Elizabeth Webster and the Court of Uncommon Pleas by William Lashner is a middle grade novel currently scheduled for release on October 15 2019. Elizabeth Webster is happy to stay under the radar (and under her bangs) until middle school is dead and gone. But when star swimmer Henry Harrison asks Elizabeth to tutor him in math, it's not linear equations Henry really needs help with-it's a flower-scented, poodle-skirt-wearing, head-tossing ghost who's calling out Elizabeth's name. But why Elizabeth? Could it have something to do with her missing lawyer father? Maybe. Probably. If only she could find him. In her search, Elizabeth discovers more than she is looking for: a grandfather she never knew, a startling legacy, and the secret family law firm, Webster & Son, Attorneys for the Damned. Elizabeth and her friends soon land in court, where demons and ghosts take the witness stand and a red-eyed judge with a ratty white wig hands out sentences like sandwiches. Will Elizabeth's father arrive in time to save Henry Harrison-and is Henry the one who really needs saving?
Elizabeth Webster and the Court of Uncommon Pleas has a wonderful premise and I greatly enjoyed the character building. I liked Elizabeth, she had the blend of spunk and vulnerabilities that rang true for a middle school girl. Her family and friends were nicely rounded with much more depth than I usually see in novels for this age group. I liked the relationship between Elizabeth and Natalie, and how two girls celebrated their differences while keeping their friendship. I also enjoyed the relationship Elizabeth had with her mom and step father- that they clearly cared about her and let her be herself and express herself was wonderful. I was glad to see that there was some humor, and plenty of odd visuals sprinkled through the story. Although I have to admit that I sometimes found myself skimming some of the descriptions so that I could get back to the plot and action a little quicker. I liked the variety of twists and turns in the story- solving the mystery surrounding Beatrice's death, finding Elizabeth's father, and so on. I liked that it was not a simply solution, but at the same time it really felt like a long read. It also felt like it was clearly a set up for a series, and while I am intrigued by the secrets Elizabeth's mom might be keeping, I am not sure that all the build up was enough to really hook me. It was a good read, it just did not capture my attention the way I expected something with this blend of coming of age, mystery, and supernatural secrets to.
Elizabeth Webster and the Court of Uncommon Pleas is a a novel that the upper elementary and middle school set will enjoy. I liked the premise and the execution- but it was a book that I could easily put down when I needed to.
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