Genius

I absolutely loved this. I am admittedly a huge Maureen Johnson fan, so I knew this would be in my wheelhouse. 

This is basically a humor book with illustrations designed to be an actual guide. It’s sort of like the art of Edward Gorey paired up with a travel book. If you’re a fan of British murder mystery novels or TV shows like Midsomer Murders and Doc Brown, you will absolutely adore this. Johnson basically breaks down the different commonly found tropes within murder mysteries (such as the evil matriarch, the greenhouse murder and the never open antique store) and tells the reader how to avoid being murdered by understanding these places and people. For example, never go to the church graveyard as it is already a graveyard and if you enter, you’ll never leave alive. Also don’t go to a small village trying to get inspiration for your mystery novel as you will, inevitably, end up the victim of someone else’s story. 

This is a super fun little book perfect for the British mystery fan in your life. 

Title: Your Guide To Not Being Murdered in a Quaint English Village
Author: Maureen Johnson
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 128
ISBN: 9781984859624

Three Descriptors: Humorous, Beautifully Illustrated, Light-Hearted