The Butler Gets a Break (MG)

The Butler Gets A Break. A Bellweather Tale. Kristin Clark. Venuti. 2010. Egmont USA. 240 pages.

In the village of Eel-Smack-by-the-Bay there stands a lighthouse on a hill, known to the residents as the Lighthouse on the Hill. Inside that structure resides the most chaotic family ever to live. And their butler. And sometimes endangered animals that have the ability to poison, maim, or kill in a gruesome manner. And sometimes hobos. And sometimes famous works of art that have been Anonymously Borrowed.
As always, if one is brave enough to get close to the Lighthouse on the Hill, one can look up into the third-story window and see an upright man, at an upright desk, up writing in his diary.


The Butler Gets A Break is the sequel to last year's Leaving the Bellweathers. In my review of the first, I wrote "If ever a book surprised me--completely surprised me--it was this one. Looking at the title, the cover, even the first sentence, nothing whispered the promise of how much fun this book would be, how funny and how right this book would be." I wasn't surprised by the sequel. I expected it to be just as wonderful, just as right as the first. And I was NOT disappointed! It was a delight to read this one.


Tristan Benway, the mostly loyal butler, is still in service to the Bellweathers. But he's about to take an unexpected vacation. When he falls--literally--through the triplets latest art experiment. (Spike, Brick, and Sassy being fascinated with negative space.) His leg is broken bad enough to put him in the hospital. Thus begins this butler's latest countdown. (Cast Removal And Vanquishment Event--CRAVE).

Will Spider, Ninda, and the triplets be able to "survive" without their butler? How will Mr. and Mrs. Bellweather deal with his absence? Will he be missed? Can he be replaced? Will Benway ever relax? Will Benway ever admit that he's become addicted to TV?

I enjoyed this one. It was a great book. Very funny, very enjoyable. I would definitely recommend both books. (Though I think you could read this one all on its own.)

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews