The first thing you notie about these books are their beautiful cover designs. They are aimed at the 'young adult' market but like the 'Harry Potter' series they appeal to us adults too.
Ellen came on holiday to the Isles of Scilly last summer and contacted me to say she was a writer and would like to be on the show. Wow! So we arranged a recorded interview at her holiday let with a couple of young readers as my guests. Ellen had very kindly donated a copy of each book to me, which I
had given to my guests to read. What a lovely, charming lady. I got the
books back in December which was really good timing as I had just finished another crime thriller and was looking for some respite from blood, guts, gore and psychotic murderers.
I have to say I enjoyed these books very much and couldn't wait to get back to them.
The time is set in a Victorian era. Charlie is the daughter of The Queen of Quale, but her mother, the Queen, mysteriously disappeared 5 years ago when Charlie was a little girl. Her disappearance sent Charlie's father, The King, a little nutty and he spent his time in a bizarre world of his own building a castle out of playing cards.
He employs a mean housekeeper/governess who keeps Charlie locked in a cold, attic room in Quale Castle, most of the time, and stops her meals for punishment. Her only ally is Tobias a 13yr old boy who works for the Castle gardener and Mr Moleglass her tutor.
Charlies world changes one day when she discovers a slip of paper written to her from her mother, The Queen, the day she disappeared. She sets out on a mission to find out exactly what happened to her mother and why she had to suddenly leave. Charlie doesn't know who in the castle to trust other than Tobias.
We follow their quest into the dangerous streets of a Victorian type England, where Fagan like thieves are after Tobias and a corrupt politician will do all he can to get his hands on the secret scientific research of her mothers.
It truly is an exciting thriller which starts with 'Castle of Shadows' and follows on in 'City of Thieves'. There is obviously a third sequal and I can't wait to read it.
I really do recommend that you read Castle of Shadows first.
Once comment I will make is that the two main characters sound older than they are and its often a little jolt to realise they are only 12/13yrs.
I have given these books to our local library so others can share and enjoy them.
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