Murder at Midnight was published by Scholastic Press in 2009. Fabrizio, a servant boy to the magician Mangus in the kingdom of Pergamontio, finds himself caught in a web of court intrigue when an accusation of treason threatens both their lives. Mangus is a conjurer who performs “magic” through sleight of hand and theatrics, but when real murder occurs, the distinction between genuine and performed magic becomes a matter of life and death.
The novel combined Avi’s interest in medieval settings with his talent for mystery plotting. The fourteenth-century Italian court — with its Machiavellian politics, its superstitions, and its precarious distinction between magic and fraud — provided rich material for a story about the difference between appearance and reality.
Collecting Murder at Midnight
First edition (Scholastic Press, New York, 2009): Boards with dust jacket.
Market values:
- Fine in dust jacket: $10–$25
- Very good: $5–$10
Projected values (2026–2036): Modest appreciation.
Medieval Mystery
In a fourteenth-century Italian kingdom, a servant boy named Fabrizio is caught between a treacherous magician, a suspicious prince, and a murder that threatens to engulf the court. The novel combines historical mystery with coming-of-age elements, as Fabrizio must use his wits to survive in a world where power is arbitrary and truth is dangerous.
Frequently Asked Questions
What awards has Avi won? Besides the Newbery Medal (Crispin) and two Newbery Honors (Nothing but the Truth, The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle), Avi has received the Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction, the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, and numerous state children’s book awards. He was named a National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature in 2022.