What is the author's style in The Miserable Mill by Lemony Snicket?

The Miserable Mill is told in a third-person narrative. As in the first and second books, the author often uses asides to the reader, encouraging them to stop reading throughout the book. The author's habit of breaking into the narrative to reveal upcoming plot twists is continued, but not as acutely as in previous stories. We are given subtle hints and clues that lead us to believe that some characters are not who they claim to be.

The book begins with a discussion on how you can usually tell what a book will contain after reading the first sentence. Several different examples are given, ending with the sentence that in fact begins this book. This point is brought up again, later in the book, with one final plea to stop reading. In the place of the usual dramatic irony, we are provided with small clues that, when added up, give an idea of how the story will unfold. This is a departure from the previous books in this series.