THE COMPOSER IS DEAD – View on Amazon
by Lemony Snicket, illustrated by Carson Ellis; Published (2009) by Harper Collins
Hey, what can I say? THE COMPOSER IS DEAD is big entertainment and signature Snicket. So cleverly written, it’s a nutsy (and I think genius) piece of work.
“Composer” is a word which here means “a person who sits in a room, muttering and humming and figuring out what notes the orchestra is going to play.” This is called composing. But last night, the Composer was not muttering. He was not humming. He was not moving, or even breathing. This is called decomposing.”
Decomposing is our dead composer. But whodunnit? The strings or the woodwinds? The brass? The percussion? The suspicious conductor?
“Wherever there’s a conductor,” writes Snicket, “ you’re sure to find a dead composer!”
And wherever there’s a murder, you’re sure to find an inspector. This one is bumbling and absurd and dramatic. The suspects’ alibis and dumb excuses are hilarious. Whodunnit? Read on! The kiddies won’t get the wicked, witty humour, but the story is so lovely it works at both levels.
If you’re not a Snicket fan – is this even possible? – this book is still worth the read.
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