I love Alasdair Beckett-King's comedy and YouTube channel so knew i would love this too. This has all the warmth of his comedy but with the extra bonus of it being a fun crime caper. I loved how the mystery and characters were written and felt that they had both a lot of heart and a lot of fun. The action was well paced and i feel like it had a solid level of suspense and intrigue to this.

I loved Montgomery Bonbon and can't recommend it enough for the little readers in your life - it's the start of a great new detective series where Bonnie Montgomery solves crimes as the detective Montgomery Bonbon (a brilliant take on traditional detectives like Poirot). It was funny, action packed and heartwarming - she solves the crimes with her Grandad which was a lovely relationship - and I didn't guess what had really happened until right at the very end - that doesn't happen very often in children's books!

I really liked that throughout the book it referred to other crimes that Montogomery Bonbon had solved, even though this was the first in the series - it left you making up the stories of what had happened for yourself!

Definitely one to add to your shelves.

Many people go their whole lives without noticing anything that is afoot, amiss, or even untoward; without ever experiencing that toe-tingling, stomach-twisting sensation that a mystery is about to unfold.

Not Bonnie Montgomery – the world’s best detective. Not that anyone (other than Grampa Banks) has heard of her… But they might have heard of the great Montgomery Bonbon, the well-dressed gentleman detective who (apart from the hat and moustache) looks suspiciously like a 10-year-old girl.

Their newest case: solving the mystery surrounding a highly suspicious death at the Hornville Museum. Together they'll interview some dodgy witnesses, scour the scene for clues and – above all – hope no one notices that Bonnie and Montgomery are never in the same room at the same time...

What a fantastic middle grade book. Giving me Poirot vibes this was a hilarious, mysterious ride from start to finish. Montgomery Bon Bon is going to become an iconic name in middle grade mystery if Beckett-King continues this series and let’s her (sorry I mean him) get their hands on more crimes to solve. Hilarious and at times extremely heartwarming this was such an enjoyable read and I couldn’t recommend it enough.

A wonderfully witty comedy locked room mystery for kids- as in all good detective novels, I had no idea who the murderer was and was avidly reading til the end for the big reveal. Bonnie Montgomery and her family are a joy to read about, this quirky humorous story is highly recommended by me. It doesnt take itself too seriously but the classic detective elements are all there- with a nod or two to some other great detectives thrown in! The illustrations are spot on too

This was a fantastic little locked room murder mystery for children, with distinctive, eccentric characters/suspects, a kid-friendly setting (a creepy old museum with mismatched animal exhibits), and most importantly, a lot of wit and humour.

I read it with my 9 year old daughter and she loved it, kept giggling, and when I told her Alastair Beckett-King was a comedian, she said "I'm not surprised, because he is HILARIOUS!!"

What fun! This story is a hoot from beginning to end.
Although this is clearly a junior Poirot spoof, youngsters who aren’t familiar with the Belgian sleuth and won’t appreciate the elements of parody, will absolutely love this book! The main character is ten year old Bonnie Montgomery who morphs into ‘The World’s Greatest Detective’ and is ably supported by her grandfather, and a moustache which is almost a character in its own right!
This adventure is set in Hornville Museum where, of course, a murder occurs and it is left to Montgomery Bonbon to solve the mystery of whodunit without much competent help from the official detective, Inspector Sands.
The structure of a Poirot story is superbly used to carry us through the adventure with baited – okay, giggling- breath, up to the dénouement when all the characters are gathered together with the real culprit having no idea that he or she is about to be revealed as the villain. The language is full of humour, some subtle and some outright hilarious. The police tape at the crime scene is printed with ‘POLICE- DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!’ The dialogue even has the rhythm of Poirot and the whole book is enhanced by Powell’s equally fun illustrations.
Children will adore this character and already I can’t wait for the next adventure!
Thanks to Walker Books for my proof copy of this book.

Montgomery Bonbon: Murder at the Museum is a cute, quirky little murder mystery featuring the spunky ten-year-old detective Bonnie Montgomery and her cross-dressed alter ego "Montgomery Bonbon", a foreign, eccentric, but highly successful gentleman detective a la Hercule Poirot. When a treasured Roman eagle artefact is stolen from Hornville Museum and the security guard is found murdered by a poison dart, our young detective is on the case! With the help of her trusty assistant "Grampa Banks", Bonnie is determined to get to the bottom of this mystery. Although all the suspects seem to have rock-solid alibis, Bonnie continues to dig for clues, interviewing the museum staff who were present at the time of the murder, and cleverly finding connections that were not apparent at first -- though not without a false trail or two. Could there be more to this mystery than meets the eye, and to the missing eagle itself? Will Bonnie succeed in bringing the perpetrator to justice at the last minute, when it seems like the fate of an innocent person hangs in the balance?

Young readers will enjoy accompanying Bonnie on her investigations and trying to figure out the puzzle of the missing eagle and the death of the security guard. Alistair Beckett-King's comic talent shines through in his debut novel (although there are a few places when the attempts at humour feel a bit excessive, but I am sure that's because I am reading the book as an adult, and young readers will probably not mind!). Bonnie's notes and musings are presented in a casual, humorous way outside the main text of the narrative, adding a nice personal touch. I look forward to seeing what "Montgomery Bonbon" gets up to in the next volume of "his" adventures!

Never Did I Think that a Book with tones of Night at the Museum meets Nancy Drew & Agatha Christie be such a Fun Read BUT it Was, 5-Stars all Round!
(Thanks to Net Galley for this Book).

This had such a great voice! I'll be honest and say I've never heard of the author (turns out he's a comedian) but there were quite a lot of funny moments so it makes sense!
It's filled with a cast of quirky characters. Plus the whole concept of a young girl pretending to be a middle-aged male detective with a fake moustache and a weird accent is just gold.

Joining the ranks of stand-ups writing novels for children is this author, who invents a quirky young heroine, and thrusts her right into a locked-room mystery. Bonnie Montgomery has the brains, the indulging grandfather, and the fake moustache she needs to become Montgomery Bonbon, a slightly short middle-aged male detective with faux-European accent of no fixed abode. The two – girl and Grampa – are just having an innocent afternoon at the museum when there's a murderous scream. And lo and behold, behind a locked door are three dodgy suspects, a dead man, and an empty space where a prized exhibit ought to be...

All told this is a lively affair, with wit and just about enough exuberance to both get and keep those pages turning. It might not always be a chuckle a line but the comedy is definitely here, including some family-friendly observational stuff using Bonnie's sense of logic that could easily make this a book for the whole family to share. And it's not just about the laughs – this is a crime to be taken seriously, even if the real detective involved in solving it for the police cannot be. It's a strong series opener, with no padding and flannel to get us up to speed – as I say we're straight in to high drama from page one. As a solid four from me it definitely has broad appeal, and many a young reader will want the sequels to come "ASAP as possible".

An absolute delight for all young crime fans out there. It features a young detective in the guise of her alter-ego Montgomery Bonbon and part of the fun is seeing how she manages this dual identity. This is a must read for those who aspire to follow in the footsteps of detectives by Robin Stevens, M.G.Leonard and Sam Sedgman. I can't wait to share more of these adventures.

This is a solid mystery, an entertaining story, and thought provoking novel.
I loved what I read and I think it's a very good novel.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

A delightful detective story featuring a bold and brilliant heroine and deliciously offbeat humour.

Detective Montgomery Bonbon - an unusually short, moustached gentleman with a fetching red beret and an unplacable european accent - is first on the scene at the Hornville Museum when a security guard is murdered and a valuable artefact stolen.

Unbeknownst to almost everyone, Montgomery Bonbon is actually the alter ego of ten-year-old Bonnie Montgomery. Along with her trusty sidekick, Banks (aka Grampa) she has many successful investigations under her belt and wastes no time in unraveling the mystery. Travelling around in a decomissioned ice cream van, the duo are the perfect team - Bonnie is intuitive, fearless and driven, Grampa is practical, methodical, and has sweets.

Having Bonnie in disguise as a Poirot-esque adult detective is a clever device - it allows her to march right into crime scenes and question suspects in a direct way that children wouldn't normally get away with.

This has all the elements you want in a detective story for this age group. The child detective who is much smarter and more perceptive than the adults in charge, the colourful cast of suspects with their own secrets and shadowy motives, the strange and slightly gothic setting, and of course, crisps.

What really sets the book apart, however, is the humour. It's intelligent and oddball (as you'd expect if you're familiar with the author). It had me laughing out loud many times and overall is just tons of fun. Highly recommend.

Grab your moustache and get ready for an adventure!

Inspector Bonbon is Widdlington’s best detective. He’s always at the scene of the crime, spotting suspects and searching for clues. What the rest of the town don’t realise is that Bonbon and his assistant, Banks, are actually ten-year-old Bonnie Montgomery and her quick-witted grandfather. This unlikely crime-fighting duo are the stars of Montgomery Bonbon: Murder at the Museum – the first in a delightful new middle grade mystery series.

Bonnie and Grandpa Banks are visiting the Hornville Museum – the oldest building in Widdlington – when there’s a dreadful scream and they are plunged into darkness. A security guard’s been murdered and a carved stone eagle has been stolen. With a quick transformation, Montgomery Bonbon is on the case!

Claire Powell’s illustrations give readers a peek at Bonbon’s case notes and bring the wonderful characters to life. Bonnie’s powers of observation and cheeky voice come through in the depiction of each new person she meets.

Thought-provoking and funny, readers will find everything they want in a solve-along mystery. Suspects, clues, red herrings and secret identities are revealed with charm and so much personality. Bonnie is a feisty heroine who doesn’t let anything stop her. Add in seagulls, scones and an interfering scarlett macaw for a story you won’t be able to put down. Will Bonnie be able to keep her identity a secret or will Widdlington’s most dasterdly villains discover what she’s hiding?

A huge thank you to Walker Books for an early copy of this mysteriously moustachy book!

It’s that time of the year when everything – apart from school – seems to be slowing down ahead of the Christmas break, ready to start up again with a vengeance in the new year. And so, it was with little hope of finding anything new and exciting on Net Galley that I thought I’d have a browse through the new titles. As I frequently say to my class, I am always happy to be proved wrong and in this case I was not only happy, I was utterly delighted.

This is a title that has been on my radar for some time after proofs landed on other bloggers’ doormats to rave reviews so I took being lucky enough to be auto-approved as a sign that I should read it straightaway. Crammed full of brilliant humour, wonderfully illustrated and with a protagonist whose detecting skills owe as much to luck as they do to judgement, I was immediately captivated and powered through this in what seemed like next to no time at all – such was its hold over me. Highly original and heaps of fun, this is a story I urge you to read when it is published early next year.

It is within the tired and dingy Hornville Museum that we meet Bonnie Montgomery, on a trip out with her much loved grandfather, Grampa Banks. While walking about to examine the unique exhibits, the pair’s attention is caught by a sudden power cut swiftly followed by a terrifying scream. Hurriedly disguising herself as her alter ego, detective Montgomery Bonbon, Bonnie races towards where the scream has come from and enters the scene of the crime. Quickly appraising the situation, Bonnie notices the three members of staff gathered there, an empty display case and, most surprisingly, a dead body on the floor – a body which appears to be that of a murder victim.

Springing into action, Bonnie starts her investigations immediately, ably assisted by Grampa Banks, and is frustrated initially by the behaviour of the staff gathered within the room and then the arrival of her nemesis, Inspector Prashanti Sands of the local constabulary, who seems intent on repeating Bonnie’s questions and trampling all over the crime scene.

Returning home to plan her next move, Bonnie reviews what she has already found out and soon sets about questioning her suspects and looking for clues. With a murderer on the loose and a precious artefact missing from the museum, Bonnie will need to keep her wits about her as she tries to solve both crimes. Can Montgomery Bonbon work out just what has happened and will he be able to do so ahead of Inspector Sands?

Bonnie is a wonderful character. Totally believing in her own abilities, and supported by her doting grandfather, she never doubts that her detecting skills will allow her not only to solve the case but will do so ahead of the professionals. While young detectives are often precocious individuals whose use of logic and deduction clearly put them streets ahead of the adults against whom they are competing, here Bonnie seems to have a much more ad hoc approach to what she is doing, making her all the more likeable as a result. Her relationship with her grandfather is utterly delightful, as they share in the sort of private jokes and gentle banter that only those who love one another deeply can get away with and I adored them both for it.

The first in a new series, this is a book that would be perfect for Year 4 readers upwards and is one which would make a wonderful shared read as adults will enjoy both the storyline and the delicious humour too. Special mention must be made of Claire Powell’s illustrations, which appear throughout the story and add much in both the way that younger readers will be able to picture the action and also in echoing the many laughs along the way. I adored it and am hugely looking forward to seeing what Bonnie gets up to next.

Montgomery Bonbon: Murder at the Museum publishes February 2nd and is definitely one to pre-order as the perfect antidote to the new year blues. My enormous thanks go to publisher Walker Books and to Net Galley for my virtual advance read.