You are cordially invited to Sinclair’s Midnight Peacock Ball!

I was pretty sad when I learned this was the final book in the Sinclair’s mysteries series. I don’t want this one to end. I have grown quite attached to Lil, Sophie, and their friends.

This time the book takes place from a bit before Christmas to the start of the new year (hip hip hooray 1910). We see Sinclair’s go in full festivities mode with Christmas decorations, but also a ball for New Years. Yep. Sinclair is at it again to make his department store the best one in the whole city (and beyond). But of course we also see what our characters are up to around this time. Sophie, Lil, Leo are going to Leo’s home to celebrate Christmas (which is also convenient for Sophie as she has someone she wants to meet in their neighbouring town), while Billy and Joe stay in the city.

So yep, for a bit of the book we split up again. Billy and Joe investigate strange going on’s in their part, and Sophie, Lil, Leo, Jack (yes, he is also around) have a mystery of their own to solve. Not to mention snobby people to please (really, people are so silly). But, as is the case with the other books, the cases are related and eventually seam together. Things that Joe and Billy find out are fundamental for the bigger case, and that ghost at Leo’s place is also related to the bigger case. I always love how the author can make two cases that seem so separate turn into one big case.

There are a lot of revelations in this book. Not only about the Baron, but also about Sophie’s dad, about the Lim family, about Sinclair (yes, there is a big revelation about him). I just loved finding out more about everything and see how the puzzle we got at the beginning of this series just clicks together and becomes one big masterpiece.
There were a few things I didn’t expect, and I was delighted.

We also meet a new character, namely Tilly. I loved that girl from the start. She was just so kick-ass, plus I just can’t resist a girl who has a good head on her shoulders. I like her special ability. While it was a bit too coincidental (as her skill is needed later), I still quite liked it. Given the ending.. well I think this girl has a very promising future ahead of her.

The ball, the ending, it was all so exciting and I just felt as if I was in a very exciting rollercoaster. It was a bit anticlimactic at one point, but I can forgive that. This was sadly the only solution. Anything else would just have caused certain events again.

As I said at the beginning, this is the final book in this series, but there is a little surprise near the end that made me absolutely squee in delight. So don’t cry just yet about this series ending. 🙂

All in all, this was one series that I would highly recommend. Great, sweet, and kick-ass characters, gorgeous details, can I visit Sinclair’s already?, some lovely illustrations, good storytelling, and more!