Review: The Saxby Smart series by Simon Cheshire

My name is Saxby Smart and I’m a private detective. I go to St.Egbert’s School, my office is in the garden shed, and these are my casefiles. Unlike most detectives, I don’t have a sidekick - so that part I’m leaving up to YOU.” 

In this series of stories, YOU can be the detective - Saxby presents you with the evidence, and poses some tricky questions.

Confession time: when I was eight I wanted to be a detective or a spy. No lie - I had a growing collection of 'How to be...' books, including two brilliant publications by Usborne Books - The Spy's Guidebook and The Detective's Handbook. Sadly these books, as well as others such as Gyles Brandreth's Spy School, are no longer in my possession - they either fell part due to overuse, or were sent to a charity shop by my mother one day. I had a fingerprint kit, a small number of laughable disguises (never worn outside the house) and I would occasionally engage in rather slow and hesitant morse code conversations with my friend who lived down the road, all flashed using torches or mirrors from bedroom mirrors. Ahhh... nostalgia!

I'm a secondary school teacher so I don't know if younger boys still aspire to careers like this these days, or are they all too busy 'living' these lives on their games consoles instead. However, if they are wannabe sleuths then they really should have the Saxby Smart books in their collection. This series of eight books (so far) gives young readers something my Detective's Handbook never could - the opportunity to take part in the solving of mysteries for themselves. For in these books, the reader plays Watson to Saxby Smart's Holmes.

Saxby Smart is a pupil at St Egbert's School and has managed to build up a glowing reputation for himself as a schoolboy detective by solving mysteries for his teachers and fellow pupils. Each of the eight books so far features three casefiles, all of which are short easy-read mysteries that Saxby has had to solve. Written in the first person we follow Saxby's narration, and from time to time we are drawn into the mystery as we are posed questions pertaining to the investigation by the young sleuth. And sometimes these questions aren't easy: although these books are suitable for the 8+ age group readers will still need to concentrate if they are going to be able to have a ready (and correct answer) for Saxby. In addition to the questions we are also made privy to Saxby's own notebook pages from time to time, to help us keep up with his thoughts and musings on a case.

Although we are involved in the investigation from beginning to end, the final solution is not always obvious before we reach the denoument and so readers are kept interested for the whole story. It is great fun to guess the outcome of Saxby's detective work, but there also enough twists and turns to ensure that guesses are not always easy. The stories also occasionally include Saxby having to consider the moral issues of right and wrong - these are not simply stories about finding a fellow pupil's missing cat. They involve fraud, theft, organised crime and so on. These stories really will make young readers use their 'little grey cells', whilst also having a laugh at the time as Simon Cheshire's writing is laced with good humour.

I have only read two of the books from the series so far (books seven and eight) but if all of the others are of a similar quality then this is a set that children, and especially boys, will love.

And there's more...... the latest addition to the Saxby Smart collection is Saxby Smart's Detective Handbook. Not as colourful and illustrated as my beloved books from when I was a child, but no less enjoyable. This isn't a straightforward 'how to... ' book either, as it also includes case studies of notorious crimes from the past (including grave robbing, Jack the Ripper, Bonnie and Clyde, and many others); background information about fingerprints, blood and ballistics; and profiles of famous writers of classic detective fiction. This is a book that would have been a much-read part of my collection had it been published ## years ago. The blurb on the back of the book states that it is "The essential guide to solving mind-mangling mysteries"  and I think that many an 8+ boy will get as much enjoyment out of this as I did out of my long-lost detective books.

All eight volumes of the Saxby Smart series are available to buy right now, and Saxby Smart's Detective Handbook is released on 28 October 2010. My thanks go to Piccadilly for sending me a copy and thereby creating a very nostalgic moment for me. I have also just discovered that Mr Cheshire has the misfortune to attend the same secondary school as I did (although a number of years before I first crossed its threshold) - it's nice to know some good has come out of the old place ;-)

My Book of the Month - June

I have found it very difficult to choose a Book Zone Book of the Month for June. Not because there was a huge number of books released this month, but more because there were two that I enjoyed so much it seemed unfair to choose one over the other. These two books are Death Cloud by Andrew Lane (the first in his new Young Sherlock Holmes series) and the second Hattori Hachi book by Jane Prowse. I came very close to biting the bullet and picking both of them, however I am not going to be a rule-breaker - in the words of Connor McLeod (of the Clan McLeod) "There can be only one!" and that one is Hattori Hachi: Stalking The Enemy.

This has been a very busy month at work so despite finishing this book some time ago I just haven't had the time to write a review for it yet. Stalking The Enemy is the second book from Jane Prowse featuring her teenage ninja heroine Hattie Jackson. I read the first in the series, The Revenge of Praying Mantis, earlier this year and if you read my review you will very quickly find out why I loved it so much. This sequel has since been very high up on my 'can't wait for it to be published' list and I was really happy to receive a copy from Piccadilly Press, and incredibly flattered when I saw that a quote from my review of the first book had made it to the back cover. However, as I opened it I couldn't help but worry.... what if I didn't like the sequel?

Obviously, the fact that I have made it my Book of the Month is evidence already that I really enjoyed it. Is it as good as the first book though? Definitely not...... in my opinion it is even better! There are more ninja villains, more ninja fights and more super-cool ninja gadgets and weapons. The characters of Hattori and her friends are developed further, including her father, of whom we saw fairly little in the first book in this series. There are also more revelations about Hattori's Japanese heritage, and what part she has to play in her role as the Hattori Golden Child and her family's ongoing war against the evil Kataki. I was right to be excited about reading this book.

The Revenge of Praying Mantis has a fairly linear plot - Hattie's mum goes missing, Hattie discovers she is descended from a long line of ruling-class ninjas, Hattie gets trained by the little old lady who runs the launderette downstairs from where she lives, and so on. There are also a number of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing, the tension building and the story from being far from predictable. However, Stalking The Enemy really ups the ante as far as twists and turns are concerned, and neither Hattie nor the reader really have much of a clue as to just what is going to happen next. Is Toby on the side of good or evil? Where are Hattie's mother and Yazuki? Why is the Kielder area so important to the evil Raven and his Kataki warriors? And just who is the mysterious jonin who is issuing the instructions to the various players on the side of good?

As with Praying Mantis we are introduced to a number of Japanese words throughout the book and although the words jonin, chunin and genin are unfamiliar to the majority of children who will read this book, the concepts behind them are not so strange. A jonin is the head of a ninja mission; he (or she) passes instructions to the field-operatives (or genin) via middle-men (known as a chunin). This way many operatives can be working towards a shared final objective without knowing the full plan, or even whether there are any other ninjas involved, and therefore if they are captured and tortured there is no chance of them being able to compromise their fellow operatives. This use of cells is pretty much identical to how modern day terrorists operate, and Jane Prowse's use of this in her plot is the key to making the story as tense and exciting as it is. Hattie is constantly questioning her actions, wondering whether they are correct as far as the 'big plan' is concerned, or will her next move actually jeopardise everything? The fact that Hattie doesn't know means that we as readers are also very much in the dark - make sure you hold on tight as the edge of your seat may just give way!

If there was ever a list of books that could be used to persuade boys that female main characters can be worth reading about then this would not only be on that list, it would be up there battling away for the top spot. If I asked a group of boys what they want in a book they would answer action, adventure, fights, great characters (I know this... I have asked them, and one of even replied ninjas!). I criticised Praying Mantis for having a girly cover which may prevent boys from even picking it off a shelf - hopefully the blue cover of Stalking The Enemy may help remedy this. The quote from my review of Praying Mantis that Piccadilly Press so kindly used on the back of this book read "As thrilling an action story as anything written by Anthony Horowitz, Robert Muchamore or Joe Craig" and I stand by this completely. The only problem is that now I probably have to wait another year for the third instalment, and next time Hattie and her friends and family are heading to the heart of ninja-land - Japan. How exciting!

Hattori Hachi: Stalking The Enemy by Jane Prowse is published by Piccadilly Press and is available in stores now. Go on..... it is well worth your time.

My first ever cover quote

I had such a nice surpise this morning. Some time ago I reviewed Hattori Hachi: The Revenge of Praying Mantis by Jane Prowse, a really great action story with a ninja-in-training heroine who really kicks ass. It was released in 2009 but I didn't hear about it until January of this year when it was recommended by my friend Liz from My Favourite Books. Looking back I would certainly say that in my opinion it is one of the best books released during 2009. This morning I received the sequel, entitled Hattori Hachi: Stalking The Enemy from the generous people at Piccadilly, and I was gobsmacked to see that they have used a quote from my review of The Revenge of Praying Mantis on the back cover. This really made my day (which was already looking good thanks to the brilliant custom-made avatar I had emailed to me by the hugely talented Nathan Hale (of Rapunzel's Revenge and Calamity Jack fame) and I have been smiling ever since. He even included a pair of headphones as aside from teaching and reading/blogging I also do a little DJing form time to time. A huge thanks to Nathan!

Review: The Montgomery Murder by Cora Harrison

In the mean streets of Victorian London lies the body of wealthy Mr Montgomery.

The police must move fast to catch his killer. They need an insider, someone streetwise, cunning, bold . . . someone like Alfie.

When Inspector Denham makes him an offer he can’t refuse, it’s up to Alfie and his gang to sift clues, shadow suspects and negotiate a sinister world of double-dealing and danger – until the shocking truth is revealed...

So much for me having a fortnight focusing on mystery stories - sometimes life has to take over and one of the things that suffered was the Book Zone. Hopefully normal service will be resumed as soon as possible but in the meantime I wanted to mention this cracking book that the kind people at Piccadilly Press sent me. It is called The Montgomery Murder, and is the first in the new The London Murder Mysteries series from Cora Harrison. This is the first book I have read by Cora although I understand she has already written a number of books for children. This one, however, grabbed my attention as soon as I read about it as it is set in the Victorian era (one of my favourite periods in history) and in London (my favourite city - readers will know I love books set here).

I found the book a hugely enjoyable read, and ppolished it off in one sitting. It is very much in a similar vein to Anthony Read's Baker Street Boys series, but instead being assisting Sherlock Holmes, Alfie (and his band of waifs and strays) are 'enlisted' by Inspector Denham of London's finest. The premise therefore is not a particularly original one, but this is certainly not something that should deter you from reading this book.

Alfie lives with his blind brother Sammy, his cousins Jack and Tom, and their dog Mutsy in a cellar which had been the home of Alfie's parents before they died. Since then the boys have been living any which way they can in order to scrape enough money together to pay the weekly rent and keep them all fed. Sometimes this means a spot of petty thievery, and it is during one of these less than legal activities that Alfie is collared by the cops and finds himself hauled in to Bow Street Police Station. For Inspector Denham, who is currently puzzling over the murder of a wealthy local gentleman, the timing couldn't have been better and he soon has Alfie working for him in return for his freedom and a possible share in the reward money.

Cue a series of perilous experiences for Alfie and the boys and they launch their own investigation, aided by Mallesh, an Indian boy who is also the police's prime suspect. These investigations are not your average Famous Five style adventures - these kids are in genuine peril, and at least one of them gets seriously hurt in the process. The blurb on the back cover calls it an "action-packed adventure" and they certainly aren't wrong. It is a relatively easy read and would suit both confident readers of 8 or 9+, as well as older chidlren who maybe struggle a little more with their reading. The caracters are placed in some life-threatenign situations but there is nothing too scary in the plot. I was a lover of mystery stories when I was younger and I would have lapped this up. The characters are fun, brave and resilient - and stick together, despite their unfortunate circumstances. Alfie is a strong leader of the group, taking it on himself to ensure that they are well provided for, even at his relatively young age. His protective nature towards his blind brother is heart warming, although some older readers may find it a little schmaltzy at times.

Overall, a fun start to what I hope will be a long running series. The Montgomery Murder was released back in March and the second in the series, The Deadly Fire, is scheduled for an August release. If you kids like mystery stories with real peril for the main characters then this is certainly worth getting hold of for them. 

Review: Hattori Hachi: The Revenge of Praying Mantis by Jane Prowse

Fifteen year old Hattie Jackson’s apparently normal life in Camden changes forever when her Japanese mother Chiyoko disappears one night under mysterious circumstances. Hattie is understandably startled to discover that she and her mother are, in fact, the last in a line of renowned ninjutsu warriors and that, if she is to stand any chance at all of rescuing Chiyoko, she must face her ancient family’s most implacable enemy – Praying Mantis. Before she can do that, however, she has much to learn...

OK... I know the cover looks a little girly but boys, please read on as this book is brilliant. In fact, I don't think I have felt this excited about a new action series since I first read Joe Craig's Jimmy Coates: Killer several years ago, and that is praise indeed. Fortunately this book was brought to my attention by fellow book-blogger Liz over at My Favourite Books, otherwise I may never have discovered it - just goes to show that you should never judge a book by its cover.

The book tells the story of Hattie Jackson, an almost normal schoolgirl living in a small attic flat in Camden, North London with her parents. Hattie's father is from Yorkshire and her mother from Japan, and they have travelled around a lot as a result of her father being a police officer. I say "almost normal" as we very soon discover that Hattie's everyday routine is a little different to that of her peers as, ever since she was a small child, her blackbelt mother has drilled her regularly in martial arts and various other tests of skill, agility and endurance. Hattie puts this down to being a loveable quirk of her mother and her background but we very soon discover that it is this Japanese ancestry that creates the focus for the plot.

Having used Chapter One to give us a brief but detailed overview of Hattie's life, Ms Prowse throws us straight into the story at the beginning of the next chapter, when Hattie and her father receive a late night visit from the police, who deliver the news that Hattie's mother has disappeared, leaving signs of a bloody struggle. Before we know it, the action hits us squarely between the eyes as Hattie is attacked by shadowy figures, only to be rescued by the most unlikely of people, Yazuki the little old Japanese lady who runs the laundry on the ground floor of Hattie's apartment building. We soon discover that Hattie's mother belongs to the highest ninjutsu family in old Japan, a family that is now being targeted by the malevolent Praying Mantis and his gang of evil ninja renegades known as the Kataki warriors. Yes boys.... Hattie's mother and Yazuki are both highly skilled ninja warriors, and the various exercises that Hattie has had to perform through her life designed purely to train her in the art of ninjutsu.

I have mentioned a number of times in earlier posts that boys don't seem to warm to books with female main characters. However, this book could change that attitude as it is as thrilling an action story as anything written by Anthony Horowitz, Robert Muchamore or Joe Craig. Writing realistic, non-repetitive action scenes is not an easy task, yet Ms Prowse accomplishes this with a finesse that is often lacking in adult action novels. Hattie's ninja training scenes, and the subsequent fight scenes against the highly skilled Kataki warriors, are a joy to read.

As well as this amazing fast-paced action, Jane Prowse is also very adept at creating realistic and exciting characters. My personal favourite is Yazuki - every great coming-of-age martial arts movie has a memorable and colourful mentor for the emerging hero/heroine and the author has Yazuki playing this role to perfection. In addition, there is also the brilliantly named Mad Dog, one of Hattie's best friends, who also brings a little comedy to the story. These characters, and many others, are well-developed and are all totally believable. Their dialogue is tight and realistic, and their actions drive the plot along at a breathless pace - they had me reading as quickly as I could to find out just what would happen to them next.

If you haven't been persuaded to get your hands on this book yet, then read on. Not only has Ms Prowse delivered us memorable characters and kick-ass action scenes, but the plot itself is also brilliant. There is mystery and intrigue, as the story twists and turns its way towards the dramatic conclusion. Hattie never knows exactly who she can trust, and we even see moments of extreme paranoia where she begins to suspect her closest friends of being in league with the enemy. There are far too many moments of nail-biting tension to mention in this review, and as a reader I was never entirely sure whether all Hattie's allies would make it through to the end of the book in one piece.

Hattori Hachi: The Revenge of Praying Mantis was published by Piccadilly in July 2009. As I said at the beginning of this review, I am incredibly excited about this as a series of books, although I am going to have to wait until June for the sequel, entitled Hattori Hachi: Stalking The Enemy. If subsequent books are as good as this first one then this series has the potential to be huge; I just hope it gets the recognition it deserves. As the Harry Potter series became increasingly popular, the publishers started issuing it in two different editions - one with a colourful cover, and another with a more adult-friendly cover. If Hattori Hachi was reissued in an edition with a cover that is more appealing to boys then I am sure that many more boys would pick it up and become as hooked on the story as I am. 

Review: My So-Called Afterlife by Tamsyn Murray

"I knew it was time to move on when a tramp peed on my Uggs..." Meet Lucy Shaw. She's not your average fifteen year old - for a start, she's dead. And as if being a ghost wasn't bad enough, she's also trapped haunting the men's toilets on Carnaby Street. So when a lighting engineer called Jeremy walks in and she realises he can see and hear her, she isn't about to let him walk out of her afterlife. Not least until he's updated her on what's happening in her beloved soaps. With Jeremy's help, Lucy escapes the toilet and is soon meeting up with other ghosts, including the perpetually enraged Hep and the snogtastic Ryan. But when Jeremy suggests Lucy track down the man who murdered her, things go down hill. Can Lucy face up to the events of that terrible night? And what will it cost her if she does?

I am finding this a very difficult book to review for this blog. Why? Well I really enjoyed reading it but I don't know how many boys would get on with it. Boys are very picky when it comes to choosing their stories, and a female main character is quite often an aspect that will discourage them. Unless it is Lara Croft, of course. The book is also narrated in the first person.... OK for boys when this is another boy, but when it is a girl narrating then 9 times out of 10 they won't be interested. Add to this melting pot the fact that Lucy, the main character in this book, mentions Ugg boots within the very first sentence and you will have many a boy reaching for his games console of choice and leaving this book to gather dust. I do not pretend to understand why this is the case as there are many great boy-friendly books out there with female main characters.

However, if you can get past the occasional mention of Uggs and kissing then you will be rewarded with a highly original, very funny and occasionally poignant modern take on the traditional ghost story that will certainly make you laugh out loud, and may even make you cry (yes boys.... it is ok to cry when reading a book). The book only has 184 pages, and believe me, they will race by once you get stuck into the story as the plot races along at a furious pace.  

This book has everything a great stroy needs - it is well written, it has realistic and memorable characters, sparkling dialogue, incredible humour and moments of nail-biting tension. Boys..... if you're still unsure then show your sister this review (or even better go and buy the book for her), then when she isn't looking sneak a read of her copy as it really is worth your time!

I will be perfectly honest and say I was a little unsure when Tamsyn Murray contacted me on Twitter asking if I would like to review this book for my blog as I didn't know whether it would be to my taste. However, it is good once in a while to try something a little different and I am really glad I did, so thanks to Tamsyn and her publishers for sending me a copy. My So-Called Afterlife is published by Piccadilly and is available in stores now.