Synopsis
Autumn has come to StregaSchloss, and as the days grow dark, an even darker depression has come over the Strega-Borgia family. Ever since the disappearance of their beloved nanny, Mrs. McLachlan, nothing has been the same. To make matters worse, Luciano has been wrongfully charged with her murder and thrown into prison. Never has the family needed Mrs. McLachlan so badly! But with the help of a magical camera and a mysterious silver thread, there may still be hope. . . .
VOYA
The eccentric Strega-Borgia family is in a funk in this fifth title of the Drop Dead series. Mrs. McLachlan, their beloved nanny, has disappeared. Because of a "tip" from the unhappy French cook who is being paid off by Luciano's evil twin brother, Lucifer, Luciano is framed for Mrs. McLachlan's murder. Baci, Luciano's very pregnant wife, is too grief stricken to pay much attention to how the situation is affecting her three children, Titus, Pandora, and toddler Damp. Latch, the butler, and the nonhuman extended family members step, crawl, and drop in to take her place. A lipstick-wearing sarcastic mother spider, a pregnant dragon that spurts fire from both ends, and a ditzy bat are just a few of the creatures that wander the hallways and dungeons of the remote Scottish estate of StregaSchloss. But photographic messages mysteriously appear on the film that Pandora is developing-messages from Mrs. McLachlan, who is not dead but caught between worlds when she tries to dispose of the deadly Chronostone. It may be up to little Damp, the most magical Strega-Borgia, and Vesper, her bat familiar, to rescue Mrs. McLachlan and save Luciano. This installment is a wonderfully delightful romp with a zany family whose members clearly love each other, human and nonhuman alike. Having read previous titles in the series would add depth to the background story, but the book stands alone as a witty and amusing fantasy for tween and younger teen readers. Offer this one to Lemony Snicket fans.