Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy

My new review is here. Enjoy!

Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy:

Skulduggery Pleasant is about...well, Skulduggery Pleasant, of course. Skulduggery's a detective with a twist: He's also a sorcerer and living skeleton! Skulduggery Pleasant was friends with Gordon Edgley, Stephanie Edgley's wealthy uncle. Gordon was a best-selling author of famous horror books, and when he died he left his fortune and house to his favorite niece, Stephanie. She spends the night in her late uncle's house alone, and in the middle of the night she's attacked by an intruder! He threatens her and demands her to give him "the key". Skulduggery bursts through the door (taking it off it's hinges in the process) and the intruder attacks. They get into a short fist fight, ending when Skulduggery throws fire at the intruder and the intruder runs away. Unfortunately, in the fist fight, Skulduggery's disguise falls off and Stephanie goes into shock when she sees that he's a skeleton.

This book is filled with action, and lots of humor, as Skulduggery and Stephanie investigate Gordon's murder. That's right, murder. Stephanie and Skulduggery believe Gordon didn't die of natural causes, but was actually killed by another sorcerer called Nefarian Serpine. Turns out there's a history between Serpine and Skulduggery, and Stephanie's just beginning to learn Skulduggery's past.

One of my favorite parts is when Skulduggery's talking to Stephanie, and says "See, I don't want them to view you as the 'innocent young girl'. I want them to view you as the annoying, insubordinate, rapscallion who has made herself my partner. Then, maybe they'll take pity on me." I give this book 3 1/2 stars, and I've already read the second book, Playing With Fire.