The Very Dangerous Sisters of Indigo McCloud by John Hearne

Indigo McCloud’s sister Peaches is every adult’s favourite child: pretty, golden-haired, polite and charming. But the children of Blunt know better: Peaches and her sisters are a gang of bullies who will stop at nothing to get her own way.

This is the story of Indigo’s battle to stop Peaches. Leaping across the rooftops of Blunt, talking to his best friend, computer genius Polly, though a walkie talkie, Indigo tries to keep one step ahead of his sisters. But he has to tangle with deadly spiders, curry farts, bungling policemen, various kidnappings, a submarine mishap with a villainous wigmaker …

When he discovers a hidden basement under Peaches’s room where she and her sisters plot their schemes, he knows he is up against a truly evil genius.

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Missing Roald Dahl? Need a book where bad kids are just bad and they get their comeuppance? This is the book for you. John has written a fabulously funny, dark, clever novel.

I don't want to give away any of the story, but I loved the way throw away moments from early on become important later on - I cheered at one particular moment near the end! The characters are great too. I like reading about bad characters who turn good, but sometimes a baddie is just a baddie and there's nothing else to it. That's very much the case here, although she does have a slight excuse.

The characters are brilliant and I love the humour, not so much from jokes as from situations. I get the feeling that Peaches might not be down and out yet, though; I look forward to seeing what other plans she gets up to in the future. Indigo is building up a little crime fighting ring to take her down with.

This is going to be a great one. I can't wait to start selling it. 

The Very Dangerous Sisters of Indigo McCloud publishes on the 1st of July, 2021. I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.