The composer is dead and the Inspector is on a mission to find out who (or what) murdered him. Was it those tricky violins? Or was it the fluttery flutes? The whole orchestra is suspect. And for any of you who have ever been to a symphony, this is not hard to believe. All those blunt objects, razor-sharp strings and off-key notes are a recipe for disaster.

THE COMPOSER IS DEAD is classic Lemony Snicket, only shorter and with a lot more pictures (beautifully rendered by Carson Ellis). The book is full of mystery, intrigue, subtle humour and musical instruments. You will hang precariously on the edge of your seat as you try to figure out who killed the composer. Unless, of course, you are reading it in bed, or on a suspension bridge. And in the end, along with finding a suspect, you will also find you've learned a thing or two about the role each instrument plays in an orchestra (and in a murder?). As a bonus, the book comes with a CD of the San Francisco Orchestra performing Nathaniel Stookey's orchestral version of THE COMPOSER IS DEAD.

THE COMPOSER IS DEAD is presented as a children’s picture book, but don’t let that sway you. This is a great read for anyone who loves clever storytelling. It is also a great introduction to classical music. Rush out now and get it! - The Narrator

(out of five)

Click HERE to read what happened to Christopher after he met Lemony Snicket.