Mystery at the Manor

Montgomery Bonbon #3

by Alasdair Beckett-King, Claire Powell (Illustrator)

Bonbon is back in the third instalment in a brilliantly clever, funny and highly illustrated murder mystery series.

Bonnie Montgomery (as her case-cracking alter-ego Montgomery Bonbon) has been tasked with delivering a priceless diamond to Adderstone Manor, the home of retired master thief Fergus Croke. The plot thickens faster than a good roux when Croke is found dead hours later, and every one of his four protégés is suspected of the dirty deed. But when everyone is a crook, how does even the great Bonbon know where to begin? With the help of Grampa Banks and an undercover best friend, it’s not long before Bonbon uncovers hidden identities, motives a-many, and a rather surprising hedge maze full of monkeys. But can they catch the killer, before it’s too late?

Genres: Mystery, Middle Grade, Humor, Audiobook, Childrens, Fiction, Friendship

288 pages, Paperback

First published July 4, 2024

Reviews

[Mehsi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Montgomery Bonbon is finally get her mystery set in a mysterious set-far-away-from-things mansion!


🥰 I love that we don’t just have one easy mystery, oh no, the culprits all have something to hide and they are all crooks which make their morals a bit more on the other side than we normally have. It was great fun to figure out the mystery/whodunnit + get to know the characters and what makes them tick along the way.
🥰 The fact that this one took place in a mansion located in a place not that close to everything. I always love love love a good mystery taking place in a big old mansion with secret passages, secrets, rooms upon rooms with clues, and more.
🥰 The treasure hunt/the who will find the jewel? was a lot of fun to read as well and I loved that we got the clues as well and could also think about what it could possibly be!
🥰 Seeing Bonnie switch between Montgomery and herself! I just find it hilarious how no one ever guesses that there is a little girl in the suit, I mean, to me as the reader it is obvious, so I would love to enter the world and see if it is a better disguise in the world of Montgomery Bonbon.
🥰 I loved how Bonnie HAD, yes HAD to do a grand scene to unveil the culprit in the drawing room! She was even getting frustrated that NO ONE seemed to understand the importance of it. Haha, but I got it girl! I understand!
🥰 I am still a fan of Bonnie’s grandfather. I love how supportive he is of his granddaughter and doesn’t mind helping out!
🥰 I loved the various characters we met, from the explosive Naomi to the magical Daniel and the always around housekeeper, Mrs Muggins. Everyone was so interesting.
🥰 The monkeys were so cute and they made me laugh so much because of the chaos they brought along. Though I also felt sad for them because their owner was murdered right in front of them, those poor critters.
🥰 The cover and the illustrations! I just love Claire Powell’s art and I am happy to get so many of them. The style is just so fun.
🥰 I am so so hoping that those mysteries we fleetingly read about in the beginning before the bigger mystery will be actually written and come out as novellas, or maybe just one big book with all of them!

🤔 Of course, why not, Inspector Sands is there again… sighs I don’t like this character at all. Maybe if they were a bit more competent, but now, just go away.
🤔 Not sure about Dana. I know I said I liked her in the previous book and wanted more of her. But in this one I just found it quite rude how she forced herself in the mystery along with how she acted like she knew it all better. Not a fan of know-it-all characters, those are never my fav.

But all in all, I desperately need more of this series! I would highly recommend it to all!

Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/

[Tahirah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the silliness and whimsy of this book

[Pi]

TAJEMNICA STAREGO DWORU tom 3 serii o zwariowanym, nietypowym, trochę dziwnym detektywie "przebierańcu" Montgomerym Bonbon'ine. Jest to kolejna odsłona lekkich, wzorowanych na klasycznych opowieściach kryminalnych - przygoda z dziewczynką w roli detektywa. Jak już wspominałam, lubię sięgać po książki przeznaczone dla młodszego czytelnika, ponieważ dają mi smak dzieciństwa i swobody, nieograniczonej niczym wyobraźni... to miłe uczucia.
Jaki jest ten tom 3? Jest poziomem równy z poprzedzającymi go tomami. Cała seria jest równa, na podobnym poziomie a moja większa sympatia do np. pierwszego tomu wypływała z miejsca, w którym toczyła się akcja. Tutaj mamy STARY DWÓR i przyznaję, że trudno o lepszą lokalizację. Jeśli do tego dodamy trupa w klatce z małpami - to robi się naprawdę ciekawie.
Można zastanawiać się, jak tym razem dziadek z wnuczką poradzą sobie z zagadką? I czy koleżanka Dana (pełni funkcję Watsona) pomoże? Cóż, żeby się tego dowiedzieć, książkę należy przeczytać - a czyta się szybko, więc raz dwa i mamy to.
Bywało, że podczas poznawania przygód Bonbon'a myślałam: jak to, że małą dziewczynkę wplątuje się w prawdziwe zbrodnie? W prawdziwe trupy? To było dziwne, ale przecież chyba o tę sprzeczność w tej serii chodzi. Uważam, że autor własnie ta tym nieco czarnym humorze i mocno przerysowanych bohaterach - wygrywa. Uznaję to więc za interesujący zabieg i niecodzienny.
Książki są także świetnie wydane. Tomy tworzą spójną całość i każdy ozdabiają klimatyczne, świetnie dopasowane do treści ilustracje Claire Powell. Myślę, że to interesująca seria, którą można "wypróbować" i na sobie i na dziecku zainteresowanym tajemnicami.

gdzie ten diament?
tom 3
Montgomery Bonbon
Wydawnictwo Kropka
egzemplarz recenzencki

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bonnie Montgomery has an alter-ego, Monsieur Bon-Bon, the world's (or at least her town's) greatest detective, with a beret, stuck-on moustache, and an accent that rambles around the stereotypes of European accents (with a particular penchant for France, naturellement). Bon-Bon has been tasked with delivering the Adderstone diamond to the new owner of Adderstone Manor, retired master thief Fergus Croke. That should have been the extent of the job, but when Croke is found dead in his monkey house (don't ask), Bon-Bon is on the case. Each of Croke's proteges has a reason to want Croke dead and want the diamond for themselves. They each have a clue from Croke that sends them haring off in different directions, and in the case of at least one of them, regularly blowing things up to see what she can find. It's up to Bon-Bon, her Grandpa Banks, and her stowaway best friend Dana, to figure out what really happened. Allons-y!

This was delightful and ridiculous and full of the hilarious, clever metaphors that I adore. It helped a lot that the narrator had a British accent, because those metaphors are so much funnier when delivered in a dry, BBC-approved accent. I liked that while Bonnie certainly didn't solve everything on her own, she was not a bumbling idiot fronting for the true genius of her friends--it was really a group effort and they all had good ideas. I loved how Dana loved big words and used them frequently. TBH I don't know if this would be as funny when read on paper as when listened to, but I can recommend the audiobook without reservation. I'd say it's good for grades 3-5. Thanks to Libro.FM for a free educator copy of the audiobook.

[Our Weekend Is Booked · Rating 4 out of 5]

Montgomery Bon Bon: Mystery at the Manor by Alasdair Beckett-King is a hilarious and witty middle-grade mystery novel, the third installment in the series. Montgomery Bon Bon is really Bonnie, a 10-year-old girl who is an amateur detective complete with a fake mustache as her disguise.

Bonnie and her Grandpa Banks are tasked with bringing a valuable diamond to Adderstone Manor. However, soon after their arrival, the manor's owner, Fergus Croke, is murdered in the monkey house. It seems like a mystery that only Montgomery Bon Bon can solve. There are several possible suspects, all with criminal pasts, and adding to the intrigue, Fergus Croke has left each of these individuals a series of clues, sending them on a chase to uncover the truth.

What I Liked: This was a fast-paced book with each chapter pushing the story forward with new twists and turns that will keep young readers guessing. The added layer of comedy is what sets this book apart from other mystery books. However, some of the humor is very British and might go over the heads of some middle-grade readers.

Claire Powell's illustrations are a perfect match for the story, capturing the eccentric personalities of the characters to a tee. I especially loved the black and white sketches of the monkeys, whose silly antics add to the humor of the book.

Ultimately, Montgomery Bon Bon: Mystery at the Manor is the perfect book for readers who love both mystery and humor.

This review first appeared on YA Books Central and can be found here: https://yabookscentral.com/montgomery...

[Rebekah · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5*
I do like these books, but was it just me, or were there a lot more replacement swearwords used? I do think these books would be much better and more suitable for the intended age without them. It's such a shame because it puts me off recommending them. (Parents will differ on whether this is a problem, so I've listed the words below.) There were a few other things that felt out of place for a kids' book, like Bonnie's mum having spicy novels in her room. I've listed things below.

They're still great little whodunnits and perfect for the 9-12, except for all this fake cursing. The artwork goes perfectly with the fun story. And I still adore the fact that her Grandad helps her solve these mysteries, and this one has her friend more involved too. But I'm beginning to not like some of the content.

CW:
- Lang - blimey, a whacking great-, flamin', jolly rotten, blimmin', bloomin', gee, sure as heck, blasted thing, botching, flamin' heck, farting, blast, prig, slippery blighter, drat, a load of piffle, gosh, you plum duff, gosh-darn, a wanging great-
- references to 'serious bum trouble' from a bad batch of gravy, repeated in the story
- reference to inbreeding: 'an aristocratic bloodline that had died out years ago due to an acute shortage of second cousins.'
- reference to a man being a 'silver fox'
- a room called 'the farting room'
- reference to a walrus trying to attract a mate
- her mum talks about an object being imbuded with power. But she is consistently mocked by the narrator for her weird spiritualism.
- reference to Bonnie's mum's room being 'piled high with spicy novels'
- a man is constantly referred to as a woman's lapdog, and even doodled as a dog
- 'cold-blooded murder' is jokingly described as 'the fun stuff'

Spoilers:
- a character finds out he had an adult daughter and never knew. So obviously, had an affair/fling with her mum.

[Agapanthus.books.100 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bonnie Montgomery has a secret. She is, in fact, the world's greatest detective Montgomery Bonbon.

In her disguise of beret, trench coat, false moustache, and slightly dodgy French accent, she has taken on a case at Adderstone Manor in Widdlington.

Accompanied by Grampa Banks, they deliver a parcel to the Manor's owner and retired master criminal, Fergus Croke, which turns out to be a priceless diamond.

When Fergus turns up dead in the Monkey House, and the diamond is nowhere to be found, it is left to Montgomery Bonbon to investigate the strange selection of guests staying at the Manor.

Can Bonnie discover which of the suspects is capable of murder? Using her powers of deduction, will she be able to find the precious gemstone without the help of the police?

This is the third Montgomery Bonbon saga, and it is just as funny and entertaining as its predecessors. Adderstone Manor is the perfect setting for the murder, with lots of descriptions of the rooms and even a map of the house at the beginning of the book.
Alastair Beckett-King's comical and quirky writing is really enjoyable to read, and the vivid descriptions of the colourful cast of characters is laugh out loud funny. Claire Powell's brilliant artwork brings the story to life on every page.
I really enjoyed this latest instalment and look forward to seeing what escapades Bonbon gets up to in Book 4.

[Bookread2day · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read all the series and loved every book.

Montgomery Bonbon, are easy to read children’s mysteries, for the ages 9-11 years-old, with fabulous illustrations.

Detective Montgomery Bonbon, in a false moustache, is secretly Bonnie Montgomery, a ten- year- old girl. Bonnie is mainly interested in solving murders. She is good at talking in a foreign accent, and wears a beret. Montgomery Bonbon, is in Adderstone Manor.

It’s not very nice having to solve a murder, but that’s what Bonnie Montgomery is good at.

Tragedy has happened, in the rambling country house, Adderstone Manor, a man has been found dead inside a cage. While Bonnie is investigating, as a man, being Detective Montgomery Bonbon, her grandfather, Gramps Banks is taking photos of the crime scene.

There’s plenty of suspects, but the problem was every one in Adderstone Manor has an alibi.

Detective, Montgomery Bonbon, will have to work out whodunit.

This is the perfect laugh out loud, entertaining children’s whodunit book series, that I highly recommend. I would like to thank Walker Books for sending me a copy.

[Stace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bonnie Montgomery is a young girl with an alter-ego – She is the world-famous detective Montgomery Bonbon and only her Grampa knows her secret. Having solved cases at the local museum and a lighthouse, this time Bonbon is tasked with discovering who killed prolific thief Fergus Croke and finding his stolen prized diamond.

Mystery at the Manor is the third book in the Montgomery BonBon mysteries. While it is always best to read series in order, this book works perfectly as a standalone.

The book, just like the previous two is filled with pure adventure from the beginning. Bonnie/Bonbon is a fun, wacky character that children will adore. Her super sleuthing is fabulous and her eye for detail is why her skills are world famous.

Overall, Mystery at the Manor is an engaging and exciting read. It contains fabulous black-and-white illustrations throughout alongside a well-thought-out, clever plot that is highly amusing the whole way through. For middle-grade readers who are looking for something entertaining to read, this is the series to pick up.

[Shalini · Rating 5 out of 5]

🔎🏰 Mystery At The Manor by Alasdair Beckett-King
🔎🏰BOOK REVIEW:-
This book is absolutely fun and has the best comic timing which makes it an absolute laughter fest to devour!📖 A special word for how beautiful and amazing the illustrations for the book actually are🤌I enjoyed this Montgomery Bonbon mystery as much as I enjoyed The Murder at the Museum.
I really hope you guys check it out too!! Keep a pack of tissues ready because you'll tear up after laughing so much 🤭
🔎🏰BOOK DESCRIPTION:-
Bonnie Montgomery (as her case-cracking alter-ego Montgomery Bonbon) has been tasked with delivering a priceless diamond to Adderstone Manor, the home of retired master thief Fergus Croke. The plot thickens faster than a good roux when Croke is found dead hours later, and every one of his four protégés is suspected of the dirty deed. But when everyone is a crook, how does even the great Bonbon know where to begin?

[Maggie Timlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder, monkeys, and mayhem, someone call Montgomery Bonbon!

Montgomery Bonbon, who has a lot in common with Bonnie Montgomery, has been invited to deliver a diamond to a creepy house on the moors. While the great detective is there there's an 'orrible murder which he has to solve.

Once again there is a cast of characters who are brought to life by Clare Powell's brilliant illustrations. The police are useless and need all the help Montgomery Bonbon can give. Once again Grandpa Banks is a stalwart support for Bonnie.

I love these books. I love the mysteries. I love the fact the Bonnie has a great solid family so there's no peril there. I love that Bonnie is a bit rubbish being a friend in a way that we all were when we were that age.

Thank you to the publisher for a review copy of this book.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

The illustrations in this are absolutely superb. They have a Quentin Blake sort of vibe, and are spread throughout the book. Really, more middle grade fiction should have this level of page decoration and illustration. I picked this up because my students have an insatiable desire for mysteries, and a mystery series would be easy to recommend. However, this is very, very British, and somewhat younger than most middle grade mystery novels in the US. I would have adored this when I was in about third grade, and can see this being popular with fans of Lemony Snicket, Taylor's Malamander, or Byng's Molly Moon. Bonus points for using the word "japes" on the first page, but this would not go over well with my students, who are not as fond of unknown vocabulary words as I am.

[Pritee ^_−☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Borrowed the audiobook from Libby. Thoroughly enjoyed it as the author was the one narrating the story, furthermore the narrator changed his voice intonations, speech patterns which made the story more fun and engaging.

The plot was okay. I think since this is a children’s book, at times I couldn’t be as engaged. Understandably, the characters and the plot couldn’t be as complicated despite that, the vocabulary was articulate with words that I’ve never seen or hear before which I believe will be beneficial for the young readers.

In my opinion, I think I find reading traditionally easier than listening to audiobook. Maybe my attention span is really bad but not all the information goes through.

3.3/5 🌟🌟🌟

[Chulandon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought that having Montgomery Bonbon help criminals solve a murder was a very clever idea for this book. If you go into this book like I did not reading the summary beforehand and going in completely blind you will get a shock when you learn that criminals needed help not only in solving this murder but also in finding the missing diamond. I also like the idea of Dana running a Montgomery bonbon detective fan club and just so happening to be in the very location where the mysteries are taking place, so that way she can help Bonnie and grandpa solve the case. I would also like to see Dana maybe come up with her own detective character to help assist Grandpa and Bonnie while they investigate mysteries.

[Neil M · Rating 4 out of 5]

My daughter and I read the first two Montgomery Bonbon novels together and loved them, and she was so excited to find out the third had come out.

Luckily it didn't disappoint - while I think it's not quite as good as the first two, it's still brilliantly daft and hilarious.

These books are effectively farces for children - not only is there a primary school child masquerading as a Poirot style detective by simply putting on a beret, a dodgy accent and a fake tache, there's people getting stuck in stairs, jumping up and down on packets of onion rings, and now a group of monkeys at the scene of the murder led by a monkey in a bow tie.

Great fun, looking forward to the next one!

[Kirsty Carson · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up to 5
Bon Bon is at it again and this time even the monkeys are under suspicion. Bonnie Montgomery, Grandpa Banks and the stowaway Dana are at it again when a popular crook is found murdered in his own home with a selection of shady characters to choose from as the culprit! Filled with Beckett-King’s usual humour and style and Claire Powell’s hilarious illustrations the third instalment in the Montgomery Bon Bon mysteries is a fun, exciting and downright hysterical read!

[Therearenobadbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun Bonnie adventure, this time a classic locked manor mystery, always with the help of Grandpa, who is a fun character as well. I couldn't resist getting the audio while I waited to collect the book, and I am glad I did because if the book is fun beyond fun, the audiobook narrator makes it even more hilarious. I recommend both formats, no doubt, perfect for any occasion traveling or not.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, this series brings me such joy. They make me laugh and I love the illustrations! When a diamond goes missing and its owner is murdered, can Bonbon catch the criminals before it’s too late? Monkey madness, a massive hoover and some sleuthing are all in here!

[Maisie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The chosen book for the Read Together library project. Montgomery Bonbon, the junior version of Poirot, solves a delightful cosy murder mystery. The perfect choice for parents and grandparents to read with the little ones.

[James G · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is still one of my favourite series of all time. However, I didn't think this particular one was as incredible as the last two, perhaps because of the limited location (the aforementioned Mansion). Still highly enjoyable though!

[Krissy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is the best of the three Montgomery Bonbon mysteries. So much fun. I would've been crazy about these books as a kid.

I'm lucky they were published during my lifetime!
Thank you, ABK! And thanks to Claire Powell for her truly delightful illustrations!

[Lynne Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always an absolute delight to read one of these books.

[Knurek]

2:33

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Libby’s book group selection for February. Worth reading for the author’s aptitude at forming wonderful witty phrases. The story itself was good, but not wonderful.

[Jennie Collison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read as part of the ‘Together we Read UK’

[Georgia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really funny

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another cute and silly murder mystery in the series. I especially enjoyed the variety of kooky characters.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you @Librofm for the ALC.
A delightful mystery for kids.

[clairie · Rating 5 out of 5]

AH! I did not see this one coming.

[Miranda Paris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny, witty, silly good times in a mystery worth figuring out. Love Montgomery Bonbon!