Research Randy and The Mystery of Grandma’s Half-Eaten Pie of Despair by Tom Lucas

“When you look in the mirror…

Whom do you see? Not WHAT, mind you. WHOM. This visage before you, that which you consider to be your identity, what is its value to you? Are you content?”

“For all of humankind is but a trifle. An experiment only meant to amuse those far beyond our comprehension, those whose visage goes beyond our very ability to perceive.”

Randy and Charlie have recently moved to Effingmouth, where everything is strange and unusual. Randy and Charlie are not only trying to fit in, they are finding many mysteries to solve. As each mystery unfolds before them, they become more bizarre and dangerous to their existence. There is something sinister lurking in the dark, waiting patiently to reveal itself. He has awoken and “HE SLEEPS NO MORE!”

The author’s writing style brought to mind the way Daniel Handler writes as Lemony Snicket, immersing himself into the story, interacting with the characters. Very creative and adventurous. Mysteries and mayhem truly abound throughout as the kids work to unveil the truths of the strange happenings that surround the town. The adventure evolves as the author has you turning pages to read how Randy solved each mystery or not, immersing the reader into those, as well. There are really great illustrations that add to the overall uniqueness. A really fun nod to Lovecraft and the Cthulhu mythos. 

When I first started reading this, I felt it would be a great book for middle grade kids, but further into it, I changed my mindset and really feel it does fit more to the young adult and adult audience. Fans of Lovecraft and mystery will surely appreciate and enjoy reading this. 

A truly rollicking adventure!

Thank you Mar at TBM Horror and Tom Lucas for sending this one my way, appreciated!

★★★★

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About Karla Kay Peterson 8 Articles
My name is Karla Kay. I live in MN in a river valley where the Minnesota river and the Chippewa river converge. I am a Special Education Paraprofessional specializing in elementary school students. I write reviews for small publishing companies and independent author's. I am a very diverse reader as I enjoy many genre's. My reviews are posted on Goodreads, Bookbub, Storygraph, Book Sirens, and IG. Reading for me is a comfort. I know when reading I can escape into whole new worlds with excitement, adventures, imagination, time periods, cultures, reflection and growth. Over the years my passion and love of reading has grown. One of the reasons for this is discovering there is a whole world of independent publishing and authors. Reviewing books has also become important to me as it boosts author’s profiles, promotes and shows support. It also creates a connection between readers who share the same tastes, opens up discussions, and often gives new insights and angles. Sometimes a reader discovers great books through a review that has been shared and oftentimes a discovery of an author that may just become a new favorite.