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.