The Curse of the Pharaoh

A 12-year-old aspiring mystery writer with a photographic memory is the globe-trotting eponymous heroine of the Agatha: Girl of Mystery series (originally published in Italy), which gets off to a running start with this lighthearted caper. Beyond the Christie reference for the title character, Stevenson (a pseudonym for Italian author Mario Pasqualotto) has fun name-checking other famous writers and characters of the genre. Agatha comes to the aid of her 14-year-old cousin, Dashiell, when he’s assigned a tricky mission at his prestigious London detective school: find a stolen ancient tablet that will disclose crucial information about an unknown Egyptian pharaoh’s tomb. Armed with Agatha’s superior sleuthing skills and Dash’s high-tech spyware, the two travel to the Valley of Kings (along with Agatha’s cat, Watson, and burly butler, Chandler), where they attempt to crack the case. Turconi’s cartoons (a mix of spot art and single- and double-page scenes) have lots of personality, and the plot’s over-the-top leaps only enhance the mix of comedy and adventure. Due simultaneously: The Pearl of Bengal. Ages 7–10. (Feb.)