Author:Chris Priestley
Fifteen-year-old Tom lives in the murky, sooty city of London, where he helps his father to run a print shop. Among the customers is wise old Dr Harker, a retired physician and seafarer, whose patient demeanour and fascinating tales endear him to Tom. When Tom and Harker hear a newspaper seller announce a most curious murder in the city, with the victim pierced by an arrow and left holding an illustrated card of 'Death and the Arrow', they are both intrigued by the mystery. As subsequent 'Death and the Arrow' victims are discovered, the mystery closes ever more tightly round the city and intrudes even into Tom's own life. From then onwards, he can't rest till he has discovered the truth behind the murders... A really atmospheric venture into the eighteenth-century, combined with a gripping mystery plot, will fascinate and engage readers of ten and upwards.
A thrilling story with lots of twists and turns all the way through
—— Education OtherwiseThe descriptions of London are really creepy and will keep children gripped all the way
—— BBC ParentingAn excellent addition to younger members' of the family's libraries
—— Suffolk JournalMany twists make this story gripping and hard to put down
—— Newcastle upon Tyne Evening ChronicleInsightful and entirely believable, this story is a gem
—— BooktrustA compelling, compulsive, atmospheric story . . . The movie is already rolling in my head
—— Niall MacMonagle , Irish TimesZips along at break-neck pace, each short, action-packed scene feeding into the next, ideal for teen readers with Playstation attention spans . . . McGann's direct, gritty style of writing certainly packs a punch
—— Sarah Webb , Irish Independent