Certain Death

Certain Death by Tanya Landman (Walker Books)
PB RRP $13.95
ISBN 9781406347432
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

The posters advertising that Brady Sparkle’s circus was coming to town ‘promised that the first performance would end in Certain Death.’ Someone had blacked out the word almost.

Studying human behaviour is a hobby of Poppy Fields. As soon as she read the posters, she became suspicious. Nobody else had noticed the wording. Poppy, with Graham her best friend and companion sleuth, decide to look into the matter.

There is a death as predicted at the first performance but not of the intended victim Irena, the aerial acrobat. But was Irena the intended victim? The bullet ricocheted and hit the lady sitting next to Poppy. Who fired the shot?  It certainly wasn’t Yuri the sharpshooter. Another performer is arrested and the case is closed. Poppy and Graham have a different opinion on who the culprit might be.

There are too many people who want to dispose of Irena. Spying, eavesdropping, searching and analysing, uncovers a plethora of clues. The investigative would put Sherlock Holmes in the shadows. Their persistence and intelligence uncovers a motive that even they wouldn’t have considered.

Certain Death is a fantastic read, fast-paced with a clever complex storyline. The characters are exceptional, even the bad ones. Readers of all ages will enjoy these riveting murder mysteries by Tanya Landman. They’ll keep you in suspense till the last page.