A fun book with elements of Lemony Snicket, Addams Family, and - Agatha Christie? Yup, old-school murder mysteries. It's definitely for younger MG readers though, and I felt the mystery really wouldn't stand close scrutinity, which probably was part of the book's intention, but still a little disappointing. I was hoping for more scheming and cunning plans on the twins' side, but while there was a lot of mention and some description of sometimes complicated attempts, for my taste it still fell a bit short, and coincidence often played too big of a role. Damn adult brain! Younger readers will probably enjoy the heck out of this. ( )

Rolig på ett sånt där brittiskt vis. Tvillingarna Thornthwaite har så länge de känt kommer ihåg försökt ha ihjäl varandra för att komma åt hela arvet efter föräldrarna. Pirayor i badet eller falluckor i trappen, inget är för avancerat för tvillingarna. Problemet är vara att inget har lyckats ordentligt ännu. Ännu underligare är det att barnen fortfarande råkar ut för mordförsök när de högtidligt gått med på vapenvila... ( )

The book was so exciting I couldn't predict whats going to happen next, it was surprising how the events were connected to each other. I enjoyed reading this book. ( )

Ovid and Lorelli Thornthwaite have been trying to kill each other for so long that neither twin can remember which act of attempted murder came first. But whoever struck first, trying to take each other's lives is simply what they do. Until one day a lawyer arrives at their house to take stock of its contents, and his accompanying son attracts their attention. Soon a new battle evolves - one in which the twins have to work together to solve the mystery of their parents' deaths. Can Lorelli and Ovid overcome their old animosities, and will they ever get to finish that game of chess?

This is never going to win any prizes for originality – it's a fairly standard late entry to the field of light/juvenile Gothic that includes 'A Series of Unfortunate Events' and 'The Gashleycrumb Tinies' - and it's not likely to win any prizes for great literature either, or for startling plot twists: you're likely to guess the villain by the second page. Still, it has some good ideas, and some interesting characters, and would probably make a not-bad children's film. That might even have been the author's main intention. ( )