Who Could That Be at This Hour?
Book - 2012



Opinion
From the critics

Community Activity
Age
Add Age Suitabilityblack_bear_650 thinks this title is suitable for between the ages of 8 and 13
Reyna_Avila_Grace thinks this title is suitable for 8 years and over
ANNELIESE ROSENBAUM thinks this title is suitable for between the ages of 13 and 13
white_leopard_111 thinks this title is suitable for 7 years and over
Quotes
Add a QuoteWhat is the deal with L.S. and the number 13?????? It's driving me nuts!
Over City was a sign that read Police Station and over Hall was a sign that read Library. I walked up the steps and made the sensible choice... pg. 73
They say in every library there is a single book that can answer the question that burns like a fire in the mind.--Dashiell Qwerty-Sub Librarian p. 75

"I'm reminded of a book my father used to read me," she said. "A bunch of elves and things get into a huge war over a piece of jewelry that everybody wants but nobody can wear."
"I never liked that kind of book," I replied. "There's always a wizard who's very powerful but not very helpful."

She stood and ran quickly up the spiral staircase, her shoes making the sort of racket that might give you mother a headache, if you have that sort of mother.

I stopped looking at her typewriter and looked at her eyes. Their color was pretty interesting, too—a dark gray, like they’d once been black but somebody had washed them or perhaps had made her cry for a long time.

He was younger than I think of librarians as being, younger than the father of anyone I knew, and he had the hairstyle one gets if one is attacked by a scissors-carrying maniac and lives to tell the tale.

"Adults never tell children anything."
"Children never tell adults anything either," I said. "The children of this world and the adults of this world are in entirely separate boats and only drift near each other when we need a ride from someone or when someone needs us to wash our hands."

They say in every library there is a single book that can answer the question that burns like a fire in the mind.
Summary
Add a SummaryIn this series, Snicket learns the importance of asking the right questions. This book is the first account of his adventures in stan’d by the Sea. The city is slowly declining due to the loss of production of ink which was the city’s main supply of money. What seems to be only a small mystery turns out to be much larger than anyone imagined. Snicket must figure out what the right questions are to ask before time runs out.
He meets up with his chaperon. Change of plans so they go to this town where they've been asked to help retrieve a "stolen" item.
To be a success in Snicket’s line of work it’s important to know how to ask the right questions. And this is a problem since Snicket finds it difficult doing precisely that. He was supposed to meet his contact in the city. Instead, he finds himself whisked away to the country to a dying town called Stain’d-by-the-Sea. Once a bustling harbor, the town’s water was removed leaving behind a creepy seaweed forest and an ink business that won’t be around much longer. With his incompetent mentor S. Theodora Markson he’s there to solve the mystery of a stolen statue. Never mind that the statue wasn’t stolen, its owners don’t care who has it, and their client isn’t even a real person. When Snicket finds a girl looking for her father and learns the name of the insidious Hangfire things start to get interesting, not to mention dangerous. Can multiple mysteries be solved even if you keep following the wrong paths? Snicket’s about to find out.

Comment
Add a CommentA quick, and quirky fun read about a clever boy investigating the theft of a seemingly unimportant statue, in a place strange and sinister.
As to expected from the reputable Lemony Snicket, his writing, despite being simplistic, sweeps readers of their feet in it's charm and precession.
I love All The Wrong Questions and also, they secretly add hints to stuff in A Series Of Unfortunate Events. Though they only have eBooks of 1 and 3 so it’s hard during these times... I’ve read the whole series!
In true Lemony Snicket form, there are more questions raised than answers. If you enjoyed the Series of Unfortunate Events and its eerie mysteries, you'll probably like this as well.
This was an amazing series! At first, I was not sure about reading it because it was by lemony Snicket and he wrote the series of unfortunate events which in my personal opinion was very sad and depressing. I was quite pleased though because the only death was in the last book and it was only one person. I would recommend this series to anyone who likes mystery, adventure, and suspense.
truly a amazing novel
Very Fun Descriptions
This book was such a pleasure to read. Lemony Snicket's books are always so much fun, full of witty dialogue, unusual descriptions, and lots of wordplay.
I really loved this book, one of my favourites. It was a awesome mystery and adventure book that takes place in "Stain'd By The Sea" (You'll figure out why its named this). A young boy named Lemony Snicket embarks on an epic adventure with his chaperone. Their unique travels include two young women, ink, and a beloved statue of a mythological creature. If you've read "A Series Of Unfortunate Events", you will love this book. My favourite character is Moxie Mallahan, a young aspiring journalist that befriends Lemony. Please read this book, I loved it so much and I think anyone who likes adventure and/or mystery will enjoy reading "Who Could That Be at This Hour?".
If you've read and enjoyed 'A Series of Unfortunate Events' you'll love this series, too. It's got the same witty tone of voice, the same bizarre humor, and the same lack of neat endings as the original series. If you haven't read 'A Series of Unfortunate Events' then beware, this book has a sassy tone of voice, weird humor, and not many clear explanations. Good luck and happy reading!
If you've always wondered about Lemony Snicket's backstory, this is the series for you. Check out this first installment in a four-part series about all the wrong questions.
This book is maddeningly cryptic and not in a good way. Questions pile up like clothes that have been carelessly tossed into a rickety closet so that you have to go digging in order to get that shirt you want. I realize that simile got away from me but it’s of a piece with this novel.
Matters rotate around a chintzy statue that almost everyone wants and no one seems to understand. People with whimsical names hover, eavesdrop, steal, lose, recover and bicker. Some of the dialogue is so pointless that it reads like a Nanowrimo exercise…just meaningless dribble meant to fill up a page and get to the 50,000-word count.
This is definitely not one of Mr. Snicket’s better works (in spite of eponymously naming his first-person narrator) and makes me wonder if his particular type of quirkiness is getting too tired. It might be best to forget this new series and stick with his “A Series of Unfortunate Events” novels.