Ross MacKenzie - The Elsewhere Emporium - Book Review (Kelpies) Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

Step this way into the land of fantasy with the anticipated sequel to The Nowhere Emporium. This first book was published way back in 2015 and subsequently scooped up the Blue Peter Book Award as well as gaining some fantastic reviews. So what better way to introduce the new sequel, The Elsewhere Emporium, which sports a very similar book cover. I can hear you all CRY, when is this book PUBLISHED? Well, the book will be published on the 13th September 2018 by Floris Books of Edinburgh. Apologies for the early review, but I just couldn't wait to read it! 

Ross MacKenzie is back again with a BOOM. Before I turned the first page the anticipation was truly growing. I remember reading his first book and absolutely loving every moment of it. Therefore, I was hoping that this book would live up to my very high expectations. What do you think, did it?

Welcome one and all to the CARNIVAL of WONDERS.  As you turn the very first page you arrive in Mayfair (London) in 1967, where everything looks ordinary. However, you would be very wrong to think that as you suddenly find yourself walking the tightrope of mystery and fantasy. Each page draws you into a story full of magic and illusion which transports the reader to a place of pure joy and escapism. 

Everything I loved in the first book I found in this story as well. However, the author has gone one better by introducing a new element. A problem-solving mystery to unravel. The book flits between two brilliant narratives of present-day Keswick and a bygone era in Mayfair, London. Without spoiling the story for you and giving too much away, the plot threads really pull together and contort like elastic bands as they weave the storyline back and forth to keep the reader on their fantasy toes. 

Returning to the emporium is like reuniting with a long-lost friend. Each room presented magical delights full of mystery and majesty. It was absolutely thrilling to be back exploring all of the hidden wonders producing pure excitement and anticipation; like the unwrapping of presents on Christmas Day. The feeling you get from reading this book is absolute exhilaration and five star entertainment. 

The search for the lost emporium will capture your heart. However, be aware as the villain will steal your soul and slowly extract your shadow. You can not help but feel the brooding and dark side seep through your bones as the dangerous force attacks the emporium. It gives a scary punch to the adventure and intensifies the danger within. However, with the opportunity to ride on a magic carpet, visit magical bookshops and deserted islands as well as meet a host of magicians and a scary witch, what more could you possibly want?

This is easily one of the best books that I have read this year. I would have just loved for it to be 100+ pages longer so that I could have continued living and breathing in this wonderful place. It needed to permeate and ferment longer within my fantasy head, as I truly devoured this book in just a few hours. It's another showmanship of storytelling that will delight all readers. Now is a fantastic opportunity to read the first book before the sequel is published in September. What are you waiting for?

Mr Ripley's Interview with Ross MacKenzie - The Nowhere Emporium (Kelpies)

This has to be one of my favourite middle grade reads so far this year; pure fantastical fantasy. I'm really pleased to have been able to ask a few wee questions about the book and Ross's writing career. Thank you for your brilliant responses. 

Tell us a little bit about The Nowhere Emporium?

The book follows Daniel Holmes, an orphan who stumbles across an enchanted shop called The Nowhere Emporium. Daniel sort of falls into a job as apprentice to the mysterious owner of the Emporium, Lucien Silver. The shop contains a huge labyrinth of passageways, and behind the many doors lie Mr Silver's "Wonders" - rooms where nothing is impossible and the only limit is the imagination. Daniel loves his new life in the shop, but when a shadow from Mr Silver's past shows up and threatens everything, it falls to Daniel to save the day.

Give us an insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is so special?

Daniel is an orphan. He has vague memories of his parents, and when we meet him at the beginning of the book his life is pretty miserable. He's lonely. He's having a bit of bother with bullies. But that changes when he finds the Nowhere Emporium. It becomes quite obvious that Daniel has a gift for magic. But I think it's Daniel's bravery and cleverness that really sets him apart, even over and above the magic stuff.

Will you be writing a sequel? If so what can you tell us about it?

I wouldn't rule it out but I really don't know!  The kernel of an idea for an Emporium sequel is definitely there, but there are so many other ideas pushing and shoving in my head, and I'm always attracted to shiny new things. And of course it also depends on whether readers actually want a sequel.

Do you write an outline before every book you write?

The short answer is no. The slightly longer answer is that I do make notes of where I think the story will go. It's a bit like setting of on a journey with a few places marked on a map, but lots of space between those destinations for exploring. Sometimes there's treasure waiting on those unexpected detours.

While you were writing, did you ever feel as if you were one of the characters?

I do get lost in a story when I write, and for me that's one of the joys of being a writer. The characters come alive and do unexpected things, and I suppose there must be a bit of me in all of them.

Do you proofread/edit all your own books or do you get someone to do that for you?

My lovely agent Stephanie is the first person to read any of my new stuff, and she's really good at telling me right away if something is working or not. We worked hard to get The Nowhere Emporium in shape, and it's a better book because of that process. 

And of course, once the book finds a publisher, all the fun starts again when you get to work with an editor, refining the story even more.

How do you think you have evolved creatively?

I'm definitely more confident now, and I'm becoming comfortable in trusting my gut on what works and what doesn't. Also, I think The Nowhere Emporium is a big leap forward for me in terms of finding my voice and the sort of stories I want to tell. I'm just getting started.

Have you ever hated something you wrote? 

Loads of times! If I wrote longhand I'd have wasted an unthinkable amount of paper on rotten ideas by now. Thankfully I write on computer so the trees are spared.

What books/authors have influenced your writing? 

Neil Gaiman for sure. Everything he writes sticks with me afterwards for the longest time. The Ocean at the End of the Lane is one of my all-time favourite books. I'd also say JK Rowling, Terry Pratchett and Stephen King have been major influences.

What book are you reading now? 

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens.

Is there anything else that you would like to tell us?

My new blog/site will be up and running soon. I'll be posting about my journey as an author, writing the occasional short story, and answering any questions readers might have. You can find it at rossmauthor.com

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 Enchanted Book: Exclusive Cover/ Chapter Reveal - The Nowhere Emporium by Ross MacKenzie

It's always exciting and a privilege to be able show off a book cover or a chapter sample of a book for the first time. In this case it is an absolute corker with an eye catching book cover and an explosively imaginative storyline. Unfortunately, Floris Books will not be publishing this book until March 2015. I'm really SORRY to be teasing you now with this book cover image and chapter preview, but I hope you enjoy the quick look into what is still to come and perhaps put it on your wish list for next year. Thank you Kelpies for asking me to share this with everybody - it really is an honour. 

Chapter 6: A bargain with Lucien Silver

 “I am offering you the chance of a lifetime, my boy – the chance of a hundred lifetimes. Come with me. Learn about the Emporium. Prove that I was right to interfere. See the world in a way nobody else can. What do you say?”

Daniel said nothing. He stared out of the Emporium’s windows. Glasgow was hidden beneath a veil of thick swirling fog.

“You need persuasion,” said Mr Silver. “Seeing is believing, or so they say.”

He strode towards the shop door, reaching for an elaborate metal instrument on the wall. To Daniel, it looked like a complicated cross between a clock and a compass. There were many dials, and rings of numbers set within smaller rings. Mr Silver began to manipulate the hands of the instrument. When he was satisfied, he spun and headed for the fire, scooping a handful of coal from a bucket on the floor. He tossed the coal into the fire. There was a great roar, and the flames became so bright Daniel shielded his eyes. For the briefest moment, the flames burned a deep red, and the fire exploded, sending a plume of soot billowing into the store.

As Daniel coughed the soot from his lungs, a bar of bright sunlight began to burn through the smoke. When the soot had settled, Mr Silver stood by the door of the Emporium and opened it with a flourish.

“See for yourself,” he said.

Daniel stepped to the doorway and felt a warm breeze on his face. He had been expecting, of course, to look out onto a Glasgow street; to see shoppers bustling past, weighed down with bags.

But that is not what he saw.

He inched out of the door, onto a wide walkway. The air was warm, the sky awash with deep reds and purples. Beyond the walkway, where a road should surely have been, there was a canal lined with tall narrow buildings, all columns and spires and colourful shutters.

“What happened to Glasgow?” Daniel said, inching back into the Emporium as a passing old woman, laden with a heavy basket, stopped and peered suspiciously at him.

Mr Silver shut the door and made sure the sign in the window read CLOSED.

“We left,” he said, as though this was the most regular occurrence in the world. “That’s Venice. We’re in Venice now.” He glanced at the instrument on the wall. “The year is 1854. July, I believe.”

Daniel craned his neck to get a better view from the window. He wiped the glass, which was foggy from his breath. He tried to find some words.

“It’s impossible!”

“Yet here we are,” said Mr Silver.

Daniel felt the need to sit down. “So we’re ... we’re ... we’ve just ... this is ... really?”

“Indeed,” said Silver.

“But. I mean. How? Just … how?” Daniel’s eyes widened.

“It’s magic, isn’t it? It has to be! How else can we have just come from a caravan in a meadow that’s inside a room? There’s no other way for all of this to be real, to be happening.”

Mr Silver smiled. “One thing at a time, Mr Holmes. One thing at a time.”

“And you want me to come with you? All around the world?”

A pause.

Daniel narrowed his eyes. “What’s the catch?”

“The catch, Daniel Holmes, is that you will work to earn your place here. What I am offering is not a holiday. It is an opportunity. A challenge. You must show me I was correct to bring you here, that you are, as I suspect, special. If you succeed in that, then the Emporium will become your home.”

“And what happens if I don’t come up to scratch?” said Daniel. “You sack me? Leave me somewhere halfway round the world a hundred years before I was born?”

“I will do no such thing,” said Mr Silver. “If you do not belong in the Emporium, you will simply be returned to your own time. Your old life.” He offered a hand. “So, do we have a bargain?”

Daniel organised the facts in his mind: he was an orphan leading a miserable life; he didn’t have any friends; a gang of bullies had made it their mission to ensure his life was as uncomfortable as possible; he was lost.

And now he’d been invited to escape all of that and travel through time in a magical shop, with a man he suspected was either a genius or a lunatic – or maybe both. He had the opportunity to be someone else, even if it was just for a while. And if he was someone else, maybe he wouldn’t feel so alone.

Twitter: @RossAuthor 
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