would pick up for the mystery; you pick it up because you want to know more about these characters, compare them to their original counterparts (Agatha Christie for Aggie, Jane Marple for Grannie Jane, etc.), and watch them grow. The mystery is just an added bonus, and it seems Jocelyn has a great understanding of this. I know there's a fourth book, and I'm extremely excited to read it after this one.
The only reason I didn't give this 5 stars is because it did, once more, fall back on Aggie and Hector mostly acting on their own, only relying on their adult "colleagues" when necessary. I thought they had learned their lesson last book, so it was a little disheartening to see them returning to it. However, their actions do make a bit of sense, so I'm not going to be TOO critical of it.
TL;DR: Great emotional growth for Aggie, an interesting setting and mystery; goes back to the children acting without too much help from their adult chaperones.
lberestecki's review
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
eunicez's review
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
caitlin_lore's review
I fell in love with Aggie Morton last year, so much so that I wrote a whole paper for my grad program on the murderous things that happen in the pages of this middle grade series.
THE DEAD MAN IN THE GARDEN is book 3 of the series & a perfect read as we wrap up al the summer feels. Like her previous stories, Aggie stumbles upon a dead body...but this time, there's more than one. What's supposed to be a relaxing getaway spa trip turns into an active murder investigation.
Jocelyn's reimagining of a young Agatha Christie is a new inspiration for young mystery readers & a sure way to usher them into the Queen of Crime's stories. This new addition to the series is no exception as Aggie continues to courageously solve murders with her friend Hector whose personality steals the show once again. Not only will this mystery keep readers guessing until the end, but it will keep them laughing along with Aggie and Hector's shenanigans.
THE DEAD MAN IN THE GARDEN is book 3 of the series & a perfect read as we wrap up al the summer feels. Like her previous stories, Aggie stumbles upon a dead body...but this time, there's more than one. What's supposed to be a relaxing getaway spa trip turns into an active murder investigation.
Jocelyn's reimagining of a young Agatha Christie is a new inspiration for young mystery readers & a sure way to usher them into the Queen of Crime's stories. This new addition to the series is no exception as Aggie continues to courageously solve murders with her friend Hector whose personality steals the show once again. Not only will this mystery keep readers guessing until the end, but it will keep them laughing along with Aggie and Hector's shenanigans.
morgangiesbrecht's review
4.0
I read this delightful mystery in an afternoon, and it was the perfect companion for a sick day.
Of course, reading about a trip to the Yorkshire moors to take in the healing waters and then solving a few murders to boot has me convinced such a trip would also help my constitution… but I digress.
Of course, reading about a trip to the Yorkshire moors to take in the healing waters and then solving a few murders to boot has me convinced such a trip would also help my constitution… but I digress.