8+: The Adventures of the New Cut Gang - Philip Pullman, Ill. Martin Brown

Release Date: 01/09/11

BOOK BLURB:

Thunderbolt, Benny, Bridie and Sharky Bob are a mixed bunch of vagabonds and urchins who come together to form the New Cut Gang in two comic tales of stolen silver, skulduggery and desperadoes.

Fake coins are turning up all over Lambeth and the finger of suspicion is pointing at Thunderbolt's dad - could he really be the forger? The crime-busting New Cut Gang come to the rescue!

And when just two clues - a blob of wax and a Swedish match - are discovered at the scene of a break-in, the children find themselves on the trail of an extremely cunning criminal.

Set in late Victorian London, these two action-packed thrillers have now been put together in a single volume - with new illustrations throughout from Horrible Histories illustrator, Martin Brown.


REVIEW:

If you love a story that has action, adventure and set in the Victorian Era, this title by Philip Pullman (he of Golden Compass fame) will more than draw you in. Compiled for the first time is two stories featuring his young crime solving gang which have previously been released under their separate titles: Thunderbolt’s Waxwork and The Gas Fitter’s Ball.

As usual with Philip the writing is crisp, the prose a lot of fun and it’s the characters that he draws you in with as you will them to succeed in their quest. Add to this a whole new set of illustrations by Martin Brown, a hardback edition to enjoy rereads and it’s a more than satisfying story for all those who love a great book. A real gem of a title and one that I think could find many a bookshop being jemmied for younger readers to get their hot little hands on this great release.