The Swifts: A Dictionary of Scoundrels by Beth Lincoln

Abstract

Reviewed by: The Swifts: A Dictionary of Scoundrels by Beth Lincoln Sarah Sahn Lincoln, Beth The Swifts: A Dictionary of Scoundrels; illus. by Claire Powell. Dutton, 2023 [352p] Trade ed. ISBN 9780593533239 $17.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9780593533246 $10.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R Gr. 4-6 Every ten years, the Swifts gather for a Reunion at their ramshackle ancestral House to search for the treasure hidden somewhere on the grounds by their ancestor, Vile Swift. It’s young Shenanigan’s first reunion, and she’s determined to find Vile’s Hoard—she has the advantage of living in the House, after all, and she’s been mapping it for a year in preparation. Treasure hunting takes a backseat to attempted murder, however, when someone pushes Arch-Aunt Schadenfreude down the stairs during dinner the first night of the Reunion. Murder mystery fans will be thrilled to dig into this clever whodunit, which offers an accessible entry point for newcomers to the genre and has plenty of twists and turns for longtime detectives. A more introspective coming-of-age arc is woven in, as Shenanigan grapples with her relationships with her sisters and her place in the family. “You can’t help your name,” Arch-Aunt Schadenfreude is fond of saying, and while Shenanigan knows she causes her share of, well, shenanigans, she doesn’t like to feel trapped by her moniker as a troublemaker. The themes of naming and self-determination carry through both the mystery plot and the characters’ journeys, especially in nonbinary cousin Erf’s quest to be recognized by their chosen name. An omniscient narrator also supplies definitions, alternative meanings, and wry commentary, inviting the reader to contemplate, along with Shenanigan and the other Swifts, just what’s in a name. Full-page, Edward Gorey-esque black-and-white illustrations punch up the noirish Addams Family atmosphere and break up the text for readers new to longer chapter books. Final art not seen. Copyright © 2022 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois