A Pocket Full of Murder by R.J Anderson Review!

Title: A Pocket Full of Murder
Series: Uncommon Magic #1
Author: R.J. Anderson
Pages: 352
Published: September 8th 2015
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Source: Edelweiss

In the spell-powered city of Tarreton, the wealthy have all the magic they desire while the working class can barely afford a simple spell to heat their homes. Twelve-year-old Isaveth is poor, but she’s also brave, loyal, and zealous in the pursuit of justice—which is lucky, because her father has just been wrongfully arrested for murder. 
Isaveth is determined to prove his innocence. Quiz, the eccentric eyepatch-wearing street boy who befriends her, swears he can’t resist a good mystery. Together they set out to solve the magical murder of one of Tarreton’s most influential citizens and save Isaveth’s beloved Papa from execution.
But each clue is more perplexing than the next. Was the victim truly killed by Common Magic—the kind of crude, cheap spell that only an unschooled magician would use—or was his death merely arranged to appear that way? And is Quiz truly helping her out of friendship, or does he have hidden motives of his own? Isaveth must figure out who she can trust if she’s to have any hope of proving her Papa’s innocence in time. . 

My Thoughts:

I love this authors other series and was eager to start this one because it sounded awesome! And it was. Mystery, magic and mayhem abound in this charming middle school read.

Right from the start you are swept away on an adventure with Isaveth and Quiz as they struggle to find the answer to why her father was arrested for murder. Isaveth is determined to find out exactly what happened but with secrets everywhere and things conspiring against her, will she be able to?

R.J Anderson has always been able to capture my attention with her lyrical writing and vivid characters, and here is no different. Isaveth is a strong little girl who is determined, brave and loyal. She only wants the truth, but with so much against her, she struggles. It broke my heart at times with what she had to go through. She was always thinking of her siblings and then when her father gets taken, it seems like its all up to her. I admired her spirit and willingness to do whats right. 

This is a story that needs to be savoured. Each clue leads to another and so on, till you find yourself invested in the outcome along with the characters. It's a magical adventure and one I loved. I can't wait for the next installment to come out and we can dive back into this fantastical world the author created.