was super interested in this series after reading most of the artemis fowl books in 6th grade, i am now a high school graduate and only just now got around to reading this bad boy. fun little YA romp, full of spellcasters using cheesy aliases and irish-isms that took me a second to understand, really grew on me the further in i got. i didn't like stephanie a lot but like,, she's a rude little shit 12 year old, i can't act like it's unrealistic yknow? all in all probably would have been a little better to me were i still a 6th grader but still a worthwhile read, i'll probably keep reading this series once i've worked through more of my backlog

This book was simply a delight to read!

The characters are so well done and unique, but the dialogue is the thing that makes it stand out to me. It's so witty and smart. I found myself laughing aloud many times!

The action is fast-paced, and the plot is intriguing with some twists without getting too complex. It kept me entertained from start to finish, and I can't wait to read the next in the series!

I was not expecting 3 so different genres to work well together but Landy completely changed my mind! Very well written and a great read for people both young and old. The comedy relief is well timed and fits well with the characters and personalities created

Twelve year old Stephanie has lost her favourite uncle. At the will reading she finds her life is about to change forever, not only has she been left her uncles house and fortunes, but she is about to meet Skulduggery. Who is Skulduggery you may ask? He is a detective.... and a fire-throwing Skeleton!

Fun from the very first page, this book is the start of a series I grew up loving. The characters are witty and hilarious, the stakes are high but well realised and the world building is decent for a childrens book. Some of the scenes can be quite dark though there is often comedy used to lighten the situation, and I remember as a kid loving that it didn't shy away from the dark stuff. A lot happens and yet it never feels rushed, overall it is still an entertaining read after all these years.

I listened to this on audiobook and I fell head over heels for the reader's accent but especially his voice (most notably for Skulduggery himself). The world is vast and deep, the magic system interesting, and the characters varied. The voice of the writing is excellent. I almost immediately bought the rest of the series because I just needed them in my life.

My two biggest issues were probably the pacing in the last third of the book, and the fact that Stephanie rarely felt properly 12 years old. Most of the time she felt a lot older, some of the time she felt significantly younger.