A well-paced, wholly imaginative romp…
Skillfully drawn characters and a richly imagined fantasy world mark Field’s second outing in the Zackery Grimm Investigates series. Zak and his young cousin, Amelie are content enjoying an idyllic holiday in the seaside town of Whitby. Amelie’s talk about meeting the peculiar Billy Peanut and eccentric twins, Pearl and Boyd doesn’t bother the family, but when Amelie goes missing, Zak is alarmed. Guided by his guardian, the powerful wizard Osran, Zak sets on a dangerous quest to save his cousin. But to rescue Amelie, Zak must uncover a long-buried secret connected to a mythical sea creature. The well-paced, exquisitely crafted plot is full of tension and intrigue, the prose is crisp, and the narrative richly detailed. The Barguest coach that haunts the cliff and is pulled by headless horses and ridden by the skeletons of long-dead sailors; and the evil Selkies with their perpetual aura of darkness add to the menace while the eccentric secondary cast adds to the whimsey. The cousins, with their distinct personalities and unshakable bond, make for endearing protagonists. Field creates a vivid world with mysterious and spooky – the location of the seaside town of Whitby in North Yorkshire adds to the atmospheric setting. A hefty dose of adventure fuels Zak’s rescue mission, and the old secret about the mythical sea creature drives conflict in the story. An action-packed tale of magic, whimsey, and intrigue, this novel will appeal to both the middle graders and young teens. The lovers of mysterious and spooky will eagerly await Zak and Amelie’s next adventure.
The Peculiar World of Billy Peanut
(Zackery Grimm Investigates #2)
By C.D. Field
Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd
Pub date may 29, 2017
ISBN 9781787103245
Price $9.95 (USD) paperback, $4.57 Kindle edition
