Alastair Chisholm - ADAM-2 - Book Review - Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books

The puzzler from Edinburgh is back with his second exciting novel entitled Adam-2. The book is a summer delight published by Nosy Crow Books on 5th August 2021. The fantastically vibrant and brilliant orange book cover has been illustrated by Dan Munford - it's an absolute beauty brimming with anticipated adventure. 

I've been in a bit of a reading slump for some months now as I've been trying to find not only the time to read but also books that I will really enjoy. I think every prolific reader finds themselves in this situation from time to time. I have read a few books recently that did not hold my attention or were too reality-based when what I really wanted was a book to escape into. Fortunately, Alastair Chisholm hit the nail on the head with this book by providing everything I needed. It's a real fantasy-based book that throws up challenging questions in a world so distant from our very own. The author has set his stall out with a great imaginary world that is so absorbing you will certainly not want to leave it. 

The book starts with a dark tale where we find Adam-2 locked in a basement. Even worst, we find out he's been there for over two hundred years. I never read the synopsis for this book so, at the start, I had no idea what was going on. I think that really kept me engaged and eager to read on and find out more.  For this reason, I'm not going to mention any of the plot or synopsis in this review so you can enjoy it as much as I did. All I will say is that it is a fast-paced Sci-Fi futuristic read set in Edinburgh, Scotland. Some of the famous landmarks are used to great effect in telling the story. 

The book's characters are fantastically written and develop through the story process with great heart as they uncover what it really means to be human. It really made me think about the choices the characters were making along their journeys. The plot ending was a great climatic roller-coaster that left me both satisfied but very sad to finish. This book is full of explosive action with some epic twists and turns that create a truly stunning cinematic read. 

It's a new world... how can we save it? There's a War between HUMANS and advanced INTELLIGENCE, what more could you want? Make sure you find the time to read this book as it is surely the best book to be published this month. It will really give you a Middle-Grade fantasy boost that will make your pulse rate beat faster with every page turned. 

Sharon Gosling - The House of Hidden Wonders - Book Review - Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books

At the beginning of April 2020, Little Tiger will publish the latest book by Cumbrian author Sharon Gosling. When not writing, she is very busy being creative and, when not being creative, she might be found serving tea or wonderful cakes in her husband's second-hand bookshop. The House of Hidden Wonders has a brilliant title and an amazing book cover illustration produced by the very talented (a favourite illustrator of mine) Hannah Peck. It really makes this book stand out from the crowd and, hopefully, leap into the arms of many readers. They will certainly not be disappointed with the story inside. 

Set in the Victorian period, beneath the murky and eerie streets of Edinburgh, the story is a historical tale featuring some very notable people from that time period. One of the main characters is the young and slightly naive Arthur Conan Doyle. The story follows him in the early days as a medical student and sets the story off with an atmospheric flea in the tale. As a demon moves in the shadow and crimes have been committed, we find ourselves being introduced to Zinnie and her sisters fleeing from the authorities after stealing a silver watch from the pawnbroker's shop window.  As they run down the high street, we are catapulted into a mysterious world of danger and adventure. 

The story is very entertaining and well-written. It captures the place and time very well due to the author's careful research and her good knowledge of the city. Key places like Mary King's Close, which you still can visit today near the Royal Exchange, is used to great effect and helps create the atmosphere both below and above the streets. It leaves the reader with a creepy feeling that keeps you on the edge of the narrative abyss. 

The characters are all very likable; the genuine dialogue makes you engage quickly with them and help punch an element of realism into the plot. Especially as they all need to work together quickly to uncover the mystery surrounding The House of Wonders and the owner. Sinister activities are afoot with ghostly apparitions and an owner who seems to know more about this than they are prepared to let on. 

This is a brilliant read for anyone who loves an action-packed adventure full of drama. It's a historical gem capturing the very essence and feeling of the time; it will surround you in a fantasy bubble that you will simply not want to burst. 

Other books to read similar to this include: 

Philip Caveney - Seventeen Coffins -  Published by Fledgling Press.  Book Review Here.  

Robert J Harris - The Artie Conan Doyle Mysteries - Published by Kelpies.  Book Review Here.

Robert J. Harris - Artie Conan Doyle and the Scarlet Phantom - Book Review - Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books

Here we are, the sleuths are back again with the third brilliant book in The Artie Conan Doyle Mysteries. The Scarlet Phantom is the work of Scottish writer, Robert J. Harris, and features the young amateur detectives of Artie Conan Doyle (Boy Detective) and Edward Hamilton (Stalwart Companion). The book has already been published (October) by Floris Books (a small independent children's publisher in Edinburgh).  

It's time to investigate the criminal mind with another unusual and thrilling mystery to ponder over. I really love this series; it's one of my personal favorites as it reminds me of the books I used to read when I was a young person. It has the same DNA profile as the books I read and loved at that time such as The Hardy Boy Stories which were full of vivid action and great moments. It also has great settings and characters similar to The Alfred Hitchcock and the Three Investigators books. Around every corner, there's suspense and deadly peril. These books made me an avid reader as they expanded my imagination and created a great appetite for new and exciting books. 

Wandering around the back streets of Edinburgh, August 1873, and something is afoot once again. A mystery is sweeping across the murky Scottish streets leaving the public fearing for their lives. Priceless jewels are being stolen by an invisible thief who walks through walls and disappears at will. All of which is bafflingly the local police force. However, the Scarlett Phantom is just about to pull off the biggest robbery in history. Can the greatest detective (not Sherlock Holmes) solve the puzzle before he or she gets away? Or will a strange paranormal investigator, who claims he can capture this phantom burglar, get there before them? You'll have to read the book to find out. 

In this story, we are introduced to a new female character, Peril Abernetly (Girl Scientist), to aid the detective team in finding out the answers to this fiendish plot. This character adds another interesting dimension to the story. She introduces a scientific approach to the inner-thought processes and dynamics of the sleuthing trio. In contrast, there is also Edward who is always hungry and has food about his person but is not always hungry for adventure. He especially fears danger and has to be persuaded by his best friend (Artie Doyle) to follow him in his thirst for solving inexplicable crimes.  

Like all the other books in this series, there is a fantastic plot full of imagination, which has been executed particularly well. It has twists and turns which leave many possibles alternatives to develop and explore. There are many quirky details included which provide a great reading experience. The time and gothic setting have a wide and fantastic appeal. Historically, it makes the story very interesting and atmospheric.

This is another fantastic book aimed at the younger reader. It will feed their imagination and set them off on an amazing fantasy adventure. As the story comes to a climatic and turbulent end, it will leave them feeling content. It's a book that is definitely worth tracking down. You never know, it may even inspire new avid readers to be born. So are you ready to solve the clues and follow in the footsteps of the characters? If so, then you definitely need to read this book.

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.  

Robert J. Harris - Artie Conan Doyle and the Vanishing Dragon - UK Blog Tour (Kelpies)

Welcome to day two of the UK blog tour for Robert J. Harris and his brilliant new mystery 'Artie and the Vanishing Dragon'. This is an opportunity to celebrate the unveiling of a brand new book in the Artie Conan Doyle Mysteries. Published by Kelpies, The Vanishing Dragon will fly into bookshops on the 22nd March 2018. 

This is a week-long mission to entertain and entice you to pick up these brilliant books and read them. So sit back and relax as we're going back to the scene of the crime to investigate where and how it all began. Have your magnifying glasses at the ready throughout the week to follow the author's footsteps each day. Please see the blog tour list in the top right-hand corner of the blog.  Happy Reading. 

THE YOUNG DETECTIVES - NEW MYSTERIES FOR THE YOUNG GENERATION

I was about eight years old when I read my first detective story. It was The Mystery of the Pantomime Cat by Enid Blyton, featuring a group of young investigators called The Five Find-Outers. Though they never achieved the same level of success as Blyton’s other quintet (The Famous Five), nevertheless the Find-Outers had a long run of cases from 1943 to 1961.

Young detectives have long been a part of the mystery genre, including such stars as The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. My own favourite series is The Three Investigators, who began their career in 1964 with The Secret of Terror Castle. Their stories were introduced by famous film director Alfred Hitchcock, who played a role in that first case. I personally think the best of these is The Stuttering Parrot, which is both very clever and entertaining.

One of the most significant features of these mysteries for younger readers is that they are not centred on the sort of gruesome murders that dominate adult crime fiction. A good thing too, I say.

While I think of the tales I tell as primarily adventure stories, these adventures always include an element of mystery. With The Artie Conan Doyle Mysteries I have shifted towards detective stories (though they are still exciting adventures). As with all my books, my main rule is that a good book for younger readers should be one that adult readers (like me!) will also enjoy. By the same principle the mysteries in these novels are to be just as good, just as baffling, as any you would find in the great crime classics.

Part of the fun is trying to guess not only who committed the crime but why. In Artie’s first adventure, The Gravediggers Club, he needs to discover not only who has been digging up dead bodies, but also why they’re doing it.

The clues are another vital element to a good mystery. The clues, far from shedding any light, should make things even more baffling. The clues Artie comes across give him a headache more than anything else - that is until he finally understands what they mean.

It’s also hugely fun for the writer and reader if the crime itself appears to be utterly impossible. My favourite mystery writer John Dickson Carr is the acknowledged master of such puzzles as ‘How was a man able to jump into a swimming pool surrounded by witnesses and completely disappear?’

In The Vanishing Dragon Artie is faced with a similarly impossible crime; a gigantic mechanical dragon is stolen from a warehouse when the only exits and entrances are a door securely fastened with multiple locks and a window far too small for the dragon to fit through.

The crucial point in any mystery story is when the truth is revealed. If this is done well, the reader will see all the pieces of the mystery falling into place like a magical jigsaw puzzle fitting itself together. My aim is that as they behold the completed picture readers will cry out in delight, “Of course! Now I see!”

That’s what I enjoy in a good mystery.

Robert J. Harris - Artie Conan Doyle and the Gravediggers' Club (Artie Conan Doyle Mysteries) - 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. While sneaking out to explore Greyfriars Kirkyard by night, Artie and his best friend Ham spot a ghostly lady in grey and discover the footprints of a gigantic hound. Could the two mysteries be connected? These strange clues lead them to a series of robberies carried out the sinister Gravediggers' Club and soon they find themselves pitted against the villainous Colonel Braxton Dash. Will Artie survive his encounters with graveyards and ghosts in the foggy streets of nineteenth century Edinburgh -- or will his first case be his last?

Robert J. Harris, author of the brilliant The World Goes Loki series, has now exploded onto the middle-grade fantasy scene with another new series entitled Artie Conan Doyle Mysteries. The first book in the series is "The Gravediggers' Club" which was published by Floris books on the 16th February 2017. As soon as you turn the page, you find yourself instantly transported back to 19th century Edinburgh, where it is swirling with fog, danger and a slight hint of bagpipes playing in the background. 

Welcome Artie Conan Doyle onto the stage with his friend and sidekick in tow, Ham.You will love Ham's laid back character and the way he deals with the danger and on-going adventure. He would rather be somewhere else where it is warm, safe and allows him to eat cakes, rather than a spooky graveyard late at night with a howling beast or a spooky apparition scaring him witless! As you'll be able to tell, he is very reluctant to engage in the mystery that suddenly smacks them in the face. 

The adventure follows Artie's suspicions around the young trainee doctor lodging at their house who is up to no good. It's a very easy-going story to follow with a mystery to solve. It is full of action and brings together an eclectic cast of characters to give it some Scottish charm. It reflects the time and period very well through the reality of sickness/poverty and the hardships family faced at that period in time. The setting and backdrop are very well written. They enable you to recognise aspects of the city as well as get a brilliant feel for the story. 

The villain of the story, Colonel Braxton Dash, has a great name but he did not quite live up to his reputation. In my opinion, he needed more dark deeds to heighten the tension and develop his character. A little extra side story would have turned this into a dark macabre story and made the reader sit up a little more and take notice. 

This is a very enjoyable detective story consisting of some brilliant dialogue. It has a fantastic ending which makes a good impression for the rest of the series.  

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Guest Post by Philip Caveney - (Edinburgh a Place for Inspiration)

The city of Edinburgh has proved to be a fertile source of inspiration for my fiction. It was a wonderful but entirely unexpected gift. 
I first visited in August 2010 for the Fringe Festival. I was amazed and invigorated by the buzz on the streets and the wealth of theatre and comedy that was on offer everywhere I turned. But the first real inspiration came when I visited Mary King’s Close. 

For those who don’t know, this is a 17th Century street underneath the Royal Mile, used as the foundations for the building of the Royal Exchange in the 1700s, effectively forgotten about for centuries and only opened up to the public in 2003. It is essentially a time capsule, preserved exactly as it was in the 1600s, the steeply sloping streets, the tall tenements and the empty rooms that seem to positively ooze with atmosphere. A guide explained about the summer of 1645 when bubonic plague ravished the community and nobody was safe from its deadly embrace. 



As he spoke, I suddenly realised that I wanted to set a story here. 
The resulting book is Crow Boy, a time-travel adventure in which Tom Afflick, a hapless youth from Manchester, finds himself hurled back across the centuries to the heart of Mary Kings Close, where he is forced to become the assistant to an evil plague doctor. Happily, MKC took the book to their heart, allowing us to launch it there and selling copies in their gift shop. Years later, it remains one of their best-selling items and because people from all over the world visit the place, it helps to disseminate copies around the globe. 

When it came time for a follow up, I chanced upon another powerful inspiration - the eight miniature coffins still on display in the National Museum of Scotland. They were found by some schoolboys in 1828, hidden on the slopes of Arthur’s Seat, the extinct volcano that overlooks the city. The boys had been hunting rabbits that day but instead made an amazing discovery. Each coffin contained a tiny dressed doll. There were seventeen of them originally but the rather stupid boys decided to throw them at each other, destroying more than half of them within minutes. Luckily, their history teacher overheard them talking of what they’d done and retraced their steps, finding eight of the coffins still intact. 

People have speculated for many years as to who hid them up there and why, so I enlisted Tom Afflick to whizz back in time in order to solve the mystery, linking the coffins to the exploits of two of Edinburgh’s most infamous villains – Burke and Hare. The book was called, appropriately enough, Seventeen Coffins. 

On the eve of publication, my wife and I climbed Arthur’s Seat at dawn and hid three carefully wrapped copies of the book up there. Two copies have so far been found, but there’s still one more hidden somewhere amidst the rocks… 
For the third and final story in the series, One For Sorrow, I decided to concentrate on a famous Edinburgh author – Robert Louis Stevenson. When I discovered that he had first published his seminal novel, Treasure Island in the weekly children’s magazine, Young Folks, I was intrigued, especially as he’d published the story under the pseudonym Captain George North. I quickly evolved my central premise – that Tom would have to persuade RLS to publish the story, as a book, under his own name - or the world might lose one of the greatest adventure stories of all time. I also had to find a convincing ending for Tom’s travels – one that, judging by many of the emails I received just after publication, caused more than a few tears amongst my readers. 

So, I had three stories all inspired by Edinburgh. What else could the city offer me? Well, over the years, I have always been impressed by the wonderful statues around the city. I have come to think of them as characters in their own right. One day, as I strolled past the monument to the Royal Scots greys on Princes Street, I found myself thinking, what if they are sentient? What if they can see and hear and feel as we mortals pass by them from day to day? What do they think of or stupid comments, the way we treat them as mere photo opportunities? And then I thought, what if there was one special day in the year, one incredible twenty four hour period when human time in Edinburgh comes to a stop and the statues are allowed to climb down from their plinths to enjoy each other’s company? 

The result is my latest novel, The Calling. 
In the book, a young boy wakes up on a train to Edinburgh. He is amazed to discover that he doesn’t know how he even came to be on the train… and worse still, he doesn’t know who he is! Things get even more confusing when he turns out to be the only human left awake at midnight, to witness the moment when every statue in the city comes to life. As a ‘softie’ he’s not very welcome. The king of the statues, Charles II is all for chopping off his head, but luckily, the boy soon finds a talented ally. The statue of Sherlock Holmes in Picardy Place is assigned to find out exactly who the boy (who the statues have nick-named Ed) is and to get him back where he came from. The statues, you see, embody all the attributes of the characters they are made to represent. As for the supporting cast, I was able to draw on some of Edinburgh’s most celebrated inhabitants – David Livingstone, Sir Walter Scott, William Wallace… even Greyfriar’s Bobbie gets to lend a paw in the proceedings. 

The book surprised me in some ways – as the story develops it becomes a crime novel, as it transpires that ‘Ed’ has been involved in a terrible ordeal. Things get quite dark but The Calling has garnered me some of the most positive reviews of my career. 

So… what next? Does Edinburgh have any more inspirations for me? Will it offer me another opportunity to delve into its illustrious past? At this stage, I can only utter those three time-honoured words. 
Watch this space.

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Philip Caveney - The Calling - Book Review

A boy wakes up on a train to Edinburgh. He is shocked to discover that no idea who he is or how he came to be on the train - and once off it, he finds himself immersed in the chaos of the Edinburgh Fringe. After a day of wandering the crowded streets, he falls asleep and is woken by the sound of bells tolling midnight - only to discover that is the night of The Calling - a magical yearly event when all the statues of the city come alive. He is the only human ever to witness it. He quickly makes a couple of allies - the Colonel, the bronze cavalryman of the Scots Grey's monument, and the intrepid explorer David Livingstone. They christen the boy 'Ed Fest' and take him to Parliament Square to meet Charles II, the king of the statues, who isn't particularly fond of 'Softies' (humans).He assigns Sherlock Holmes to investigate the boy's case, to discover his real identity and to get back to his home and family. But as the bronze detective begins to decipher the clues, he discovers that 'Ed' is on the run from a sequence of terrible events; ones that could threaten his very existence.The Calling is a magical story set during Edinburgh's most exciting event - and nearly all of its characters can be observed, standing on plinths in the heart of the city, waiting for next year's Calling.

The Calling is a magical story that you are all going to love. Yes, you really are dear readers. The story to me is a nostalgic look at one of the best cities in the UK. Can you guess where that might be? From the veery first pages that you turn, you are soon asking questions about the mysterious character. You can not help follow the character with wide eyes and a buzzing mind as he leaves Waverley train station into the chaotic streets of Edinburgh. The Fringe is in full swing and performers are strutting their stuff on the streets. A rocked-up Scottish folk tune leaks from the pages as Philip sets up the backdrop and atmosphere like a seasoned pro. 

When day time moves over to night time, Edinburgh comes alive with a secret past. The bells toll midnight and the streets secrets soon come to light. Ed discovers something amazing as the statues come to life for twenty-four hours (known as the Calling) and he is the only human to witness the event. It's a great concept and Philip takes this idea and runs with it. He brings many famous dead characters to life; those who normally stand so silently and are sometimes forgotten when walking around the city.  

This is a brilliant adventure loaded with historical characters. It is a fantastic introduction to the city for young readers and a fantastic advert for Edinburgh, in my opinion.  He weaves a story within a story as Ed struggles to find out who and where he comes from. The statue of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle comes to his aid, in the form of Sherlock Holmes, with the help from James Clerk Maxwell (scientist). There is also an unlikely Scottish hero as well as a terrier called Bobby.

The narrative gets very interesting and the plot thickens as the detective works his elementary sleuthing magic in true style. It's a cracking epic adventure full of period detail. One minute you're munching on Starbuck's treats and the next minute you're travelling through a portal to a pub in Manchester. It's a fantastic eclectic hit of ideas and history with some great witty banter between the characters which will definitely make you chuckle. 

This is the fourth book set in the city of Edinburgh and one of the best that Philip has written for Fledgling Press to date, in my opinion. I really think that there is scope to develop this idea into further books which would be a fantastic delight.

This is a brilliant five star entertaining read that will make you look at the city of Edinburgh in a new and different light.... 

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Philip Caveney - One for Sorrow - Book Review

Tom is back for his third time travelling adventure; this time he hurtles back to Edinburgh in 1881. Just reading a copy of Treasure Island on his kindle serves as a catalyst to a crazy adventure that no one could foresee, even the reader. Tom meets Robert Louis Stevenson, a sickly young author, who has just published the story in a children's magazine called Young Folks in a series of weekly instalments between 1881 and 1882. 

Philip Caveney has cleverly weaved both fact and fiction into this plot and made it very interesting and engaging. The ongoing encounters between Tom, Robert Louis Stevenson and his family were really absorbing and very well written/researched, in my opinion. I felt like I was meeting the characters in real life, standing in their shoes, it was so realistic and a key part of the book. It is one of my favourite books in the series. 

Can Tom persuade Robert to try and publish the book as a novel or will one of the world's greatest adventures be lost forever? 

The story depicts a great insight into one of the greatest children's' writers of the 19th century. It asks questions of the reader and shows the real-life outcome of the publishing world. Decisions that are made in this novel shine out in a multi-layered dimensional way, which pumps your brain with the many possibilities that could and may unfold. This is a definite read for the thinking mind and reader.   

The author has related back to the events and major characters from previous books, like Tom's deadly adversary, The Plague Doctor. He still plays a major part as an utterly menacing, unpredictable and scary character who will continue to shake the living daylights out of you. 

For the first time reader to this series, I really feel that you will need to read the first two book in the series otherwise you will miss a lot of the backstory and, as a result, may have a slight problem connecting with the plot. Especially as the narrative is very lean and keen, which is good in my opinion. 

This is another accomplished story told with imagination and flair. It's a rollercoaster of a time travelling ride that will have you reading into the future in no time. This is a recommended series from Mr Ripley..... 

Published by Fledgling Press (28 May 2015)

Ross MacKenzie - The Nowhere Emporium ( Kelpies) - Book Review

What a magical start to a story . . . . . welcome to The Nowhere Emporium. You start this glittering adventure hanging on to every word, of every page. The author will dazzle you and entice you to feast your imagination on the story ahead. A spectacular entrance will have you gripped, as the door swings open on this enchanted tale, in a spectacular ride of plot and mayhem. 

We start in present day Glasgow with Daniel Holmes, as he finds himself jostling against the hoard of shoppers. However, he soon finds himself being chased down the High Street by Spud Harper and his gang of bullies. The plot takes flight just like the magpies in this adventure, who are watching every step as you are sucked into this brilliant read. 

Brimming full of excitement and mystery, Mr Silver draws Daniel into an unimaginable and breathtaking world of magical enchantment. The shop from nowhere has arrived. A vast maze of passageways and an infinite amount of rooms containing wonders can be found - wonders that will stir up your wildest imagination. 


Placed into a world that feels like a dream, you will skip and dance through time from wartime London to New York. It is really one of the most imaginative plots that you will probably read this year - it has elements reminiscent of Cornelia Funke stories. I loved everything about this book, but I'm not going to say anymore, as I don't want to spoil it for you. Although, you may need a wee hankie at some point, as it does have a slight emotional bite. 

This is another fantastic and exciting Middle Grade read which I'm so excited to tell you all about. Just like the book cover, it's brilliant. The story inside does it justice and really lived up to my expectations. It  has to be one of my favourite reads of the year, with its palette of explosion and colour that lifts off every page. You will zip through this book quicker than Vindictus Sharpe pulling out a rabbit from his hat. 

Find out if Daniel can save the day.... 

Who will love this book?  Well, I feel that everyone will love this book, so go out and buy a copy as it is definitely worth tracking down. Take Mr Ripley's word for it. 

Thank you Floris books for sending out a copy of this book for me to review. It is out in all good bookshops from the 19th March 2015 - not too long to wait!  

If you would like to read an exclusive chapter sample HERE

Mr Ripley's Book Review: Seventeen Coffins - By Philip Caveney

We have just moved on from Crow Boy, the first book, to find that Tom has wasted no time falling head first into another nightmarish adventure in and around Mary King's Close, Edinburgh. It all starts off with that familiar feeling, where the world shudders around him; that horrible sensation as he finds himself lost and lonely once more. 

The book is loosely based on historical places, events and people just like the first book 'Crow Boy'. It isn't really necessary to read this book first, but it may help if you do so, in my opinion. Besides which it is a great book and well worth the read anyway. The narrative begins at the National Museum of Scotland. A place with so much mystery - what might Tom find? It all starts with the eight tiny coffins that were discovered at Arthur's Seat in 1836. There is a tiny figure in each one; they soon become a very significant part of the ongoing story. You'll find that your curiosity increases as you are flung into the world of the past.

Philip uses his creative imagination exceptionally well to weave many elements into a captivating story. The nineteenth century comes alive through three dimensional descriptions of sight, sound and smell. Each aspect enables you to really visualise the place and time of the story. Philip creates an intelligent and very interesting read. 

The magical time travelling adventure will suck you from modern day time into the nineteenth century within a blink of an eye. Tom finds himself running from his old nemesis, the bogus plague doctor, William McSweeny, as well as other unsavoury characters from the past. Without giving too much away, these are definitely my favourite characters from the book; they bring a dark and moody feeling to the story which is SO good. I really loved this section of the book.

I have nothing negative to say about this book; it is a great sequel to Crow Boy. Easy to follow, yet it also has a great historical insight to it. Fast-paced dialogue between the characters keeps the storyline flowing. Whilst the mysterious element and edge to the plot keeps you rooted to the end. The story is based around a dark world full of shady characters - it is a struggle for survival. Beware though . . . . there are some gruesome encounters that will have you running for cover.

A lighter and more playful side to the story also exists such as Tom teaching his new friends twentieth-century slang; this section is particularly well written and rather funny. This story has all of the right ingredients to entice anyone and everyone to read it. Interesting, educational and a ripping good adventure that will fill your head. Poor Tom finds that time is once more slipping away from him. Hopefully this will soon lead us to another adventure very soon.  

Published by Fledgling Press (22 April 2014)

Other books by Philip Caveney

Sebastian Darke Series:

• 2007 Sebastian Darke: Prince of Fools
• 2008 Sebastian Darke: Prince of Pirates
• 2009 Sebastian Darke: Prince of Explorers
• 2010 Sebastian Darke: A Buffalope's Tale
• 2012 Sebastian Darke: Prince Of Spies
• Alec Devlin Series:
• 2008 Alec Devlin: The Eye of the Serpent
• 2009 Alec Devlin: Empire of the Skull
• 2010 Alec Devlin: Maze of Death
• Other Novels:
• 2011 Night On Terror Island
• 2012 The Talent
• 2012 Spy Another Day
• 2012 Crow Boy
• 2013 Watchers
• 2013 Animal Factory

About Philip Caveney

Philip Caveney was born in North Wales in 1951. The son of an RAF officer, he spent much of his childhood travelling the length and breadth of Britain and spent several years in Malaysia and Singapore.

He attended Kelsterton College Of Art in North Wales where he obtained a diploma in Graphic Design. Whilst there, he became drummer (and latterly vocalist) with rock band, Hieronymus Bosch.

After leaving college, he worked extensively in theatre both in London and Wales and wrote the lyrics for rock adaptations of The Workhouse Donkey and Oscar Wilde's Salome.

His first novel, The Sins Of Rachel Ellis, was published in 1977. Since then, he has published many novels for adults and since 2007, a series of children's books that have sold all over the world.

Book Review: John Connolly & Jennifer Ridyard - Conquest ( The Chronicles of the Invaders)

This is the first instalment within the Chronicles of the Invaders series, which has been written by John Connolly and his partner Jennifer Ridyard. It is an epic new science fiction series described by Connolly as "an adventure novel". Inspired by some of John's favourite films such as Ridley Scott's Blade Runner (one of my personal favourites), Alien and Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Never mind the additional influence from the novels of John Wyndham - all of the above might give you a hint and idea of what you may expect. 

This book is an epic 400 page journey of sci-fi goodness that gripped me right until the very last page.  I was really surprised as to how good this book actually was, to be honest. It really was such an amazing read and a fantastic story. The best way to perhaps sum up this book is as follows: Star Trek meets Aliens but set on earth. It is smart, intelligent writing that ticks all the boxes for me. 

There is a strong female and male protagonist which will appeal to all teenagers and adults who love crossover fiction and science fiction. The novel is set at a time when Earth no longer belongs to us; we have been invaded by a slightly more advanced race called the Illyri - a beautiful, civilised yet ruthless alien species.  A small faction of people called the Resistance Leaders wage war on the invaders with dramatic effect. The storyline is set in, and around, Edinburgh castle and the Scottish Highlands which I thought was a fantastic backdrop to an amazing story. 

Full of visual characters (both human and alien) who are all seeking for attention is one great aspect of the book. Whilst another is through the gripping and fascinating dark side which runs throughout the story. Encompassing death and sorrow around every explosive corner as well as featuring some rays of warmth from the sun. The feelings and friendships of the characters struggling to overcome races and cultures are explored sensitively and, in my opinion, hold a very strong key to the plot which really pulls off the stark reality to what occurs in the story. The action-packed, explosive and technical battle scenes will have you in awe; they really are some of the best that I've read within this genre for some time. 

I enjoyed reading this book immensely - the imaginative qualities are on another plateau. I will even go as far to say, that it is out of this world. John and Jennifer are a great writing duo. They have created a book that will definitely be in my top reads for the end of the year. I believe that the sequel will be rocketing onto my wish list once it has been published next year. 

Published by Headline (Hardback) -  26 September 2013