It was interesting to discover how Klaus deciphered Aunt Josephine's secret message in the suicide note. There's a very dramatic, exciting scene as the orphans cross Lachrymose Lake with a hurricane approaching as the leeches attacked their boat. Violet sets a fire by using a magnifying glass and moonlight, which I didn't know was possible and still have my doubts about.

Considering the series is supposed to go on for a total of 13 books, it should be no surprise that this third book repeats the pattern of Olaf escaping at the end and the children having no guardian to stay with. The books are all fun adventures with enough darkness, danger and death to keep the stakes compelling, creating a feeling that the reader never quite knows what's going to happen to the characters. The books are quick reads and enjoyable enough that I can overlook some of the forced, questionable tactics by Snicket to keep the story moving along and recommend them. They are fun for kids of all ages as long as you remember they are children's books.

These first three books now come with movie tie-in covers that have pictures of Jim Carrey as the many incarnations of Count Olaf. There's a note from Count Olaf on the back of the book jacket that promotes the movie and tells you not to bother with the books, which seems like odd marketing. They are an attempt to copy the letters from Snicket that appear on the backs of the books, trying to dissuade you from reading the books, but Olaf's letters don't work. Why would he think he was the star of the movie, but not the star of the book? Obviously this is the work of marketing weasels that don't understand the cleverness of Mr. Snicket. Kids aren't going to see the movie because of Jim Carrey; they are going on the strength of the stories.