Book Review: The Witch of Agnesi

Reviewed By: Cheryl - RAM

The Witch of Agnesi     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Robert Spiller
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Young Adult   Serial Killer   Woman Main Character   Witchcraft
Series: Bonnie Pinkwater
Medallion Press

Bonnie Pinkwater is a high school mathematics teacher with a great team for the local Knowledge Bowl. But before the night of the competition was over, one of the team had disappeared and another was found dead. Naturally, the police are investigating, but equally naturally, a middle-aged mathematics teacher cannot be expected to refrain from trying to solve the mystery and find out the source of the danger to her students.

Some of Bonnie's students come from rather unusual backgrounds, and she must decide whether each student's background has left him or her mentally disturbed enough to commit murder - or whether someone else is using obvious clues to distract attention from the true culprit.

I enjoyed this book with its plot twists and vivid descriptions of Bonnie and her life and work. It's clever and fast-paced, and the author eventually explains the origin of the mathematical term 'Witch of Agnesi'. However, the writer of the cover text should be aware of the difference between the Enlightenment (when Maria Agnesi wrote her treatise) and the Medieval period.

Cheryl - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Cheryl - RAM