The Beanstalk Murder - a middle grade fantasy novel by P. G. Bell - involves a young witch-in-training, her archenemy, the kingdom of giants, and a huge murder mystery!
Anwen Sledge, an eleven-year-old Meadow Witch apprentice, lives with her grandma in a rural village that hasn't seen giants since the Great Beanstalk War. So when a giant falls right onto them, it's quite a surprise. And it's an even bigger surprise when they discover that the giant was dead BEFORE he hit the ground. Anwen, her grandmother, and Anwen's rival, Cerys, will have to plant a magic beanstalk and send a message to the giants in the Sky Kingdom.
But Anwen and Cerys get stuck to the beanstalk and find themselves shot up to the Sky Kingdom and surrounded by giants! There, they learn that the dead giant was a king. Since the giants have no magic beanstalks of their own, it'll be a few days before they can send the girls home. Meadow Witch (in training) Anwen has a duty to the dead so she's determined to help solve the case, despite Cerys's doubts in her.
With the help of a pageboy, a few new animal friends, and her reluctant rival, can Anwen figure out who killed the king before it's time to go home? Or before the killer strikes again?
