And the town legend of the Malamander-a part-fish, part-human monster whose egg is said to make dreams come true-is rearing its scaly head. The trouble is, Violet is being pursued by a strange hook-handed man. She’s sure that the nervous Herbert is the only person who can help her find her parents. Inside, young Herbert Lemon, Lost-and-Founder for the hotel, has an unexpected visitor: Violet Parma, a fearless girl around his age who lost her parents at the hotel when she was a baby. It’s winter in the town of Eerie-on-Sea, where the mist is thick and the salt spray is rattling the windows of the Grand Nautilus Hotel. Ages 8 12.“Fans of Lemony Snicket or Pseudonymous Bosch will find their next adventure here.” - Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review) Meanwhile, exaggerated, stylized illustrations from Booth (This Is Christmas) bring both cast and setting to life, capturing the feel of this fantastical, energetic mystery. Taylor (Haunters) combines atmospheric descriptions with tongue-in-cheek humor, off-kilter concepts (a mechanical mermonkey that "prescribes" books), and quirky characters to create an unusual series opener.
Everyone wants that egg, from local writer Sebastian Eels to the hook-handed "Boat Hook Man," to the Grand Nautilus's intimidating owner, Lady Kraken. Violet's parents' disappearance connects to the local story of the malamander, a half-man, half-fish creature whose egg is believed to grant wishes.
When Violet Parma, also 12, asks him to help find her parents, who went missing from the hotel when she was an infant, the resulting search quickly takes a turn for the weird.
In the appropriately named Eerie-on-Sea, Herbert Lemon, 12, works at the Grand Nautilus Hotel as a lost-and-founder, responsible for maintaining lost items. In this endearingly strange middle grade adventure set against the backdrop of a seaside resort town during the off-season, two orphans are caught up in a local legend.
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