So I thought I was finished with my mouse-tastic nostalgia trip but I decided eh, why not, let’s hit the Creepella books too which was going to be even more interesting since I hadn’t read three of the books in the series. I don’t think the last three ever released in the states. Thankfully, there’s the internet.

So let’s get to it. For those not in the know, Creepella was introduced in the original Geronimo series as an expy of the Addams Family whose hometown of Mysterious Valley sends Geronimo into fainting spasms. Also a potential love interest that is comically one-sided. Creepella is oblivious to how terrified Geronimo is every minute he’s with her.

Anyway, her series is comically “creepy” as it deals with goo monsters, vampires and lots of ghosts. Common occurrences in Mysterious Valley where the Addams Family will feel right at home. It’s almost too on the nose how similar it is with Creepella as Morticia, her father as an eccentric (but obviously not lovey cuz eww) Gomaz, her niece, Shivereen as Wednesday etc.

There is one outlier as Billy Squeakespeare (great great great grandson of the bard), romance novelist and average joe neighbor to the Von Cacklefurs reluctantly accompanies Creepella’s on her adventures to make a fun odd couple. Unfortunately, he’s phased out by the fifth book and replaced with Geronomio as the scaredy-cat friend of Creepella.

Maybe the author decided he wasn’t a hit with the audiences. Maybe sales were flagging and she thought putting Geronimo would increase interest. Didn’t work since it ended at nine books.

And. . . honestly, there’s not much for me to say. I can see why it didn’t have staying power despite the premise.

The running gags of Billy/Geronimo fainting get old; Creepella’s family is there to provide eccentric supporting cast but aren’t utilized much; Creepella feels one-note because even though she steers the plot and often is headstrong when going after a story, I don’t connect with her. There’s no flaws or long-term goals. Even though she supposedly works at a scary special effects director by day, it is never utilized which makes me think it was some initial character profile that never got deleted. And the minor antagonists in the ever-broke but social climbing Rattenbaum family feels of no consequence when the von Cacklefurs face off with them.

So yeah, not one of the better series. I’m not going to revist it again.

Comment if I should read the original Geronimo Stilton series next. I don’t think I’m going to go through all of them since I think it numbers near 100 but maybe halfway. Is it worth it?