K-9 (Knightley and Son Series #2)

by Rohan Gavin

Overview

Awards for Knightley and Son: Spring 2014 Kids IndieNext Pick, ABA Indies Introduce Pick, Kirkus Reviews Best Children's Books of 2014

London’s Youngest detective is back . . . Darkus Knightley, tweed-wearing, megabrained, fiercely logical thirteen-year-old investigator of the weird, was just getting used to having his private-eye dad back in his life. Then Alan Knightley went off radar again, leaving Darkus with the family mutt, a traumatized ex–police dog, as his only partner in crime-solving.

Now a mysterious canine conspiracy is howling for the attention of Knightley & Son. Shadowy trained hounds are attacking policemen at the full moon. Family pets are being mauled by a beast at a top London tourist spot. And two curiously alert canines seem to be watching Darkus’s house. No one is using the word "werewolf"—yet—but it doesn’t take Sherlock Holmes to work out that someone or something sinister is messing with the minds of London’s dog population. Will our intrepid father-son duo make it to the next full moon?

A criminally good detective adventure, perfect for fans of Sherlock and sharp-minded sleuths of all shapes and sizes.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781619634947
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	02/17/2015
Series:	Knightley and Son Series , #2
Pages:	304
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 8.40(h) x 1.20(d)
Age Range:	10 - 14 Years

About the Author

Rohan Gavin is an author and screenwriter based in London. He is a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes and his enduring love of detective fiction and conspiracy theories inspired him to write the Knightley and Son series. Rohan is the son of award-winning children's author Jamila Gavin, and he recently became a father himself.

Editorial Reviews

A teeth-gnashing thriller (. . .), it will have readers (ahem) howling for a third.” —Kirkus Reviews

“A fun, engaging romp, perfect for middle school students looking for suspense with a touch of the paranormal.” —School Library Journal

“Scenes from this second book in the Knightley & Son series will evoke a broad range of emotions including empathy, revulsion, amusement, and sorrow. . . . An involving mystery with dark undercurrents.” —Booklist

“Danger and excitement—not to mention quirky characters and wonderful writing—lurk around every page!” —Chris Grabenstein, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of ESCAPE FROM MR. LEMONCELLO'S LIBRARY and co-author of Treasure Hunters, on KNIGHTLEY & SON

“Heroes, villains and settings are all fully realized through proficient description, and contemporary technology gives way to sheer brainpower. A rousing page-turner with one fault: It ends.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review, on KNIGHTLEY & SON

“Gavin has created a fun 'Sherlock Holmes'–style adventure, with modern twists and a bit of humor. The combination is skillfully done. This is a quick and fun read; a great choice for choice looking for a new mystery to dive into.” —School Library Journal, starred review, on KNIGHTLEY & SON

From the Publisher

12/01/2014
Gr 7 Up—The latest "Knightley & Son" adventure (Bloomsbury) is a paranormal mystery following the same format as its predecessor. This time, readers encounter a werewolf story. As Darkus struggles with his relationship with his father, he is also drawn into a rather unusual mystery. The young detective doesn't believe in werewolves, so what else could be leaving such odd footprints? Gavin continues the character development from his previous book, though readers attempting to jump into this second installment may be a bit lost; it's best to start with Knightley & Son (2014). Overall, a fun, engaging romp, perfect for middle school students looking for suspense with a touch of the paranormal.—Saleena L. Davidson, South Brunswick Public Library, Monmouth Junction, NJ

School Library Journal

2014-11-11
The second in the Knightley and Son series gets a little darker, offering more bite, tragedy and paternal dysfunction, as well as respectable levels of gore.Darkus Knightley is the primary tool his periodically comatose father, Alan, taps to continue investigating the elusive criminal gang, the Combination. At the end of Knightley and Son (2014), their partnership looked promising and, optimistically, so did their fractured familial relationship. As the book opens, however, paterfamilias is working alone again. Darkus, left in the company of an incontinent but loyal former war dog, discovers something afoot. A number of dogs are missing at Hampstead Heath, and enormous, bloodthirsty mutts are appearing during full moons to maul police officers (werewolf theories abound). Pressing his father to work together again, Darkus finds that Knightley's suggestion that they be a detecting duo was more of a pacifier than a promise, and the feeling of abandonment returns. This is readable as a stand-alone, but familiarity with the first installment will give readers the full scope of Darkus' frustration with a physically and emotionally absent father. Though it suffers some from second-book syndrome, its closer examination of the father-son relationship, the endearing boy-and-his-dog thread, the conversely violent thrill of the occult, and one of the creepiest, multifaceted villains this side of Moriarty will ensnare readers. A teeth-gnashing thriller more macabre than its predecessor, it will have readers (ahem) howling for a third. (Mystery. 10-14)

Kirkus Reviews

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