The Big Bad Wolf Murder

I sometimes fall into the trap of thinking of children’s murder mysteries as stepping stones—books that get young readers interested in the genre before they graduate to the “real” mysteries as adults. The Big Bad Wolf Murder reminded me how unfair that way of thinking is. This is simply a well-crafted mystery, regardless of the intended audience. The story keeps changing your opinion of the suspects in believable ways. Just when I thought I had someone figured out, new information made me reconsider. There are plenty of fair clues mixed with convincing red herrings, and the story creates a genuine feeling that something terrible could happen at any moment. It’s the kind of mystery that succeeds because the puzzle is good, not because it’s written for children.

Bell throws the reader right into the action. The opening chapters take place during the Tooth & Claw Tournament, a dangerous sporting event where teams of children have to make it across a stretch of wilderness while being hunted by Alarick, the legendary Big Bad Wolf. Alarick isn’t just another competitor. He’s been playing the tournament for ten years without a single defeat, and his reputation borders on mythical. He’s fast, relentless, and so savage that some children have been seriously mauled trying to get past him. Years earlier, he ended the playing career of the Netherburg Reds’ coach, leaving her with a permanent injury and a score she has never been able to settle. Her latest hope rests with Ruby, a fiercely determined twelve-year-old who wants nothing more than to succeed where every previous team has failed. One by one, her teammates are caught until Ruby is the only player left standing. She makes one last desperate run, convinced she’s about to become Alarick’s next victim. Then, without warning, the wolf stumbles, collapses to the ground, and begins foaming at the mouth. The undefeated Big Bad Wolf has been poisoned, and in an instant the sports story gives way to a murder mystery.

We immediately get a flashback to the pregame activities, including a meeting between Alarick and Ruby in which several puzzling clues are laid out. It’s a smart move, solidifying our main characters before the action resumes. Yes, this is an adventure. Any scenes of detection are tucked into the pockets of breath between the action. While that’s not my preferred method of mystery, there’s enough (raw) meat on this bone for any reading sleuth to enjoy.

It’s during this flashback when we meet our other protagonist, the young wolf Fillan. He’s not your stereotypical wolf. He is vegetarian (we all have our flaws) and abhors violence. And here, I must say that the “lessons” of TBBWM are not hindrances to the enjoyment of the story. I have recently read a few modern murder mysteries for adults in which the author’s politics and worldview are shoved so far down the reader’s throat that asphyxial death is a blessing. For a children’s book to do this with any degree of subtlety or intelligence is a pleasure indeed.

Better still, we get a world class villain. He’s the sort of villain who immediately reminded me of Gmork from Wolfgang Petersen’s The NeverEnding Story — just as deadly, frightening, and single-minded. His name is Hardulph and he is fabulous. He’s after Ruby and Fillan (and by “after” i mean he wants to eat them) for reasons that will lead to the solution of this mystery.

There are also cops and gangsters and the press–all prominent elements of my novels. The building of this world is superb. You could draw a map of the place afterwards. Small details, like the wild wood flowers, come back to the fore in important ways. And best of all, it’s a densely layered mystery. There are only vague hints of narrative simplification. The book mostly trusts its audience to pay attention to detail. Again, more than I can say for some recent reads.

I was turned on to TBBWM from The Invisible Event’s unfortunately infrequent podcast In GAD We Trust. Jim Noy hosted PG Bell for a fabulous interview. You can listen to it HERE. He also reviewed this book — HERE. According to Jim, the author’s other murder mystery The Beanstalk Murder is a more traditional story of detection. I might have to give that one a go too. I chose TBBWM because of wolves and blood and eating people. You know me.

This would make a great gift for any young (or young at heart) reader.