Heir of Mystery, or Four Legs Good

by Philip Ardagh

Book Overview

"First and foremost, this is a book about death. Okay, so it doesn't start with an actual death like the Unlikely Exploit which precedes it . . . but you'll find a lot of it about. Life's like that, though, I'm afraid. Then again, if we didn't have death, this little planet would be a very overcrowded place. Not only that, most buildings would be old people's homes and entire continents would be taken up with retirement village after retirement village,...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0805074775
• ISBN13: 9780805074772
• Release Date: September 2004
• Publisher: Henry Holt & Company
• Length: 129 Pages
• Weight: 0.56 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.1" x 7.9"
• Age Range: 9 to 14 years
• Grade Range: Grades 4 to 9

Customer Reviews

Horror and black humor blend in this inviting survey

Philip Ardagh's Heir Of Mystery is the second "Unlikely Exploit" title but needs no prior familiarity to prove engrossing to newcomers. Fergal McNally's brain resides in a pickling jar in a hospital: it's stolen, and the remaining McNally children are drawn to a mysterious mansion where a dangerous teddy-bear-clutching Mr. Maggs plans on changing the world. Horror and black humor blend in this inviting survey.

The New "Villain"

This book is about the four remaining McNally children trying to find their brother's brain inside the dreaded Fishbone Forest. There, they meet the otherworldly Mr. Maggs. Mr. Maggs was a very odd "being", as told of his unhumanlike teddy-bear-clutching habit and his strange enters and exits. The McNally children saw the horrible death of Mr. Maggs. The McNally has saw another death in their life. Mr. Maggs has, oddly, seem that he was HAPPY to be dying (Which, is that he fell in a huge, deep hole that has not been excepted) and he sang. It's the "Me and my Teddy Bear" song. Which is rather unlikely, isn't it?

Interesting Continuation to a Strange New Series

In the First Unlikely Exploit THE FALL OF FERGAL, young Fergal McNally met an untimely demise, and his brain was last seen in the basement of Sacred Heart Hospital, in a pickling jar no less. And that is where the Second Unlikely Exploit HEIR OF MYSTERY begins. Fergal McNally's brain is stolen from Sacred Heart Hospital. But that is not the worst of it, for Fergal's remaining brothers and sisters are drawn to Fishbone Forest like cookies to milk, and feel a strong connection to the crumbling mansion located smack dab in the middle of the forest. However, while there, the young (and old) McNally children meet up with the horrifying Mr. Maggs, a crazy man who carries a teddy bear wherever he goes, and plans on making dramatic changes to the entire world as we know it. As someone who did not get the chance to read THE FALL OF FERGAL, I will admit that I felt as if something were missing, in the sense that I was never introduced to young Fergal before his untimely demise. However, I was able to easily understand what was going on in HEIR OF MYSTERY, and didn't find it hard to jump into the story. Fergal's brothers and sisters are unique, while a bit...strange, at the same time. And while HEIR OF MYSTERY does deal a lot with death, it is also packed to the brim with crazy humor that will have all readers rolling on the floor laughing at the funny dialogue, and weird commentary. Philip Ardagh has created yet another hilarious winner that will be loved by all, especially those who have read and enjoyed his previous efforts. Erika Sorocco Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper