Though the novel ends a bit abruptly, the pervasive humor and unanswered questions should have readers begging for more.

Despite the slapstick situations involving the children's disheveled appearance, pack behavior, and lack of language, the real barbarism comes from the Ashtons and a society that eagerly anticipates their failure. The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place are no ordinary children, Miss Penelope Lumley is no ordinary governess, and mysteries abound in this first volume. Wood’s tongue in cheek style gently makes fun of Penelope, our lovely heroine. Much like Gail Carriger, Maryrose Wood brings an undeniable spirit of fun to her story. With a Snicketesque affect, Wood's narrative propels the drama Penelope is a standout, often invoking the truisms of her school's founder (“The best way to find out how fast a horse can run is to smack it on the rump”) while caring for the Incorrigibles-named such so they won't be presumed Ashton's heirs. I admit I’m naturally predisposed to like any book that has incorrigible in the title, but The Mysterious Howling is a charming take on the classic governess story. ) injects new life into the governess theme by charging genteel 15-year-old Penelope Lumley (educated at the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females) with three wild children-Alexander, Beowulf, and Cassiopeia-who were raised in the woods and taken into the “care” of Lord Frederic Ashton and his selfish, superficial bride (the children are living in a barn when Penelope arrives).

In this humorous kickoff to the Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series, Wood ( My Life: The Musical

The mysterious howling by maryrose wood