Friday, 16 August 2024

The Riddle of the Disappearing Dickens by Alan Nolan


Dublin & London 1859: A Tale of Two Cities

Bram Stoker: boy seeking adventure (and things to write about)

Molly Malone: part-time fishmonger and full-time sneak thief!

Best friends Molly and Bram are on a mission in London.
Famous writer Charles Dickens has been kidnapped!

The pals set out to search the darkest corners of the city. On their travels, they meet all sorts of characters, among them a foul-mouthed fowl and a Worshipful Company of Fishmongers.

Can they solve the riddle of the disappearing Dickens before it’s too late?

This is the third of the Sackville Street Caper series, Alan's carefully-researched, immensely readable adventure series set in old Dublin. Molly, that queen of fishmongers, is on holiday in London with Bram when they learn that Charles Dickens has been kidnapped! Clearly this Will Not Stand, so Our Heroes begin a quest to find him!

There's the usual blend of heroics, humour, and historical accuracy. The Sackville Spooks get their own adventure while Molly is away, and Charles Dickens' son turns up to throw his hat in with the rescue effort. There's a reference to another story, which I won't mention for spoiler reasons, and plenty of jokes about Dickens' titles. 

This is a fantastic addition to the series. I'm here for as many of these as Alan can produce! I can't wait to see what historical characters and events he adds in next time.

No comments:

Post a Comment