Emily Lime – Librarian Detective: The Book Case
Daphne Blakeway is accosted at the train station on her first day at ‘St Rita’s School for Spirited Girls’ and asked to return a book to the school library. Following a bank robbery in town and a break in at the school, Daphne realises this book is hot property and someone will stop at nothing to get their hands on it. With the help of schoolgirl librarian Emily Lime and scruffy George (St Rita’s sole male pupil) Daphne sets about tracking down the culprit.
Enid Blyton meets St Trinian’s in this fast-paced tale of mystery and adventure. Traditional school story tropes are subverted and distorted to great effect, creating a rollicking, slightly bonkers and hugely enjoyable read. St Rita’s may feel like a deranged Malory Towers, but Dave Shelton never loses control of the narrative, deftly moving the plot along while cleverly highlighting the eccentricity of each character through his wonderfully funny illustrations.
This is an enjoyable, witty and good-humoured book. I doubt any young reader will come away from it without a smile on their face and a fervent hope that Emily Lime and friends – and St Rita’s School for Spirited Girls – will reappear in future books.
