The Vile Village by Lemony Snicket

Genre: Children's Literature

Setting: In a fictitious village.

First Sentence:  No matter who you are, no matter where you live, and no matter how many people are chasing you, what you don't read is often as important as what you do read.

This novel is the seventh in the author's thirteen book series entitled "A Series of Unfortunate Events."

The only happy event in this series of unfortunate events that has happened to the Baudelaire orphans was when the orphans met the Quagmire triplets.  Both sets of children were attending a boarding school when the evil Count Olaf showed up to harass the Baudelaires.  When the triplets tried to help the Baudelaires,  the triplets became captives of Olaf.

Since then, the orphans have felt a sense of responsibility towards the triplets.

In this episode of the series, the Baudelaires have arrived at the village of V.F.D.  They chose to travel to this village, because the name of the village, V.F.D., matches a clue that was given to the orphans by the triplets.

The village believes that it takes a village to raise a child.  Yet, when the orphans arrive, the villagers prove to be poor guardians for the orphans.

Soon the orphans receive clues that the Quagmires are close by.  After a murder occurs, the evil count makes his appearance.

Once again he is in disguise so the adults don't recognize him.  The count frames the orphans for the murder.  Unfortunately, the only punishment for being a rule breaker in V.F.D. is burning at the stake.

Will the children escape with their lives?

A very exciting story - now on to the next book!