Withering-by-Sea

A STELLA MONTGOMERIE MYSTERY

BY JUDITH ROSWELL

.

Intrigue???

First thoughts?

Orientation - When, Where, WhoSetting - Location

Hotel Majestic

Conservatory

Victorian England

Seaside town – Withering –by-sea

Main character

Stella• 10? year old girl• Orphan• Loves her atlas• Daydreamer - dreams of faraway paces and a better life• Mistreated• Lives in a ‘cupboard’

Characters (bad ones)

Awful Aunts – Temperance, Condolence, Deliverance

Other characters (good ones)

Mr Filbert

Ben• scared• Controlled by the Professor• sees the future in ink in his hands

Gert• Dancer• Brave and resourceful

‘He was small and frail, almost insubstantial. His voice was whispery, like rustling leaves, and his manners were old-fashioned. Every morning, he bowed to Stella across the breakfast room. His eyes were twinkling and alert, but his skin was pale, almost greenish, and stretched tightly across the bones of his face.

Other characters (bad ones)

Professor Starke• Magician• Dark magic• And his ‘tools’

His thugs

Problem

What is inside the bottle?Why is it worth killing for?

And there is a sea

monster, and some thugs

too!

Events

Hidden parcel

Hand of Glory – Sleeping potion

Events

Murder!

Events

Kidnapping!

Events

Resolution

Mr Capelli (and his cats)

And then….?

Genre

Gothic fantasy adventure mystery

Themes

Friendship and bravery

Good versus evil

Imagination and curiosity

Magic and mystery

Text features

Description

Adjectives to build suspense

About the author

www.judithrossell.com

What makes this worth reading and shortlisting?