A middle-grade book review of Anisha, Accidental Detective by Serena Patel
On the eve of her aunt’s wedding, a reluctant bridesmaid discovers the kidnapping of her future uncle-in-law, with a ransom note demanding the wedding to be cancelled. Anisha embarks on a journey identify the kidnapper and save groom.
Goodreads Blurb
Anisha is all set to be a (reluctant) bridesmaid at Aunty Bindi’s wedding…until a secret ransom note arrives. Bindi’s groom has been kidnapped and will only be released IF THE WEDDING IS CALLED OFF! With best friend Milo, mischievous Granny Jas, a runaway lobster, a kitten-loving giant, and some super skills of logic and observation, it’s up to Anisha Mistry to find her uncle, before the big family wedding of the year becomes a big disaster.
My Thoughts after Reading
This contemporary middle-grade book is about a down-to-earth bridesmaid who discovers the kidnapping of the groom on the eve of the wedding.
Anisha’s house is a manic with the wedding preparation on the eve of her aunt’s wedding day. No one notices the ransom note slipped through her letterbox, demanding that the wedding is called off. Anisha doesn’t want to alarm the family, and embarks on a journey to rescue her future uncle-in-law.
This book is perfectly pitched for middle-grade readers. There’s a lot of mayhem, and over-the-top characters. The illustrations bring the text to life. What I also enjoyed about it was how the author cleverly shows the assimilation of two cultures. Our protagonist uses words and expressions that are commonly heard in the UK. At the same time, they are holding a wedding that has elements of Indian tradition. I am not familiar with it, but the details sprinkled lightly throughout the book but gave me a good overview. A celebration of diversity.
Opening lines: “NO, NO, No, this is terrible! I said pink carnations. If I wanted red ones, I would have asked for RED ones!” yelled my Aunty Bindi.
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Justine Laismith 