This book is so much fun. What a unique concept. I have not read anything like it. Incredible narration. Loved all the characters. Mystery was very well done and kept kids engaged.

4.5 stars!

Charming, compelling, and fun! An incredibly enjoyable middle-grade fantasy and mystery adventure!
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Summary:
Usually, the biggest problems in Anwen's life are her fights with her rival, Cerys, and her lessons from her grandmother in Meadow Witch magic. Then a giant falls out of the sky and right into her rural village. Even worse, the giant was apparently dead before he even fell out of the Sky Kingdom, and it looks like murder.

It falls on Anwen and her grandmother, with the reluctant help of Cerys, to send a message to the Sky Kingdom informing them of the situation, but when attempting to attach a note to the top of an illegal magic beanstalk, Anwen gets stuck, and she and Cerys are dragged all the way to the Sky Kingdom themselves. There, they discover that the dead giant was the king, and with the palace in an uproar, Anwen is determined to do her duty as a Meadow Witch by investigating the murder, and solve the case to prove herself to Cerys once and for all.
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This book was so much fun! I really enjoyed pretty much everything about it. The characters were great, the plot was engaging, the mystery was compelling, and it was perfectly written for a middle-grade audience--and still enjoyable for adult readers as well!

The audiobook narration of this book was amazing. Bronwen Price did such a good job with all the character voices and really made the story come to life! The accents were so nice to listen to, and the pacing and flow of the recording was perfect. I absolutely loved listening to this book.

What I loved:
- This story was just so much fun!
- Incredible narration! I loved all the character voices and the way Bronwen Price told the story.
- Great characters, and fun world-building.
- I really loved getting to see the character of Cerys blossom throughout the story as Anwen spent more time with her.
- The mystery was really well done with lots of twists and turns and hidden clues throughout the book.

What I didn't like:
- A minor thing, but I would have liked a little more context for what made Anwen and Cerys' relationship as bad as it was at the beginning of the book. I doubt most middle grade readers will question this, so it's not a big deal, but as an adult reader I kept wondering what on earth made them start acting so terribly to each other.

Overall, I really liked this book and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to any middle-grade reader interested in fantasy, mystery, adventure, or just a good time!

While listening to The Beanstalk Murder by P.G. Bell, I found myself reminded of the books I would read when I was younger, not just fairy tales, but children's books in general. It was a refreshing wave of nostalgia in a world where it seems children are no longer able to just be children. The mystery was really well done and I somehow did not guess where it was going even though, looking back, it was spelled out for readers pretty early on.

Thank you to NetGalley, P.G. Bell, and Brilliance Publishing/Audio for allowing me to read this in exchange for a honest review (Unpaid).

No one in the village has seen a giant since the last war. But when a giant body falls through the sky and is found dead. To avoid any further trouble Anwen (the meadow witch) & Cerys (the best at High Magic) decide to send a plea for help to the giant kingdom by planting a beanstalk. Little did they know this would result in them being transported to that very kingdom.

Astonished to find that the person who died is a King, the two have to stay at the palace until the giants develop a non-magical way to transport them back to their homeland below. It's a chance for Anwen to put her itching brain to the test and solve this murder mystery with a few obstacles and a few new friends in the foreign land.

I enjoyed this short and crisp adventurous mystery and the unique style of investigation. Because the pacing was fast & the characters had a real touch to them, it easily turned into a favourite. If one had to pick this book up just for 3 reasons, I would say the plot, the pacing and the characters. For anyone looking out for a cosy mystery not based in a cafe/bakery, yet having the sparks, check this out.

The Beanstalk Murder is an unexpected middle grade fantasy / murder mystery. Bell’s story begins in a whimsical land where magical humans have a history of war with giants. These two cultures live separately until one day a dead giant mysteriously falls from the sky, causing irreparable harm to the village of Old Stump, the human world. Is it an act of war or an accident, or is it murder?

Two young apprentice witches follow the beanstalk up to the land of the giants to deliver the unfortunate news and to try to solve the mystery of the giant’s death - and to keep the peace. Anwen and Cares are typical rivals - sympathetic and engaging. Two excellent main characters in a whimsical world that will certainly captivate young readers.

The audiobook is performed brilliantly by Bronson Price. Accents and voices are absolutely perfect, bringing this magical world to life. This one is almost certainly better on audio.

The Beanstalk Murder starts off winningly, drawing readers in with a charming fairytale universe and compelling characters, but the ending drags, and there is a disconnect between the intended audience and the overly complicated resolution. Certainly some readers will fall in love, but The Beanstalk Murder misses the boat on mass appeal.