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AGES 9+ · ADVENTURES FOR CHILDREN AND GROWN-UPS ALIKE

Five friends.
Impossible mysteries.
No destiny required.

Welcome to 1980s London, where the school day is only the beginning of the adventure. Join Ada, Bobby, Tony, Nikki and DJ as they uncover ancient secrets, face supernatural dangers and discover what courage really means.

No Destiny… No Powers… Just Courage.

Explore the books in reading order
Trail of the Cursed Cobras book coverMystery of the Midnight Cartographers book cover

Adventure starts with friendship

They’re school friends, not chosen ones. Ada Amaya, Bobby Gibson, Tony Tadsby, Nikki Pitsillides and Dibney Jennings (DJ) attend St Icilda’s School, and their lives become considerably more complicated when the supernatural comes calling.

Mysteries with a twist

Missing teachers, ancient artefacts and secrets that refuse to stay buried. There’s always something to investigate.

Friends worth rooting for

Five children who must rely on their wits, their courage and each other when the adults don’t have all the answers.

Danger and a sense of humour

Saving the world is serious business. Explaining it to your parents could be even worse.

YOUR ADVENTURE STARTS HERE

Read the books in this order

Start with Trail of the Cursed Cobras, then reunite with the gang in Mystery of the Midnight Cartographers.

Trail of the Cursed Cobras book cover

BOOK ONE · AGES 9+

Trail of the Cursed Cobras

A shortcut through a graveyard is about to change everything.

Twelve-year-old Ada Amaya and her school friends are drawn into a mystery involving a missing teacher, an ancient puzzle box and a shadowy government agency.

They must solve the mystery before a warlock can kick-start the apocalypse or, worse, their parents find out what they’ve been up to.

Meet the gang at the beginning of their first supernatural adventure.

Discover Trail of the Cursed Cobras Read an extract
Mystery of the Midnight Cartographers book cover

BOOK TWO · AGES 9+

Mystery of the Midnight Cartographers

A museum heist. A talking hamster. Five friends in serious trouble.

Three months after saving the world, the St Icilda’s gang are bored, restless and growing apart. Investigating a talking hamster hardly feels like the legendary case they deserve.

Then an ancient artefact is stolen from the British Museum, and the children are framed for the crime. With the police closing in, they must uncover how the theft, the hamster and an old comic about vanished adventurers are connected.

A Fading Power… Unbreakable Friendship… No Destiny Required.

Discover Midnight Cartographers Read an extract

“This is nuanced, compassionate and very funny genre fiction.”

The Full Lid, on Trail of the Cursed Cobras

For parents, carers and teachers

What ages are the books for?

Written for readers aged nine and up, with mystery, humour and friendship for grown-up adventure fans to enjoy too. The stories include peril and supernatural threats; individual readers’ tastes and confidence will vary.

Which book should we start with?

Trail of the Cursed Cobras introduces the children and their first adventure. Mystery of the Midnight Cartographers follows on three months later, so reading in order gives the best introduction to the gang.

Where and when are the stories set?

The adventures begin in 1982 London, with five friends at St Icilda’s comprehensive school. Expect school life, family worries and mysteries that reach far beyond the classroom.

Where can I buy the books?

Use either book’s button above to see the available purchase options. Current formats, prices and availability are shown on the individual book pages.

Have a question about the books?

For reading-group questions, interviews or school and event enquiries, get in touch with Barry.

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