A review by whistberry
Barnabas Tew and The Case Of The Missing Scarab by Columbkill Noonan

5.0

A truly unique concept as bumbling Sherlock Holmes wannabe Barnabas Tew and his long-suffering sidekick Wilfred are unceremoniously sent into the Egyptian Land of the Dead by the god Anubis in order to solve the mystery of a missing beetle. What follows reads like a comedy of errors as our not-so-intrepid detectives are pushed around by one Egyptian god after another in their quest for the truth. I have to say, this book will not be for everyone. If you are expecting a clever, wise-cracking hero, you may be disappointed by the foolish Barnabas, but much of the comedy of this satire comes from his cluelessness and Wilfred's attempts to set him right. Their quarrelsome yet unbreakable friendship is the heart of this picaresque tale. Those more familiar than I am with Egyptian mythology may enjoy this tale even more, although I thought the author did a good job of explaining the different gods and their powers without drowning the reader in too much backstory. The Victorian-era style of language use again may not be for every reader but I found it delightful and well-suited to this fun mashup of genres. If you enjoy mysteries with a healthy dose of absurdity and a surprising amount of heart, you may want to give this a try.