Bibliographic information:
Gratz, Alan. Something Rotten: a Horatio Wilkes Mystery. New York: Dial Books/ The Penguin Group, 2007. ISBN: 978-0-8037-3216-2.
Plot Summary:
Horatio Wilkes, a teen detective, is spending a month at a friend’s house in the town of Denmark, Tennessee. His friend, Hamilton Prince, in from a wealthy family that owns Elsinore Paper, the major employer in town. Hamilton’s father recently died and Hamilton’s mother marries his uncle. The death seems somewhat suspicious and Horatio decides to investigate. There are a number of people suspected including Hamilton’s mother and uncle. Olivia is an ex-girlfriend of Hamilton’s and is an environmental activist that wants Elsinore Paper to clean up the Copenhagen River, which is heavily polluted because of mill operations.
Horatio goes about investigating the suspects and, at the same time, tries to keep his friend Hamilton from sinking into alcoholic despair. One night Horatio exposes the killer at a play by writing instructions on the program saying that he knows who the killer is and wants to meet backstage. He gives the doctored programs to all of the suspects; only Hamilton’s uncle, Claude, shows up. Horatio has no solid evidence, but goes about collecting enough evidence while trying to keep any more people from getting killed, especially himself.
Critical Evaluation:
The connection with Shakespeare’s Hamlet is apparent and the writer makes this connection in an interesting and contemporary way. The old story is set in a southern mill town and the characters are what one would expect from a small town ruled by one family. Horatio is much like a hard-boiled detective; I kept thinking of Sam Spade in The Maltese Falcon when reading the book. Horatio is just a little too cool and calculating and must have a very well developed frontal cortex for someone his age. The book also illustrates some of the issues that teens deal with, such as alcohol use and conflicts with parents. If nothing else, the story is entertaining and was rather easy to read. I am not sure if every reader would be able to catch all of the Shakespearean nuances, but one does not need to have to in order to enjoy the mystery part of the story.
Reader’s Annotation:
Horatio Wilkes is a cool teen detective who spends part of his summer break with a friend whose father mysteriously dies. Horatio suspects a number of people, especially his friend’s uncle who has already married the deceased’s wife, and has much to gain including a business empire. Horatio seeks to expose the killer and get enough evidence to put the killer away, having a number of adventures and witty dialogue along the way.
Information about the author:
Alan Gratz is an American writer that has a BA in Creative Writing and a Master’s of Education from the University of Tennessee. Gratz is the author of two books in addition to Something Rotten: a Horatio Wilkes Mystery. The other two works Something Wicked and Samurai Shortstop have been received with some acclaim.
Something Wicked is a sequel to Something Rotten and is also a Horatio Wilkes mystery influenced by a work of Shakespeare. Gratz has a connection with theater and has produced a number of plays in Knoxville, Tennessee. He has also written episodes for the television show City Confidential.
Genre:
Mystery
Booktalking Ideas:
1. The connection with Shakespeare’s Hamlet is apparent, focus on how the writer creatively adapts the tale to a modern setting.
2. Talk about how Olivia is an environmentalist and Hamilton is the son of an industrialist and how a relationship between the two could ever work.
3. Discuss how Horatio is able to keep so cool, calculating, and witty in everything he does and if that is more like a fictional teen or a real teen.
Reading Level/Interest Age:
15+
Challenge Issues:
Alcohol use/ drinking and driving
Challenge Defense Ideas:
1. Read the book.
2. Be Familiar with the policy of the ALA and your institution.
3. Make a note of the contents of the work and how they fall in with the collection development policy of your institution and the standpoint of the ALA.
4. Gain an awareness of the awards, reviews, and criticisms of the work, as well as other works by the same writer.
5. Know the process for materials challenges at your library.
Why did you include this book? :
The idea of matching a classic work with a modern setting in a detective novel seems like it just asks to be read.
Author’s Blog:
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