There is something about opening a book and finding a map inside that always makes me excited.

A murder has taken place in a town called Castle Cove. The story is written from two different main characters’ points of view: Alice Ogilvie, who was best friends with the murder victim, and Iris Adams, who is Alice’s tutor.

Both Alice and Iris work together, despite their many differences, to piece together the evidence and clues in order to solve the case.

Fortuitously, the girls rely on Alice’s collection of Agatha Christie books to help them solve the mystery.

Although the story is a little predictable at times, I found it hard to put down as the numerous plot twists kept me on the edge of my seat.

The characters are imperfect and likeable. There are some heavier themes, such as dealing with grief, that you might want to keep in mind when reading this book, if it is likely to upset you.

This is a fun, easy-to-read and easy-to-follow book that includes a map, which helped me to better understand what was going on and follow the characters as they went to different places during the story.

The Agathas is a good book for anyone who hasn’t read for a while and wants to get back into reading. It certainly fulfilled my craving for a page-turner.

Reviewed by Tamsin Gillam
Age Guide 14+