I really liked the blurb for Secret Agent Josephine in Paris but was ultimately disappointed. I was looking for some girl power, as this female spy and her daughter (codename: Bug) travel to Paris on assignment to track down Sean Slippy, a renowned smuggler of forged art and rare birds. While it had potential, Secret Agent Josephine wasn’t the role model I was hoping she’d be. Instead of using her quick wit to apprehend this international smuggler, upon reaching Paris she decides to go shopping and sightseeing.
I did like the use of a case file to provide background information about Slippy but the interesting bits of information about him found in the file had no bearing on his eventual capture. It would have been useful to know ahead of time that several conversations would be in French. I’m sure I couldn’t pronounce the names of some of the locations they visited, so had I attempted to read this book to a child they would have been laughing so hard at me that they wouldn’t have gotten anything from the story anyway.
I’m unsure why this mother is taking her daughter undercover on spying missions but it’s a good thing she did as she’d probably still be locked in Slippy’s bathroom if it wasn’t for Bug’s assistance. I expect children will enjoy searching for Slippy poking his head out behind objects in the illustrations.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Xist Publishing for the opportunity to read this book.
Once Upon a Blurb
There’s a new super spy in town!
Secret Agent Josephine may not look like a super mum, but when she goes to work, bad guys better watch out for her crafty tricks.
In this Secret Agent Josephine adventure, our heroine travels to Paris to scope out some new craft supplies and stop an infamous art thief. Donning disguises and stocking up on the tools of her trade, Secret Agent Josephine tracks the thief through the streets of Paris. But when she’s spotted, will her crafting skills be able to get her out of a jam?
Schizanthus Nerd 