Gretel and the Case of the Missing Frog Prints: A Brothers Grimm Mystery (Brothers Grimm Mysteries)

Funny, well written, and keeps the mystery alive until the reveal. I really enjoyed this book. Can't wait to read the others in the series.

Gretel and the Case of the Missing Frog Prints by PJ Brackston My thanks to Katie McGuire and Iris Blasi, my contacts at Pegasus Books for my hardcover review copy of this book! Gretel, (yes, that Gretel) is now living in Gesternstadt, Germany. After Hans and Gretel escaped the witch, Gretel has opened a successful private detective agency, helped, and sometimes hindered, by Hans, who is a bit slow and has a drinking problem. Gretel is invited by messenger to travel to Nuremberg to take a case for artist Albrecht Durer the Much, Much Younger. (Despite his name, Herr Durer is 105!) Unfortunately, even before she can agree to go the messenger drops dead on her floor. The man died of natural causes, yet Gretel’s jealous rival, Kingman Kapitan Strudel accuses Gretel of murder. He forbids her to go to Nuremberg, yet she manages to go anyway. Herr Durer has had some valuable art stolen from his apartment on the top floor of the Grand Hotel in Nuremberg. The prints were delightful paintings of happy frogs. His only companion is his nurse Valeri. He does have a snooty nephew Leopold, who has been acting suspicious. Also a friend named Dr. Bruno Phelps seems a little edgy himself. The trail leads through the apartment of Hans’ friend Wolfie—just across from the Grand Hotel. Hans and Gretel are staying there to save money. Hans and Wolfie are part of a team that is making the world’s largest weisswurst sausage. The threads of the case descend through a secret doorway down into a hidden brothel beneath the Grand Hotel. With yet another death, Kapitan Strudel is in Nuremberg and chasing Gretel. There are hobgoblins in the various locals and talking mice obsessed by philosophy! And there is an impossible crime to solve. This book represents the best of detective fiction combined with a healthy dose of fantasy! I recommend it and the other books in this same series! Five stars Quoth the Raven…

Doesn’t Live Up to Promise of the Premise Obviously, I enjoy fairy tales. Look at my love of Disney and the many, many modern takes on the genre I enjoy. So when Gretel and the Case of the Missing Frog Prints crossed my radar, I was immediately interested. And when I was offered a copy of the book for review, I couldn’t turn it down. Unfortunately, it just didn’t deliver on the premise. The book features an all grown up Gretel of Hansel and Gretel fame. She is making a living as a detective while supporting brother Hans. Her latest case takes her to the city of Nuremberg, where she is hired by the Albrecht Durer the Much, Much Younger (and man who is 105). He has in his personal collection paintings by his ancestor Albrecht Curer the Younger. These pictures of frogs have been stolen, and he wants Gretel to find them. With Hans in tow (since they are staying with his friend Wolfie), Gretel heads to the city. But can she find this art work? Now the title might lead you to believe that this book is one of the middle grade books I enjoy upon occasion. This book is firmly aimed at adults, however, since Gretel finds herself undercover at a brothel for parts of the book. This would still be on the edges of a cozy, really, since much of what happens in that space is only hinted at. This is one of those hard books to review. I can see why others would enjoy it. For me, it didn’t quite work. Take the characters, for example. They are just kind of there. I liked a couple of them, but I found most of them annoying. Gretel falls into that camp with her obsession with fashion and the feeling at times that she was looking down on others. At other times, she could be sympathetic, but it wasn't enough to make me truly like her. I need to like the main character to really get into a book. Likewise the plot was okay, but nothing special. The pacing was off, with a slow start and several scenes that didn’t add much to the plot. One complication is never really explained. I can guess as to what happened, but I’m not completely certain since there are two legitimate ways it could have gone. When we reach the climax, the main plot does make sense, and the clues were well hidden earlier in the book. Those looking for many fairy tale references will be disappointed. There are a few, but they are kept to a minimum. On the other hand, fairy tale type characters do appear on a regular basis and play a part in the outcome of the story. We just don’t meet many characters we already know. So it’s not that Gretel and the Case of the Missing Frog Prints was bad. I can see others enjoying it. It just didn’t grab my interest like I had hoped it would. NOTE: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

P.J. Brackston’s new Brother’s Grimm Mystery series debut novel is a Cozy-Noir, comical and fanciful tale starring some of our childhood fairytale heroes and heroines only all grown up. Using humor plus a playful, sarcastic and witty narrative readers are treated to her one of a kind brilliant storytelling voice which brings to life this fantastical story that showcases her charming, offbeat and often whimsical characters and her fantastic fairytale-fitting backdrops. Her amazing imaginary world construction and the dynamics between her siblings, plus introducing the world to the next great woman PI is phenomenal. I’ve loved all of Paula Brackston’s works and will continue to and now I’ll be anxiously awaiting more from her evil twin P.J. Brackston too! In Eighteenth Century Bavaria in a town called Gesternstadt, thankfully surviving her near fatal brush with a witch in a gingerbread house as a small girl, lives the accomplished, self-aggrandized unconventional private detective Gretel. She’s been summoned to Nuremberg by Herr Duruer the Much, Much younger to assist in locating precious works of art that have been stolen from his apartment. Unfortunately the messenger dies in her house so Gretel must use the assistance of her older doltish brother Hansel, also a survivor of the “witch incident” to get them out of town and away from Gesternstadt’s town cop, Kapitan Strudel who upon learning of yet another untimely death will no doubt want Gretel behind bars, not sleuthing, and Gretel loving the finer things needs this case to stock her coffers. Hansel is all too happy to help when he realizes their visit coincides with Nuremberg’s Uber Weisswurstfest and he’ll not only get to taste great food but also be able to reconnect with his school chum, Wolfie. Knee deep in danger and hot on the trail of the thief, Gretel with the help of some highly unusual assistants plus Hansel and Wolfie is hopeful that she will solve this puzzling mystery.