Murder at Midnight

Written by Avi

Narrated by Jeff Woodman

A plot to overthrow King Claudio is brewing in the Kingdom of Pergamontio. Scholarly Mangus the magician -- along with his street-smart and faithful new servant boy, Fabrizio -- have been marked as easy scapegoats for the traitor lurking within the king's court. Together, these two unlikely partners must gather clues to solve the mystery and prove their innocence before the stroke of midnight. . . or face death!

Intricate plotting, surprise twists, and lively prose make for another suspenseful page-turner that stands alone or sets the stage for MIDNIGHT MAGIC!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Scholastic
• Release date: Jan 1, 2010
• ISBN: 9780545238779

Avi

Avi is the award-winning author of more than eighty-two books for young readers, ranging from animal fantasy to gripping historical fiction, picture books to young adult novels. Crispin: The Cross of Lead won the Newbery Medal, and The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle and Nothing but the Truth were awarded Newbery Honors. He is also the author of the popular Poppy series. Avi lives in Denver, Colorado. Visit him online at avi-writer.com.

Reviews for Murder at Midnight

[bernarrd-94305 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I can't say that I was overly impressed with the mystery in this story. It seem to me somewhat muddled and confused. The mystery seems to be solved more by chance than by "the Detective" or detectives. It is a good example of what happens when ignorance is allowed to overrule reasonable thought. While I did not think the book was bad, I do not think I would ever reread the book. Hardly the book I would expect for any author's 70th book.

[robertalea-223265 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I love Avi's storytelling. I always feel I really know his characters; and the plots have many twists and turns.

[countrylife_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fabrizio, a young boy and servant in renaissance Italy, becomes entwined in a mystery. Political intrigue, the printing press, reading, reason, and magicians figure in the story. Well written and enjoyable. (3.6 stars)

[phh333 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This story stands alone though its characters, Fabrizio and Mangus, appeared in Midnight Magic, a 1999 book by Avi. In this book, readers get a glimpse into the fears people had of the printing press when it was first introduced.

[shelf3employed · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Set in Italy at the end of the Middle Ages, Murder at Midnight, finds Fabrizio, a young servant boy, negotiating the deadly intricacies of the royal court in order to save his master, Magnus the Magician.This is not my favorite of Avi's mystery books. It is lacking in the rich language and total period immersion of The Traitor's Gate, Seer of Shadows or Crispin: Cross of Lead. However, it succeeds as a gripping, suspenseful, and fast-paced (perhaps too fast?) murder mystery with strong protagonists in Fabrizio, and his friend, Maria. It's hard to go wrong with Avi.