Home › Kids Books › Something Rotten

Something Rotten

by Alan M. Gratz

A Hamlet-inspired murder mystery in small-town Tennessee

Regular price $13.39 USD
Regular price $22.32 USD Sale price $13.39 USD
Save 40%

Paperback New English

Delivery to your door
In stock·Dispatches in 1–2 business days
Standard shipping* from $4.35
Standard shipping transit* 5–8 business days after dispatch

Faster options are available.

Rates and delivery estimates depend on your destination and item quantity. Estimates are informational only; the final shipping method and rate are selected at checkout.

Secure checkout
American Express Apple Pay DiscoverGoogle Pay Mastercard PayPalVisa
30-day eligible returns Returns & refunds policy

Awards & Recognition

  • Critical praise

    Kirkus Reviews: “This well-crafted mystery has appeal.”

    Kirkus Reviews says of Something Rotten, “This well-crafted mystery has appeal.”

AlbakiReads Editorial

A Hamlet-inspired murder mystery in small-town Tennessee

In this contemporary reworking of Hamlet, Denmark is a Tennessee town where an industrial stench and a suspected poisoning give the story’s title a literal edge. Horatio Wilkes arrives to visit his friend Hamilton Prince and joins him in investigating the death of Hamilton’s father, which others dismiss as murder. The investigation places family members and acquaintances among the possible suspects, while the polluted river and paper plant connect the town’s atmosphere to the mystery. Shakespeare’s tragedy supplies the framework; the book recasts it as a young adult detective story centered on suspicion, friendship, and the search for justice.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Teens and young adults interested in mysteries and detective stories.
  • Readers curious about modern retellings of Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
  • Readers who enjoy small-town investigations with multiple possible suspects.

Themes

Murder investigationFriendship and justicePollution and communityShakespearean adaptation

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

From the New York Times bestselling author of Refugee, comes a story about a small town plagued by a mysterious stench, a murder that no one believes, and two determined friends on a quest for justice in this modern retelling of Shakespeare's classic tragedy Hamlet.

"This well-crafted mystery has appeal."--Kirkus Reviews

Denmark, Tennessee, stinks. The smell hits Horatio Wilkes the moment he pulls into town to visit his best friend, Hamilton Prince. And it's not just the paper plant and the polluted Copenhagen River that's stinking up Denmark: Hamilton's father has been poisoned, and the killer is still at large. Why? Because nobody believes that Rex Prince was murdered. Nobody except Horatio and Hamilton. Now they need to find the killer before someone else dies, but it won't be easy. It seems as if everyone--from Hamilton's ex-girlfriend, Olivia; to his mother and uncle; to his mother's old flame, Ford N. Branff--could be guilty.

Motive, means, opportunity--all the suspects have them. But who among them has committed murder most foul? If Horatio can get past the smell, he might get to the bottom of this stinking mess.
Shipping & returnsShipping options, delivery timing, and our return policy.

In-stock items normally dispatch within 1–2 business days. The ZIP-code estimator on this page is informational only; the final shipping method, price, and availability are confirmed at checkout for your full order.

For the initial delivery estimate we use these transit windows after dispatch: Standard 5–8 business days, Expedited 2–4 business days, and Priority 1–2 business days. Holiday delays are not included.

Eligible items can be returned within 30 days in accordance with our return policy.

Customer reviews