Publishers Weekly
Richards (the Invisible Detective series) makes a strong showing in this haunting story set in Victorian London, where a 14-year-old pickpocket, a young horologist at the British Museum, and a clergyman's daughter with a taste for theatrics join forces to thwart a mad industrialist's attempts to reanimate the dead. Right from the opening sentence, "Four days after his own funeral, Albert Wilkes came home for tea," the pace never falters. Eddie, George and Liz meet through a plausible course of events, and become involved with the maniacal Mr. Lorimore when a museum clerk is killed, and George takes a scrap of paper from the scene of his friend's death. As the tale progresses, the three teens find in each other a measure of companionship that each had lacked. Richards demonstrates a knack for physical description ("When he spoke, the sound seemed to be amplified by the mass of red hair round his mouth") as well as for conjuring an eerie atmosphere, evoking the smog and stench of industrial London as easily as supernatural beings ("The nightmare creature roared like a train hurtling into a tunnel and clouds of hot breath erupted into the air around Eddie"). Suspense and adventure in abundance make for a thrilling read. Ages 12-18. (July) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
School Library Journal
Gr 6-10-In Victorian London, Albert Wilkes returns home for tea four days after his funeral. While his shocked and terrified wife rushes to prepare it, Wilkes takes the family dog for a walk and is abducted. His kidnapping is witnessed by young pickpocket Eddie, who becomes embroiled, along with an assistant at the British Museum and a clergyman's daughter, in a deadly plot involving the fragments of a diary, a secret department at the British Museum, and a dinosaurlike creature roaming the streets. Oh, and there are some zombies. This thoroughly absorbing page-turner is a terrific blend of horror and mystery with three teen protagonists. It is a quick read packed with twists, turns, and just enough gore to keep things interesting. A great choice for horror fans.-Michele Capozzella, Chappaqua Public Library, NY Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
Kirkus Reviews
Scene: the foggy streets of Victorian London. Characters: Eddie, a precocious urchin who is a pickpocket by day and hero by night; George, the earnest young engineer, toiling late into the night at the British Museum repairing clocks and automata; and Elizabeth, the minister's daughter, who yearns for the adventure of a life on the stage. And, of course, there's a villainous thug lurking just around the corner, who has a telltale scar down the side of his face and goes by the ominous name of "Blade," as well as a giant creature that breathes fire into the night. This engaging story is rich with atmosphere as the trio of protagonists is brought together by fate and circumstance. The game's afoot as they try to figure out why a dead man is walking, what it is that the imposing industrialist wants from George and how they will stop his nefarious scheme. Both Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Who would feel right at home in this tale that begs to be made into a movie. A thoroughly enjoyable romp full of chases, high drama and a hint of romance in a great old-fashioned style. Simply smashing. (Fiction. 12-14)
OCT/NOV 06 - AudioFile
Dinosaurs roam the foggy streets of Victorian London? In this Frankenstein retelling, an industrialist with a God-complex exhumes bodies to create zombie slave laborers. George is a clerk in the British Museum investigating unexplained mysteries when one falls into his lap, or rather, out of his pocket when it’s picked by urchin Eddie. With the help of Liz, daughter of a clergyman and an aspiring actress, the pair attempt to solve the mystery of reanimated corpses and stolen dinosaur eggs. Steven Pacey expertly voices these British characters with distinctive regional and class accents. His portrayal of the megalomaniac sends shivers down the spine, and his rendition of Liz copying Eddie's cockney accent brings humor to this gothic adventure. M.M.O. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine
