Synopsis

A girl's quest to find her father leads her to an extended family of magical fighting booksellers who police the mythical Old World of England when it intrudes on the modern world. From the bestselling master of teen fantasy, Garth Nix.

In a slightly alternate London in 1983, Susan Arkshaw is looking for her father, a man she has never met. Crime boss Frank Thringley might be able to help her, but Susan doesn't get time to ask Frank any questions before he is turned to dust by the prick of a silver hatpin in the hands of the outrageously attractive Merlin.

Merlin is a young left-handed bookseller (one of the fighting ones), who with the right-handed booksellers (the intellectual ones), are an extended family of magical beings who police the mythic and legendary Old World when it intrudes on the modern world, in addition to running several bookshops.

Susan's search for her father begins with her mother's possibly misremembered or misspelt surnames, a reading room ticket, and a silver cigarette case engraved with something that might be a coat of arms.

Merlin has a quest of his own, to find the Old World entity who used ordinary criminals to kill his mother. As he and his sister, the right-handed bookseller Vivien, tread in the path of a botched or covered-up police investigation from years past, they find this quest strangely overlaps with Susan's. Who or what was her father? Susan, Merlin, and Vivien must find out, as the Old World erupts dangerously into the New.

Author: Garth Nix
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Published: 09/22/2020
Pages: 416
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.05lbs
Size: 8.30h x 5.50w x 1.30d
ISBN: 9780062683250

Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 07/27/2020
Kirkus Reviews 08/01/2020
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 09/01/2020
Kirkus Reviews 08/15/2020 pg. 75
Horn Book Magazine 09/01/2020 pg. 102
Booklist 09/01/2020 pg. 100
School Library Journal 10/01/2020 pg. 87
Shelf Awareness 10/02/2020
Hornbook Guide to Children 07/01/2020 - Superior,Well Above Average