Lyn Gardner - Rose Campion and the Christmas Mystery - Book Review - Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books

Here we have a brilliant conclusion to the Campion series by Lyn Gardner. This fantastically thrilling finale was published in October 2019 by Nosy Crow Books. I have to say that this is my personal favourite of all three books. These could really be read in any order as you can jump in and out of any of the books and everything will still run like clockwork.  

So let's raise the curtains on another season at Campions' Palace of Varieties and Wonders. Set in Victorian London, a fantasy treat awaits any reader. You will instantly be re-acquainted with brilliant characters and their vibrant and lively surroundings. Full of heart, courage, and friendship which all help the characters through this dangerous adventure.

Rose Campion and her friends have more to worry about in this adventure than who'll be filling the role of Cinderella. The narrative of this book is deathly and dark. It's full of mischief due to the arrival of the Duchess, a deadly ruler of the London criminal underworld, who has just been released from prison. She has her sights set, not only on Rose but also on a priceless emerald necklace that has just arrived in the city. Meanwhile, Campions' is playing host to the mysterious hypnotist Madame de Valentina and murder is afoot as the narrative takes a disturbing turn of events. However, which characters will be affected in this story? 

This is a Christmas mystery for young and old, as the story whips up a theatrical storm. I loved every single minute of this book as it is full of song, dance, and much laughter. It's a big show stopper with a fantastic plot. This sleuthing novel will keep you guessing until the very end of the book. The timely twists and turns deserve an encore as there are many secrets to uncover. The narrative wraps up nicely pulling together all the threads from this book and the previous book nicely, which leaves you, the reader, feeling very satisfied. This is a truly lovely series that will not be easily forgotten.  

Robert J. Harris - Artie Conan Doyle and the Vanishing Dragon (Kelpies) - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Book Book Review

One day Arthur Conan Doyle will create the greatest detective of all -- Sherlock Holmes. But right now Artie Conan Doyle is a twelve-year-old Edinburgh schoolboy with a mystery of his own to solve. 

Artie and his friend Ham are hired to investigate a series of suspicious accidents that have befallen world-famous magician, the Great Wizard of the North. It seems someone is determined to sabotage his spectacular new illusion. 

When the huge mechanical dragon created for the show vanishes, the theft appears to be completely impossible. Artie must reveal the trick and unmask the villain or face the deadly consequences. 

The cards have been dealt, the spell has been cast, and the game is afoot once more! 

Artie Conan Doyle and the Vanishing Dragon is the second book in the series by Robert J. Harris. The book swooped into bookshops on the 22nd March 2018 just in time for the Easter Holidays. The book has been published by Kelpies, which is a small but perfectly formed children's independent publisher in Scotland. To celebrate this brilliant publication I hosted a stop on the blog tour which you can read HERE. The post talks about a new generation of mystery adventures for the young. 

This series is definitely a mystery series that I would choose to read. It is definitely worth tracking down if you want a jolly good read. Fast-paced and full of action, it follows two absolutely brilliant characters. Artie and his sidekick Ham are a loveable and perfectly crazy pairing. They solve mysteries across Edinburgh's Victorian landscape - Ham follows the crumb trails whilst Artie follows the clues. Where there is danger and a crime to solve, Artie and Ham will find themselves in the thick of it. 

In this book, there is a theatrical feel to the story as it starts with a mysterious invitation to an evening with magic. To be exact it is a performance by the Great Wizard of the North. This sets the plot in a shroud of mystery as the duo, armed with humour, will have you chuckling to yourself as they set off on another detecting spree. It is a brilliant adventure full of complex puzzles to solve that will leave you captivated.

This story is full of thrills, chills and excitement around every corner. It is a  brilliant and well-imagined story that will leave you feeling very satisfied as the adventure unravels. It's a story borne from the author's childhood reading based on the theme of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and his most famous character, Sherlock Holmes. This is a great book for the reluctant reader as it is easy to follow, packed with great imagination and no unnecessary dialogue.  

Sarah Todd Taylor (Author),‎ Nicola Kinnear (Illustrator) - Max the Theatre Cat and the Disappearing Diva (Max the Detective Cat) - Book Review (Nosy Crow)

Max, chief mouse-hunter at the Theatre Royal, is up to his whiskers in his first mystery! Max is a pampered cat, used to the finer things in life, until a fun mouse chase goes badly wrong and he finds himself scruffy and alone and hiding out at the Theatre Royal. It's here that Max takes on his first case as a detective cat when he notices that famous singer Madame Emerald is acting strangely. Why is her maid so terrified? And what kind of singer doesn't like to sing in public? Soon Max is trapped in a complicated web of crime, dashing round dancers' legs and over the rooftops of London in a race to catch a clever thief... 

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Move over Sherlock Holmes, we have a new super sleuth in town. This book is the first in a new series by Sarah Todd Taylor. It's a lovely illustrated affair produced by the talented illustrator, Nicola Kinnear. Full of lively black and white illustrations throughout the book, it is laden with character and irresistible charm. The book will leap from the rooftops and land in the shops on the 1st of March 2018 and will be published by Nosy Crow.

This a fantastic little story for animal lovers and wannabe actors. It's a great detective story told from the perspective of a pampered, yet lovable, cat called Max. The story will entice younger readers from the age of five upwards into a vivid world of the Theatre Royal in London. The story starts out with Max, the cat, living the life of royalty eating salmon souffle and receiving tummy tickles aplenty, whilst living in the most fashionable townhouse in London. 

Unfortunately, things soon go rapidly wrong for Max. His life changes from souffle to rats in a blink of an eye. Abandoned and left on the streets of London, Max sniffs out an adventure that may involve the purr-fect crime. He paws his way into the Theatre Royal to uncover a fiendish plot that is very imaginative and highly captivating. The crime-busting puss has to solve a mystery to save his new theatrical friends from being tricked and deceived. 

The theatrical scenes in the book are very engaging. In fact, they are inspired by the author's love of the theatre and acting. I loved the ensemble of eccentric characters in this book and Max's newest friend, a street wise cat called Oscar. They relive the events from the rooftops which enables Max to think and work things through. It really is a great family read which captures theatre life, especially that of the backstage. 

This is a lovely and endearing plot that will make you chuckle regardless of age. You will love the craziness and mayhem that ensues and be hooked right until the last page has been turned. It is a brilliant start to a series and a fantastic read, especially for young readers. In my opinion, this can be a really difficult age range in which to find great engaging reads. Especially those that light up young children's fantasy imaginations and keep them reading, so many congratulations for such a great book. I'm really looking forward to the next act and hope the performance will continue to be so enthralling.