Let’s Kill Uncle by Rohan O’Grady

Two children plot murder in this dark comedy from the 1960s.

Set on a sleepy Canadian island.

Uncle Sylvester is a nasty piece of work, no question about it. But is he even human? Little Barnaby and Christie have no time to find out: if they don’t act swiftly, he’s going to gobble them up - or worse.

Trouble is, Uncle Sylvester can be as charming as pie when he wants, and local Canadian Mountie Sergeant Coulter discounts the children’s cries for help.

I loved the one-eared cougar in this story, and the delightfully odd images O’Grady evokes in her prose - like old Lady Syddyns affectionately thumping the children on the head with an insecticide sprayer.

“Surely next week then, said the old lady. They would have cucumber sandwiches and plum cake. She thumped both their heads affectionately with an insecticide sprayer, gave them each a rose and went on with her gardening.” (p.81)

Great fun. Reminds me of John Bowen’s The Girls.

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