The Egypt's Fire (The Curious League of Detectives and Thieves #1)

by Tom Phillips (Author)

The Curious League of Detectives and Thieves is a great ride, but you don't have to take my word for it. --LeVar Burton

Follow the world's greatest detective you've never heard of in this madcap middle grade mystery for fans of A Series of Unfortunate Events and Enola Holmes.

After twelve-year-old John Boarhog's mom dies, the last thing he wants is to be schlepped off to the Jersey Home for Boys, where kids are forced to make skinny jeans for hipsters and are fed nothing but kale. Instead, he makes himself a snug home in the ceiling of the New York Museum of Natural History, where he reads anything he get his hands on and explores the artifacts afterhours. But when a rare Egyptian ruby--the highlight of the museum's new exhibit--goes missing, John is accused of the crime. That is until the unpredictable Inspector Toadius McGee sweeps in to wrestle control of the case, certain that the true culprit is a notorious criminal he's been tracking for years. John quickly becomes the Watson to Toadius's Holmes as they race from Broadway to back alleys to a speak-easy that only serves root beer. And along the way, John uncovers secrets about his own past, including that he's a lot more involved in this web of endearing ne'er-do-wells than he ever could have imagined.

A love letter to classic middle grade, Egypt's Fire introduces a remarkable new duo that will steal your heart as surely as it leaves you begging for their next grand adventure.

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

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Kirkus Reviews

A brisk romp chock-full of tricky twists and daffy doings.

School Library Journal

Gr 5-8--Eleven-year-old orphaned John Boarhog, secretly living in the New York Museum of Natural History, is accused of stealing a valuable ruby from an Egyptian exhibit in this fun and often absurd middle grade mystery debut. John is discovered when he's found unconscious next to the Egyptian display case with the ruby in his pocket. An anonymous narrator recounts John's desperate efforts to prove his innocence. He's aided in his quest for justice by the incomparable Inspector Toadius McGee; actress Polly "Pickles'' Cronopolis, McGee's unrequited love; and the Great Goatinee, a cat burglar and bad magician. The real thief is the Mauve Moth, a criminal mastermind who, to John's disbelief, might be his mother who is thought to have died two years before. The plot is fun in a chaotic way, with double-crossings, plot twists, and outrageous characters and situations. John and company get mixed up in a Broadway show, a speakeasy brawl, and are kidnapped by the nasty head of the Jersey Home for Boys and its bullying orphans. It ends with a fantastical chase scene involving bananas, horses, hansom carriages, rickshaws, dogs, smooching teenagers, a fire truck, and dumpsters. It's not all nonstop comedy though. More sober moments reveal John's struggle to cope with the loneliness of losing his mother. John and Inspector McGee are brown-skinned, most other characters are white. VERDICT Readers who don't take the plot too seriously will enjoy this fast-moving cinematic madcap detective mystery, the first in a series.--Sharon Rawlins

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

ALA/Booklist

This fast-paced mystery, sprinkled with humor and life lessons, has enough twists, turns, red herrings, and secrets to keep readers guessing. A strong series starter for fans of clever mysteries.

Review quotes

The Curious League of Detectives and Thieves is a great ride, but you don't have to take my word for it. —LeVar Burton

Tom Phillips
Despite a lifelong struggle with dyslexia, Tom Phillips grew up with a passion for storytelling. He writes books that kids can enjoy on their own, but also read aloud and share. He's had a long career as an editor and artist for clients such as LeVar Burton Kids, HBO, Disney, and ABC. An armchair Sherlockian, Tom lives in Los Angeles with his lovely wife and his dog, Dr. Watson.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781645951056
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Pixel+ink
Publication date
June 20, 2022
Series
The Curious League of Detectives and Thieves
BISAC categories
JUV019000 - Juvenile Fiction | Humorous Stories
JUV001000 - Juvenile Fiction | Action & Adventure
JUV028000 - Juvenile Fiction | Mysteries, Espionage, & Detective Stories
Library of Congress categories
-

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