A Pocketful of Eyes

by Lili Wilkinson

Smart, funny, page-turning contemporary crime fiction in the tradition of Trixie Belden, Nancy Drew, Agatha Christie—and Veronica Mars Beatrice May Ross is smart, observant, and analytical, so when a dead body is discovered in the taxidermy department at the museum where she's interning, she's determined to use her sleuthing skills to solve the case. A dead body in the Red Rotunda, a mysterious benefactor, a large stuffed tiger in the catacombs, a handsome boy with a fascination for unusual animal mating habits, and a pocketful of glass eyes. Can Beatrice sift through the clues to discover if there is a murderer in the midst? This sharp, sassy mystery has plenty of twists and turns, a dash of romance, and a splash of funny, and will keep the reader guessing right to the very end.

Genres: Young Adult, Mystery, Contemporary, Romance, Realistic Fiction, Young Adult Contemporary, Australia

311 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2011

About the author

Lili Wilkinson is the award-winning author of eighteen books for young people, including The Erasure Initiative and After the Lights Go Out. Lili has a PhD from the University of Melbourne, and is a passionate advocate for YA and the young people who read it, establishing the Inky Awards at the Centre for Youth Literature, State Library of Victoria. Her latest book is A Hunger of Thorns.

Reviews

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.


“She had carried a detective kit everywhere she went, containing a magnifiying glass, a pair of rubber gloves, a notebook, a sharpened pencil, a battered Miss Marple novel and a lipstick, because, as Nancy Drew had taught her, lipstick wasn’t just for glamour….”

Initial Final Page Thoughts.
This book was fun fun fun but now I have the overwhelming urge to go to the Manchester Museum.

High Points.
Museums. Taxidermy. Mystery. Murder. Stuffed tigers. Glass eyes. Fun facts. Wheelie chairs. RPG mums. Detective worship. Ms Wilkinson’s sense of humour. Frozen koalas. Glass cabinets. Conspiracy. Science. Nobel Prizes. Girls who are happy to be intelligent and don’t dumb themselves down for a boy. Cut boys in glasses. Cute boys in glasses eating doughnuts. Corruption. Beetroot. Porcupine urine. Sheep vaginas….yeah, those last two probably need more explanation.

Low Points.
I am a huuuuuge detective fiction fan. If it is to do with detectives… there is a safe chance that I will watch/read/live it and love it unconditionally. There has only been one occasion where that is not true (Sherlock… there’s something about Benedick Cumberbatch that doesn’t sit with me…he looks like I imagine Mister Mistoffelees would look like without the make-up. *cough* Yeaaaah…).
I took a module called ‘Detective Fiction’ at uni and got my highest mark in it, writing a bitchin’ essay on Sir Holmes, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd and The Murders in the Rue Morgue. I have had my picture taken next to 221B Baker Street and posed like a complete fangirl and bought a leather bookmark with a mandolin on it and tried on a deerstalker, and then politely placed it back on the shelf when it was like A MILLION POUNDS.
I worship at the altar of Detective Jack Frost, Inspector Morse, Miss Marple and Gil Grissom.
I also do a mean impression of Taggart’s famous line. Although, there’s a lot of spittle involved when I try and roll my ‘r’s.
But anyway, back to this book. I am the first person to admit that sometimes fictional mysteries are a bit ridiculous and implausible (practically every episode of CSI, but I still adore it). But the mystery in this book was completely ridiculous and a bit silly and really implausible.
BUT… I didn’t guess it, which I think counts for a lot. And I still really loved this book... but it did bother me quite a bit.
Also, I could have done without the whole best friend/ ex- boyfriend shenanigans.
And, what the eff is a spearmint milkshake? Nearly lost my lunch when I read that.

Heroine.
Bee. You are a girl after my own heart. You are the Australian Veronica Mars. You work in a museum. You like mysteries. You ask yourself ‘What Would Poirot Do?’ when you’re in a jam. You see yourself as Nancy Drew. You like science. You read detective novels. You reminded me of a young Temperence Brennan (in the TV serious, Book Brennan is a bit more intense) in the earlier series when you were actually cool and not completely oblivious to everything in the entire world. You are inquisitive.
But you don’t like theme parks? Or popcorn? What is wrong with you?
And you also are extremely indecisive and flaky when it comes to boys. Just kiss the cute boy dammit. No need to ask questions.
I think if she had met Toby, Agatha would have approved. And Poirot would have given you a high five.

Love Interest.
Oh Toby. I couldn’t read your name without thinking of Olivia Flaversham and her ridiculous Scottish accent in Basil the Great Mouse Detective (coincidence? I think not!). But that’s fine, because I love that film regardless of the fact that Rattigan used to scare the pants off me.
ANYWAY.
OK, I completely fell in love with you from the first time you were on the page. And it wasn’t just because of the doughnuts. Well, OK, maybe a little bit because of the doughnuts.
You are sweet, cute, sound HOT, clever and you are adventurous.
And I’ve always had a thing about scientists…
But… please lose the hipster glasses. They upset me greatly. Unless they are prescription because that’s fine.
Our babies would just be blind as a blind bat.

Theme Tune.
Seeing as it’s Australia Week, I have given myself a quest to pick Theme Tunes from Australian bands/artists.
So…

Inject the Venom by ACDC

No brainer.

Also. Because I cannot believe I forgot to mention this next band in my Favourite Things About Australia list ……I have set myself another challenge.

Strictly Savage Garden Story Song
Yeah, I might work on that alliteration.
THAT’S RIGHT. They were my favourite band when I was younger. Me and Darren…. We’ve been through a lot. (Also used to fancy the leather pants off him.)
For every book I read I have to reluctantly trawl through my Savage Garden albums and come up with a song.
Such a chore.
*fist pump*
Some of them will be a little… uh.. abstract.

The Animal Song by Savage Garden.

Because about 75% of my knowledge of animal mating habits (and animal sexual organs) have come from this book.

Boy Angst.
6/10. There was a lot of backward-and-forwarding with Bee and Toby and it got a bit ridiculous. If a boy wants to make out with you in exciting and completely bizarre places.
Just go with it.
Also… this Fletch chap? WHAT. Boring. Move on to said adventurous kisser.

Sadness Scale.
1/10. Nada. Well.. I tell a lie. There was a bit of a pulling of heartstrings when the big reveal was… um revealed. But other than that… nada. This book was heaps of fun and if you are looking for a nice, quick read… definitely pick this one up.


Recommended For.
People who have been craving a fun YA detective book. People who like it when their heroine is clever and doesn't pretend not to be when a cute boy is in the vicinity. People who have always wondered how they make the stuffed animals in museums. People who find tigers oddly arousing. People who always manage to get half of their sandwich down them when they are eating. People who like to learn about the mating habits of molluscs. People who live in the sixteen states in America where necrophilia is a considered a crime… the rest, is it just frowned upon/strongly advised against?! People who are bored with having ‘kissing in the rain’ as the epitome of hot, sexy kissing. Boys who kiss in the rain… you have officially been usurped.

[Tatiana · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Pocketful of Eyes had all the potential to be a super-nerdy romantic comedy a la Past Perfect.

Bee and Toby work at Melbourne Natural History Museum in the Taxidermy Department, meaning they stuff dead animal skins. Bee has an obsession with detective stories. And Toby is a walking animal world encyclopedia (Male and female hearts beat differently, but if you put a man’s heart into a woman, it’ll start behaving like a woman’s heart. But if you put a female heart into a male, it’ll always beat like a woman’s heart? Patricia Highsmith loved snails so much that when she travelled overseas she used to tuck them under her breasts to get them past security? A male porcupine courts a female by urinating all over her? - Please, tell me more, Toby. I am already half in love with you!)

BUT...

1) The book would have benefited greatly from being written in 1st person. The 3rd person narration sucked a lot of fun out of Bee's quirky personality and often made the story sound detached.

2) The crime (suicide/murder) didn't match the overall lighthearted tone of the novel. I wish there was a different crime at the center of A Pocketful of Eyes, something less gruesome and that didn't make the main characters look like 12-year old Nancy Drews (which was particularly sad considering Bee and Toby were 17 and 19, respectively).

However, I can't deny, there were numerous instances of nerdy hilarity in this book. Enough for me to enjoy it as a whole and finish it in a matter of hours.

[Reynje · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Taking place in a Melbourne museum with monetary woes, A Pocketful of Eyes is a twisty mystery that involves animal trivia, taxidermy, a tiger and a cute boy called Toby. (And that’s enough cheesy alliteration from me).

Bee is working a summer job in the department of taxidermy at the Museum of Natural History, trying to avoid thinking about the fact that her boyfriend may prefer her best friend, and ignore her handsome new colleague, when the body of her mentor and supervisor and turns up in the one of the museum exhibits. Equipped with a childhood spent reading Sherlock Holmes, Trixie Belden and Nancy Drew novels, a whip-smart intellect and a willing sidekick, Bee puts her powers of deduction to work, investigating the mysterious circumstances of the apparent suicide.

To put it simply, this book is fun. Really fun. Wilkinson weaves a together a detective story with plenty of turns and red herrings, bizarre factoids galore and a dash of swoon.

Bee is refreshing character – she’s smart and tenacious and follows her instincts – but she’s also a teenager who doesn’t quite know how to handle her floundering friendship or the fact that her D&D playing Mum is dating a Celestial Badger. She’s confident in her work and knows how to skin a koala, but she’s not quite sure what to make of Toby and his wealth of knowledge about mating rituals of the animal kingdom. I loved the collision of her focused, analytical side with the uncertainties in her personal life and her feelings for a certain glasses-wearing uni student.

And speaking of Toby, I ended up with a bit of a crush on him myself. He’s intelligent, a little cheeky, a walking Wikipedia of random facts with penchant for making out in some very interesting places. He’s humour and hotness in equal measure (and honestly, the hedgehog card and the Adelie penguin story were pretty much my undoing).

The relationship between Bee and her Mother was well done. It’s realistic and not perfect and involves two very different personalities - but it’s not angsty or clichéd. The scenes between Bee and her Mother, while often funny, always seemed genuine and true to their situation.

In the interests of keeping this review spoiler free, I’ll limit my comments on the plot, other than to say that it was well-crafted and tight. I’ll admit that I went into this booking thinking I’d have the mystery sorted early on in the piece – but I was happily proven wrong and kept on my toes up until the reveal.

The big bonus factor for me though – nerd that I am – was all the trivia liberally sprinkled throughout the story. Odd facts about the history and process of taxidermy, scientific theory, literary references, mating habits.. They give the story a quirk factor that I particularly enjoyed.

A Pocketful of Eyes is light without being fluffy - it’s not a book that packs huge emotional impact - but it has a lot of heart and was I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

(Also, ten points for the cover: it has quite a pop and it’s also completely relevant. Love!)

[Mith · Rating 4 out of 5]

If Sherlock Holmes were a teenage girl, he'd probably be like Bee Ross. Bee likes to observe things and break them down into bullet points. She also likes mysteries and can list all of the original Nancy Drew book titles from memory (that won me over, that did). She works in the taxidermy department (when was that seen last time in YA?!) of a Museum - where she stuffs dead animals - alongside a cute nerd, who seems to know the ins and outs of the mating rituals of all the animals ever, AND her mom is a sixteen-year old D&D/Star Wars fanatic living in a grown woman's body.

(If all those tidbits didn't make you click the green "want-to-read" button, then what the hell are you doing on Goodreads?!)

Bee is one of the most unique and deliciously eccentric characters I've come across in YA in recent times ever! Half of me is desperately craving a sequel but the other half knows that anything more will simply ruin the perfection that is Bee and her story. I shall just have to comfort myself with more of Wilkinson's brilliant writings *sigh*

P.S - Just a heads-up : The tiger mentioned in the blurb has nothing to do with the plot.

[Keertana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5 Stars

You’d think that amidst the constant praise for Aussie YA Novels you’d come across at least one book that didn’t hit the mark, but Lili Wilkinson’s A Pocketful of Eyes is not that story. Wilkinson, like so many Aussie authors, seems to have a knack for throwing together various ideas such as murder mysteries, nerdy sci-fi shows like Doctor Who and Star Wars, science museums, random trivia and Trixie Belden together to create an intriguing, funny, and utterly compelling novel. I am constantly floored by the depth, witty-ness, and spunk of Aussie characters and Bee is, by far, one of the most enjoyable characters I have come across.

Bee’s summer is anything but perfect: she’s working in a museum in Melbourne, her boyfriend is cheating on her with her best friend (and he still hasn’t broken up with her), she hasn’t spoken to her best friend in what seems like forever, her mother has a new boyfriend (who is actually a Celestial Badger), and she’s doing her best to avoid her enigmatic and handsome new co-worker. Still, the last thing Bee expects is for the body of her supervisor to end up in the museum overnight – dead. Although Gus, her mentor, has been presumed to have committed suicide, Bee is determined to investigate this murder, the first real case to come up her alley! Armed with a childhood of Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, Sherlock Holmes, and Agatha Christie, Bee sets out to expose the killer – with the help of her co-worker Toby, who she just may not be able to resist after all.

I think I’m kind of in love with this story. A Pocketful of Eyes was a well-crafted murder mystery – one whose ending I definitely did not see coming. Yet, what makes this book phenomenal isn’t the hidden clues, intelligent insights, or secret passageways – it’s the characters. Bee is witty, spunky, and clever and speaks with a voice that is refreshing, compelling, and hilarious. I thoroughly enjoyed reading her perspective, and, although I do wish it had been told in first person since we would have gleaned more insight into Bee’s mind, I liked the way it was told just fine. Despite being a strong, courageous character – unlike your typical heroine – Bee still has her moments of embarrassment and makes her fair share of mistakes. Yet, all of these imperfections only make her more perfect in my eye. Although most of this novel is focused on the intriguing murder mystery, don’t let that fool you into thinking this story doesn’t have depth of its own, because it definitely does. Bee’s problems with her best friend, her discomfort with her mother’s boyfriend, and her overall confusion at life were never gone into in any great detail, but they were there, they were relevant, and they played a large role in her growth as a character. I guess most readers would have wanted Wilkinson to go into greater depth with these topics, especially as this novel wasn’t particularly long, but I loved the subtlety of it, especially as Bee isn’t the type of person to focus more on personal issues when there is a Agatha-Christie-type mystery knocking at her front door. I felt as if her private issues were touched upon and developed in such a manner that they never took away from the murder case, they only added to and embellished it.

Even though I loved Bee with all my heart and I sort of wish she was my best friend, I have to admit I fell for Toby – fell hard. There is something completely attractive by an intelligent guy, especially one who isn’t afraid to come across as a nerd. Toby was funny, flirty, and just as witty as Bee. Furthermore, he was somewhat of a genius, spouted trivia the way most people breathe, and completely swoon-worthy. I loved his developing relationship with Bee – their misunderstandings, their arguing, their acceptance of one another. Their romance was definitely one of the most fun love stories I’ve read in a really long time. Although there was no denying their attraction from the beginning, what really made me love their relationship was the way it progressed. Toby admires Bee’s quirky traits and she in turn adores his obsession with strange animal trivia. That’s another thing I loved about this book – the trivia! If you thought you didn’t know anything about animals before reading this book, you’ll find out plenty to keep people thinking you’re a wannabe-zoologist by the time you’re done. The best part about the trivia however, was how perfectly it fit into the story. It never felt forced or strange; it simply flowed and joined the throng of phenomenal ideas that were present in this novel.

A Pocketful of Eyes is fun, intelligent, and nerdy. It’s a story that will keep you on your toes – not only to find out about the killer or the shady side-characters, but also for the romance. The narration is nothing short of brilliant and there were no major qualms I had with this book either than that the mystery felt a tad bit unbelievable at times. Nevertheless, this story was cleverly-crafted, original, and one that can be re-read over and over again simply because it is that much fun. Plus, it gets major props for having an eye-catching cover that actually relates to the story (it’s not a myth – they do tend to pop up on rare occasions)! So, without further ado, I urge you to discard your latest Sherlock Holmes, Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, or Agatha Christie and pick up A Pocketful of Eyes instead – it’s just as entertaining as the classics, if not more!(;

[Jaki · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you can get past the idea that the police would take one look at a dead body on the floor of the museum, a bottle of poison clutched in his hand, and immediately declare it a suicide without searching the room nor doing an autopsy, then you can settle back and enjoy the ride.

Despite this rather glaring plot-hole, A Pocketful of Eyes by Australian author Lili Wilkinson is actually an enjoyable read. How refreshing to come across a book in the Young Adult genre, aimed at girls, that does NOT contain gorgeous vampires, an angsty heroine, a love triangle with Bad Boy and Nice- Boy-But-Kinda-Bad-Also, and lots of brooding.

Bee Ross is volunteering in the taxidermy department of Melbourne’s Natural History Museum over the summer, before starting her last year of high school, when two mysteries fall into her lap. The first is the apparent suicide of her mentor, found dead in the Red Rotunda room of the Museum. The second is, just who is the new boy Toby, working with her?

Bee has her doubts whether Gus really committed suicide – she’s more inclined to believe it a murder. And so, with Toby’s help, she sets out to uncover the real truth.

It’s a wonderful mystery story, one that actually had me guessing pretty much right up until the end. And Bee is an absolutely delightful character. She’s dealing with a few upheavals in her life – her mother’s new romance, her best friend and Bee’s ex-boyfriend getting together, her growing attraction to Toby that she tries to ignore. And of course, the death of Gus, her mentor from the museum. But there’s no angst to Bee – there’s no doom and gloom to her. A level-headed, rather quiet and solitary teen, she’s a fan of mysteries. When she was young, she wanted to be a “girl detective” – think Trixie Beldon. :D

The clues come together well, leading to a satisfactory – and rather surprising – ending. And yes, Bee does gather all suspects together, in time-honoured fashion, and solves the crime. :D

I think of all the characters in the book, my absolute favourite was Bee’s mother. Loved D&D, video games, fantasy, total geek. Very much reminded me of me – without the D&D playing. :D

I can see A Pocketful of Eyes turning into a series – Bee Ross, Girl Detective.

I did enjoy this book – well written, engaging characters, satisfyingly solved crime. I’d definitely recommend it to fans of YA, particularly those who are tired of the same ol’ same ol’ cookie-cutter brooding vampires that is so prevalant in YA today.

**Published May 1st 2011. I received a free copy of this book from the Australian online bookstore Boomerang Books. This is no way influences my review as I write honest reviews and give my honest thoughts.

[ALPHAreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beatrice May Ross is one peculiar teenager. Beatrice ‘Bee’ is interning at the Melbourne Natural History Museum’s Department of Preparation over the holidays. Because Bee enjoys taxidermy – reanimating an animal with pins, glass eyes and careful stitching. Bee loves taxidermy almost as much as she loves a good mystery – everything from Trixie Belden to Agatha Christie and Janet Evanovich (anything but that primly perfect Nancy Drew. Bee can’t stand that sickening sweet do-gooder).

So Bee is oddly fascinated when not one, but two mysteries fall into her lap! The first is the mystery of the new boy in the taxidermy lab – Toby. Toby is a university student working at the museum for extra credit and to satiate his dreams of becoming a zoologist. Bee is disturbingly fascinated by Toby, while also annoyingly flustered by his know-it-all banter and tiger-riding.

The second mystery is far less rom-com and more Holmes-esque. Because the second mystery involves a dead body . . . Bee and Toby’s supervisor, Gus, is found dead in the taxidermy department’s Catacombs. The police are quick to write Gus’s death off as a suicide, but Bee and Toby suspect foul-play.

Bee is a girl who loves a good mystery and has dreamed of her very own Scooby-gang adventure. But when a real-life whodunit needs solving, Bee discovers that death isn’t as glamorous as Arthur Conan Doyle would have us believe. . .

‘A Pocketful of Eyes’ is a new cozy YA mystery from Australian author Lili Wilkinson.

I loved this book! Lili Wilkinson has written an entertaining and daring novel that’s both a great addition to YA and a thrilling mystery whodunit.

Bee is a fantastic leading lady and girl detective. She’s not your typical teenager – she genuinely enjoys spending her summer holidays ‘mounting’ animals and she’d much rather read P.D. James than go out clubbing. She’s sort of geek-chic fabulous and a wonderful heroine. Bee is a complex character and interesting to decipher. She is partly using her taxidermy internship as a means to avoid an uncomfortable break-up and impending friendship disaster. She reads hard-boiled, gruesome detective novels but still believes in her heart of hearts that the world is more harmless, like in a Stephanie Plum or Nancy Drew novel. I really liked Bee and could relate to her inner mystery nerd.

The book is peppered with a cast of quirky-cool characters. Like Bee’s mother; a Dungeons and Dragons enthusiast who is embarking on a romance with her mystical badger-buddy (recently turned into a human man called Neal). Toby is an equally fascinating PG13 paramour – he is full of random tid-bits and crazy factoids. Toby’s constant stream of ‘did you know?’ makes for funny and interesting reading. For instance, I have learnt that an emu’s hips are anatomically the closest thing in the animal kingdom to a human’s. The human vagina is anatomically closest to a sheep’s. And that most snails are hermaphrodites. I loved all of these slices of general knowledge – they have that ‘random coolness’ factor while also being totally plausible pieces of repartee between characters who just so happen to work in a taxidermy lab.

I did love the mystery in ‘Pocketful’. For starters, the setting of a taxidermy lab is ingenious and creepy (all those sightless eyes, staring!) and the lab’s catacombs make for an eerie backdrop. The red-herrings and clues are brilliant – like the lizard eyes found in the dead man’s pocket. Wilkinson uses some wonderful Christie-esque settings and symbolisms throughout the novel, shaping it into a truly elusive whodunit.

The book is quite tongue-in-cheek. Bee is aware of how surreal her life is becoming, while also indecently excited by the prospect of living out a real-life murder mystery with herself in the starring role. As a lover of mysteries myself, I completely understood Bee’s guilty-fascination and sick pleasure in investigating her co-workers supposed suicide. And I loved that Wilkinson kept making pop-culture and literary references to the many mystery greats who shaped Bee’s quirky outlook on life (I especially loved one Veronica Mars reference);

Bee shook her head. “This is serious stuff. A guy is dead.”
This was what she had spent her whole life wishing for: a real mystery, with clues and suspicious circumstances, and the police refusing to get involved. It was all there, waiting for her. But she should walk away. The police would figure it out.
“Okay, fine,” said Toby. “But what would you do next, just for argument’s sake?”
“What?”
“If it wasn’t real life. If you were Nancy Drew or Sherlock Holmes or whoever. WWPD?”
“WWPD?”
“What Would Poirot Do?”

A Pocketful of Eyes’ is a strange and suave YA mystery novel. I could actually see Lili Wilkinson turning Bee Ross into a veritable Trixie Belden (I wouldn’t dare compare her to Nancy Drew!). ‘A Pocketful of Eyes’ could conceivably be the first book in a new and long-running YA mystery series. I definitely get the impression from ‘Pocketful’ that Bee liked her first taste of real-life murder-mystery; I think she’ll be unable to stop at just one, she might need to get another whodunit fix. I also think that murder mysteries are sadly lacking in the YA genre – there hasn’t really been a new Nancy Drew or Famous Five on the scene for quite some time . . . I think Wilkinson might just be the new Agatha Christie for the younger set, and Bee Ross our new girl detective!

[Hallie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one took quite a while to pull together, for my taste, which is a pity, as when it did, it was pretty great. I just found the tone slightly off, and Bea slightly too broadly drawn, and it clashed with the actual seriousness of the mystery to have Bea be all Nancy Drew about it. Her running commentary about the relationship between real life and mystery novels was fundamental to the story, but the novels she's referencing are those for *young* readers. The cases aren't likely to be the protagonist's mentor at her summer job who's found dead, supposedly having committed suicide. (Also, worst police work EVER, as there isn't any good reason that they would have just assumed suicide without any sort of investigation.)

The rest of the problems seem to flow out from that central discrepancy in tone, with Bea being alternately snotty (for not much reason) to Toby, a med student who has come to work in the Museum for the summer, kissing him, and making him her detecting sidekick. A similar slight off-ness came when Bea's role-playing gamer mother started dating a guy from her group, the Celestial Badger in the game. Funny, until he was encountered a few times and turned out to be a shy but perfectly decent guy and then the attempted humour aimed at him seemed a little mean.

The last quarter, maybe, of the book totally tightened up and the mystery's solution was an unexpected one, the characters were treated with more seriousness, and it all became quite moving and satisfying.

[Isamlq · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

Never mind her trying to be Nancy Drew or Trixie Belden or even Veronica Mars, Bee is such an odd ball… and she made me laugh so hard. She’s too old for the mystery bit, and got caught up in her not so simple little scenarios, but the things she did to move forward were priceless!

She’s not the only odd ball either. For one, there’s her mother. For another, there’s Toby. I got a kick out of her mother... what with her dating a Celestial Badger and her D& D nights. Fun! I got kick out of Toby, too. That flirty nerd! What’s so entertaining about him was his little bits of trivia making him seem odder and odder but also smarter:

‘Damn,’ said Toby, and threw pair of pliers onto his desk. ‘Damn you, stupid Phascolarctos cinereus! You damned thickset arboreal marsupial herbivore! I curse you and all your extinct Phascolarctida relatives. May every gumleaf you pick in your shrivel in your paw.’

The two of them trying to out-nerd the other had me grinning… (still has me grinning). The mystery bit was interesting, but a bit juvenile if I’m being honest especially given how smart everyone in the book could be, but overall... this was fun. It certainly fits my mood. Though not without its problems, it was Toby’s animal mating trivia and Bee’s little come back’s that have me all smiles right now.

[Namera [The Literary Invertebrate] · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was going okay, but MAN I had to suspend SO MUCH disbelief. The mystery is kind of weak and hinges totally on the premise that the police are pretty much brainless morons who barely even exist, so that a 17-year-old who likes Agatha Christie can swoop in.

And then right at the end, the heroine forgives the bitchy, slappable best friend with whom her boyfriend cheated on her, which made me drop a whole star from the rating.

This is a shame because the hero was actually cool - charming, flirty, and had a unique habit of spouting off animal facts as pick-up lines.

[Blog] - [Bookstagram]

[Christian West · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting concept

A summer intern's world is turned upside down when her boss suicides at work. But is it actually a suicide?

The concept is interesting (intern at a natural history museum working on taxidermy, failing uni student love interest, unusual family background) but the execution didn't work 100% for me. The character comes across as quite insular and someone who needs routine, but as she opens up to the love interest, that part seems to vanish and she's suddenly out there and open to irregularities around her. Overall an interesting read though.

[Steph La Greca · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Simple things were deceptive and amazing because behind them were millions of layers of meaning and complexity, all hidden beneath the facade of simplicity."

[Skye · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review is also posted on my blog, In The Good Books.

A Pocketful Of Eyes is a quirky, fun, and unique murder mystery novel for reluctant mystery novel readers. I count myself in that group.

The first thing you'll notice in A Pocketful Of Eyes is the main character. She's clever, funny, and a little peculiar (which I suppose you need to be to work as a taxidermist for the summer), and her voice is strong and apparent in each word. With each piece of narration, even through third person, I felt as though I knew her a little better, and liked her a little more.

And while I'm talking about how much I liked Bee, I should also talk about Toby - one of my favourite love interests I've ever read. He was sweet, funny, and full of strange animal trivia.

I'm no stranger to Lili Wilkinson's prose, but I was blown away by it all over again. Spare and emotional, her writing style is simply amazing.

The mystery was well-crafted. Though there were many clues, the culprit was unclear to both the reader and the narrator initially. It took a realistically long amount of time to reach the solution, where there was an interesting twist I never saw coming.


I give A Pocketful Of Eyes a 5 out of 5. I really hope to see it reach non-Australian readers in the near future.

[Maree Kimberley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really fun book and something fresh on the YA scene. I love a quirky, smart protagonist (who's a bit of a dag as well) and Bea is just that. The pace is fast, dialogue is pitch perfect and each of the characters is well-rounded. The mystery really is a mystery and although there were clues along the way the ending came as a surprise to me - but it all made sense! If I had to nitpick, (and this is nitpicking) the mother character was a bit annoying - maybe she was just a little too different. But this is a great read, witty, clever and lots of fun. Highly recommended.

[Kirsty Leishman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Things to like about A Pocketful of Eyes:

1. It's a contemporary homage to classic fictional detectives from Nancy Drew to Miss Marple.
2. The central character, Bee, has a volunteer job as a taxidermist at a museum. That's cool.
3. Bee looks askance at anyone who makes dumb remarks about mobile phones and social media.
4. Bee's nickname for her mother's new boyfriend is the Celestial Badger
5. I learned the difference between venom and poison thanks to Bee's nerdy love interest, Toby.

[kb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was just the kind of story I've been wanting to read for a long time. There's drama, suspense, mystery, thrill, romance, and it's both character and plot-driven. So much win! I loved that the two main characters are not the typical YA heroes—Bee is obsessed with taxidermy and works in a Natural History Museum, Toby is a 19-year-old animal mating habits-obsessed med student and museum intern—and that their voices have just the right spunk and humor.

[Kirsti · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like how this author represents smart, independent girls. Bee is a fantastic character, full of spunk and facts. I liked Toby too, with his quirky mating animal facts, he was a fun romantic interest. The mystery was a good one, and I certainly didn't pick the twist, but I never really liked Gus so it was hard to care about catching his killers. Quick read, once I found the time to just sit and read, but not as good as some of Lili Wilkinson's other books. Three stars!

[Mima · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was fantastic, full of weird, obscure facts. Lili Wilkinson is a fantastic Aussie Author! I couldn't put this down. Even when I fell asleep whilst reading, I was still holding onto it when I woke up. See? I was committed to this book :)

[Saniya]

Hehehe :p The girl on this cover looks like Rebecca Black! *Its Friday Friday* xD
I liked the trailer :)

[Emily Wrayburn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review originally published on A Keyboard and an Open Mind 16 November 2020:

I read this book over the course of one afternoon. I had to suspend my disbelief quite often, but gosh darn it, it was fun!

Bee has a summer job working for a taxidermist called Gus, and she’s enjoying the routine they’ve built up. Then suddenly a new guy called Toby is also in the office. And Gus is behaving strangely, just before he winds up dead. The police rule it a suicide, but Bee isn’t so sure. Drawing on her lifelong obsession with Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden, Bee is determined to solve the mystery of who killed her mentor.

I had to wonder whether Bee was supposed to autistic, or perhaps ADHD. She definitely displayed traits of both, though it is never mentioned on the page. I’ve seen this before where authors give themselves an out in case they get it ‘wrong’ – “what, no, I didn’t write them as autistic! I never mentioned anything about that!” Perhaps it’s just that Bee is very observant and logical and just likes routine, and gets very focused on things to the point of basically ignoring all else. But I did have to wonder.

I really enjoyed lots of the details of taxidermy and that it included a lot of details about the behind-the-scenes of a museum. I work in the GLAM (galleries, libraries, archives, museums) sector, so a lot of it was stuff I already knew, but I liked that it was included. There were a few times where I picked up on things that probably weren’t quite right, but most readers aren’t going to notice that.

The mystery was a bit convoluted but it actually all makes a lot of sense. I probably didn’t pick up on all the clues at the time, but they were all there. It does rely on the police being a bit useless at their job in order for the teenagers to come in with the big reveal at the end (was there no autopsy?), but look, it’s a YA mystery. Just roll with it.

I enjoyed the romance aspect as well. Toby is such a nerd! (Though I sometimes wondered if he was a nerd so that Lili Wilkinson had an excuse to just dump random animal mating facts into the dialogue – there didn’t seem a whole lot of point to it happening so often). There were times when I was like “Guys, you have each other’s numbers, why are you not just picking up the phone!” I appreciated that Toby cooled off when Bee came out and accused him of murder [would have been weird if he’d been so in love with her to not do that!], but that it all worked out.

I recommend this one when you need something light and fun, with an unusual setting and quirky characters. Spend your Sunday afternoon on it!

This review is part of my 2020 Australian Women Writers Challenge. Click here for more information.

[Anna Ryan-Punch · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review originally appeared in Viewpoint: On Books for Young Adults.

Lili Wilkinson’s latest novel A Pocketful of Eyes takes the mystery-romance genre and gives it a modern YA twist. Bee has the summer before year 12 all sorted out. Rather than heading to the beach with friends, Bee has a holiday job in the taxidermy department of the Museum of Natural History. She spends her days working in ‘companionable silence’ with the reticent Gus, coiling wire and cotton wool around preserved animal skins. It’s methodical, delicate work, and the routine and daily checkpoints (triple espressos at 11am) appeal to Bee’s love of all things neat and scientific. Bee is an avid reader of mystery fiction, and even fancied herself Girl Detective as a child, carrying a ‘kit’ containing a magnifying glass, rubber gloves, notebook and pencil, a dog-eared Miss Marple novel and a lipstick (because Nancy Drew had taught her the many uses of this otherwise frivolous item). But by the time her father left, Bee decided she’d had enough of real-life mysteries and would rather stick to the fictional kind – the kind that could always be solved with the arrival of a convenient clue, or judicious application of the little grey cells. So when a young man named Toby appears in the taxidermy lab one morning, calmly stuffing an emu, Bee is more than a little annoyed at this intrusion into her ordered world. Bee finds Toby immediately irritating, with his bewildering habit of dropping snippets of animal trivia into the conversation (‘an emu’s hips are anatomically the closest thing in the animal kingdom to a human’s’), and his seemingly innate ability to ask Bee questions she doesn’t want to answer. Admittedly, he is rather good-looking…but Bee doesn’t want to think about that.

When Gus suddenly commits suicide in the museum’s Red Rotunda, Bee and Toby are thrown together in a real-life, serious mystery. Several things about Gus’ suicide just don’t add up. Why was the bottle of poison in Gus’ right hand? How did he get into the Red Rotunda without his smartcard? Who was the person Bee and Toby heard in their office? And why did Gus have a pocketful of glass eyes when he died? Against her better judgment, Bee resumes her childhood role of amateur sleuth in order to find out what really happened to Gus.

Like Bee, I was a mystery-story addict as a child and teenager. I wrote my first ‘murder mystery’ story when I was eleven, and into those 600 words packed every single Christie-cliché I could find. I always preferred the mysteries written for adults, because the ones written for younger readers (Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden) always seemed a bit shallow and the actual mysteries trivial. The YA mystery genre is sadly lacking in quality modern examples, but books like Wilkinson’s charming offering will begin to remedy this. A Pocketful of Eyes exudes a kind of humorous nerdtastic flair that intelligent readers will revel in. Toby’s quirky habitual offerings of animal trivia create a lot of giggle-worthy banter:

‘What does Patricia Highsmith have to do with snails?’
‘Oh, she loved them,’ said Toby. ‘She used to carry a handful around with her in the handbag whenever she travelled. They were her tiny friends who made her feel less alone. When she travelled overseas she used to tuck them under her breasts to get them past security.’
Bee’s mouth fell open. ‘Are you…Is this supposed to be…Are you trying to turn me on right now?’
‘Is it working?’
‘I wish there were more letters in the alphabet to express the emphaticness of my no.’
Toby grinned at her. ‘What about if I told you that the Spanish word for “snail” is the same as their word for “vagina”?’

Wilkinson has had a great deal of fun peppering her story with mystery clichés and tropes, and this sense of fun passes successfully to the reader. From ‘bloodcurdling’ screams to the protagonist being ordered to keep her ‘pesky little nose’ out of secret museum business, there is a playful self-awareness in her use of mystery conventions:

Toby grinned. Bee raised an eyebrow.
‘Sorry,’ said Toby. ‘It’s just that in the last minute you’ve said victim and scene of the crime and motive and alibi. I feel like I’m in an episode of Midsomer Murders.

Bee and Toby are hugely enjoyable as characters in their own right, developed well beyond the sum of their witty exchanges. Bee’s awareness of her own attraction to Toby makes for a nice point of tension as she constantly assesses her thoughts about him, and resists anything that could be even vaguely classed as fawning. It’s heartening to read a romantic YA relationship that really does put the two characters on equal footing – sometimes Bee is at fault, sometimes she has the upper hand, and the same goes for Toby. And there’s just the right amount of what The Princess Bride calls ‘kissing parts’ to round out the romantic aspect of the story.

However, it’s Bee’s Dungeons & Dragons-playing, velvet-dress-wearing mother who really steals the show. The exchange between Angela and her tentative new boyfriend as they use D&D principles to decide who has to pay for the popcorn is classic nerdy humour, even if like me you have little working knowledge of role-playing games. Angela’s conversations with Bee are both motherly and wonderfully geeky:

‘Darling-heart, in about ten minutes I’m going to strap on a sword and sit around a table with my friends rolling dice and pretending to kill monsters with the aid of an imaginary Celestial Badger called Gavin. And you’re asking if I think you liking crime fiction is weird?’

Far too often in YA fiction the parents are either cardboard cut-outs that blandly dispense discipline or counseling, or are completely broken people who inflict their trauma on their children. Angela is neither two-dimensional nor demonized; she is a character I would quite happily read another entire novel about. That said, the importance placed on Bee’s absent father at the end of the novel feels a little unexpected, given that there are only a couple of references to him throughout the book.

A Pocketful of Eyes is a thoroughly modern YA mystery-romance and a pleasure to read. It’s warmly written, the mystery itself is intriguing and non-trivial, and it’s packed with effortlessly snappy dialogue. The solution to the mystery is well-plotted without being overcomplicated – and I’d challenge readers to work it out before the end. Even this seasoned childhood mystery-addict didn’t solve it. I don’t think I’d be alone in wanting Bee, Toby (and Angela!) to return for more detective work in a sequel.

[old account (rl) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I don't understand why this book doesn't have much hype? Its fantastic! The characters were simply marvellous. It was eerie how similar Bee was to myself; her obsession with Nancy Drew and Trixie Beldon, how she had her own "detective kit", her aspirations, her social awkwardness and lack of relationships. She could have been my clone - and how can you possibly dislike a character that strongly reminds you of yourself?

Now lets talk about Toby... swoon. He is my custom-made boyfriend. I am not even joking! He is quirky, he has a thing for random facts - ask my family about that. I do the same and annoys them to no end. - he is sweet, he is hilarious and witty and has the best conversations, he is intelligent, he is a science geek, he is cute, that's never a downer, and he is just a genuinely a decent guy. I am in love.

The mystery was pretty fantastic too. It had me guessing. It had me wondering. I love that it wasn't too rushed. I love that the clues weren't too obvious or that Bee wasn't too smart or too lucky. I loved that she used knowledge from her mystery books - its like all us readers would have done. It was just so realistic.

There isn't anything else I can say, accept why is no-on reading this? Is it because its written by an Australian author? I know they don't hold very good reputations but please do not act on these stereotypical judgements. This book is bloody fantastic. I am so glad that I picked it up and I cannot hesitate to recommend it to all mystery fans.

[Emma Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book may be one of my greatest op shop finds. Reading about Bee was such an adventure. Her character was smart and clueless at the same time, the perfect combination for a serious themes but not so seriously executed book.

Then there's the fact that it's set in Melbourne, in the museum of all places! And is full of random animal facts that when repeated to my boyfriend had him thinking that I was reading a non-fiction book.

I enjoyed everything about this book, the mystery, the romance, the self discovery, the amount of time I spent yelling at it for being stupid. And I enjoyed how it let me escape but also feel closer to home at the same time.

You can be sure I'll be picking up another Lili Wilkinson book in the near future.

4.5 stars.

[Gabrielle Reid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bee has a summer job in the taxidermy department at the Museum of Natural History, but when her supervisor is found dead with a pocket full of glass eyes, she channels her inner Nancy Drew to find out what's really going on at the museum. Was it suicide, or murder? This book was a little odd, but in a quirky, not-totally-unbelievable way. I did see the twist coming, but I found that satisfying rather than annoying, like an achievement to have worked it out before Bee did. I also appreciated the way romance was handled in this book, with very realistic teen complications that don't overshadow the main plot or Bee's characterisation. All in all, a thumbs up from me.

[Cherie Corbett-Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick, fun YA read that was set in Melbourne. Bee is a funny, quirky heroine who clearly has some issues with, well, people. I loved all the Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden references as well as the sweet romance that Bee got tangled up in. The mystery was unusual and there were some gaps as there was no police involvement, which I'd question given the circumstances. But it was enjoyable and I'd recommend it if you like teenage detectives.

[hiba · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lili Wilkinson is a great author and her books deserve more praise

[prathaaaaaaaa]

by far the most interesting part of the book was the title. but it was kinda sweet i guess.

[Asmaa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4.25/5

Disclaimer: I found this picture while I was not looking for sexy guys with glasses, and I think he is perfect for Toby.




Favorite quote:

Life wasn’t a detective novel. You couldn’t just be objective and stand back and believe everything would work itself out. Life was messy and had a way of tangling you up in its messiness and making everything all knotted and confusing. Not every crime had a villain. Not every question had an answer. Not every mystery had a neat solution.

I think I’m in love with Aussie authors. And don’t let the cover or the title misleads you, they make perfect sense once you read the book. Especially the cover *swoon*

Every single book I read was absolutely brilliant, with wittiness and funny dialogues and characters adorably engaging.

Beatrice Bee Ross has been a mystery-novel hardcore fanatic since her 11 years old birthday. She knows by heart every work of Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot, Trixie Belden and Nancy Drew. She even has the notebook, the magnifying glass and the lipstick to go with it.

For her summer job, she’s working as an assistant in the taxidermy lab of the natural museum. Just day after a new, annoyingly cute and trivia-nerd university boy with knee-melting kisses comes to work in her lab, her boss Gus is found dead in the Red Rotunda, with a bottle of mercury chloride in his hand and pocketful of glass eyes.

While everything points out that Gus committed suicide, Bee can’t shake the feeling that his death is a not self-inflicted: so she decides to embrace her Nancy Drew side and takes it upon herself to uncover the truth and solve the case.

Easier said than done.

This book was not the cheesy or a poor imitation of a teenage spy-detective I thought it would be. Bee was smart but not a genius; she had good instinct was very methodic by listing her thoughts and asking questions and trying to figure out the missing pieces of the puzzle but not every clue fell in her lap. She kept reminding herself that her life is no detective novel and she wasn’t after all perfect Nancy or Trixie. She had common sense but her flaws made her a very likable girl.

The mystery she was working on was a good one; Wilkinson did a very good job with messing with my head in an Agatha-Christie-ish way and then baffled me at the end; I admit that I didn’t see that one coming at all!

The relationship with Toby was crush-worthy and melt-your-heart-with-cuteness; he was such a nerd with his fascination for animals mating habits and trying to be the Watson to her Holmes. They had very good chemistry and their banter and flirtation was cunningly sweet and sexy.

[meeners · Rating 3 out of 5]

picked this up solely because i thought the title might be an allusion to agatha christie's a pocket full of rye (and it is) - always a good sign.

but i thought this kind of 中途半端 overall. i figured out the Big Reveal about a quarter into the book (it is textbook whodunnit!) and then spent most of the time immensely frustrated at the author for making it too easy. (mysteries are only fun, after all, if the author is able to outwit you.) if you are a devout fan of agatha christie and all the other greats mentioned then i think the solution becomes glaringly obvious - but if you aren't a devout fan then half the charm is already gone! catch 22.

also, why no love for patricia highsmith???? i am affronted and aggrieved. she is mentioned, but only as author of strangers on a train and bizarre lover of snails. these are things worth mentioning but COME ON!! surely much more important is the fact that she has the great distinction of being possibly the only person in the history of the universe to successfully write not one but TWO (TWO!) horror stories involving murderous rampaging snails. it is like if you were to set a mystery in oxford that culminates in a proposal and have your protagonist mention dorothy sayers but then utterly neglect to also mention YOU KNOW WHAT. (placet!)

still, the author does mention the doctor who episode featuring agatha christie, so perhaps it balances out. and i did love the more sarcastic mystery references (esp. the veronica mars bit, and the locked-in-a-room-with-a-potential-murderer bit) and bee's character in general. recommended for people who grew up reading mysteries - and who won't be too affronted and aggrieved by mystery omissions and awkward plotting.

[edit] now some time has passed since i wrote this review, and i find myself liking the book a lot better in hindsight. maybe that's the problem with me writing reviews immediately after i read a book - it takes some time for my impressions and reactions to mellow out!

[Sue Bursztynski · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's the usual Lili Wilkinson over-the-top humour, with the mother who plays Dungeons and Dragons in costume and plays computer games in between SF cons. the heroine who has a passion for crime fiction from Trixie Belden to PD James and the trivia-spouting but rather cute geeky boy she meets at work.

As mystery goes, I admit I didn't spot the rather Poirot-ish ending, although I did notice all those clues - no, Clues - jumping up and down through the novel, shouting, "Hey! Clue!", probably because I've been reading crime fiction for so many years. I doubt the average young reader will notice them, but at least the reader isn't cheated. It's an entertaining first mystery, though I think it might be a bit premature to be comparing her to Agatha Christie, as the back cover blurb does.

Perhaps it might have been a good idea for the author to check with a forensic scientist of some description, just to be sure. For example, would procedure allow the police to declare a suicide before the body was even removed from the crime scene? Wouldn't there be some inquiry from police over those few days in which the novel is set? Statements taken, at least? I don't know. I'm just wondering. Something must have been happening in the lab, because the funeral isn't held till near the end of the novel and presumably the police wouldn't be sharing their information with the public. It would just have been nice to have some mention of it.

But again - it's not written for the likes of me, it's written for teenagers and they would probably not be asking these questions. And it's good to see this author trying out a new genre, and a fiendishly difficult one at that. Good on her.