The Monster Within
by Darrell Pitt (Text
Publishing)
PB RRP $16.99
ISBN 9781922182876
Reviewed by Wendy
Fitzgerald
The Monster Within is the fourth book in Melbourne author Darrell Pitt’s
popular Jack Mason detective series.
Once again, we are
immersed in a magical world of heroes, villains, steam driven transport,
mysteries, rescues and adventures. The sharp-eyed detective Ignatius Doyle is
on another mission to solve crimes with the help of his two daring young
apprentices, Jack Mason and Scarlet Bell.
Readers of the
series will remember that the main character, 14 year old Jack Mason grew up in
a circus family. After a tragic accident Jack is orphaned and sent to live in
Sunnyside Orphanage in London. The orphanage is anything but ‘sunny’ and Jack
is relieved when he is offered an apprenticeship with the very eccentric
detective called Ignatius Doyle.
Enter feisty, red
headed, strong-willed 15 year old Scarlett Bell- who originally comes to ask
Ignatius Doyle to find her missing father. She ends up becoming a second
apprentice detective. Together Jack and Scarlett make a formidable team.
In The Monster Within a lawless
organisation is carrying out terrorist attacks on the streets of London. Their
chief suspect is The Valkyrie Circle- a world wide suffragette society who is
apparently headed by someone called Lady Death.
At the same time
there are sightings of a dangerous monster living in the sewers, terrifying
people and eating cats.
Are these sinister
events connected?
Pitt is very good
at creating intriguing plots with excellent endings. I enjoy the way he pulls
everything together in clever and surprising ways.
I recommend this
series kids 9 years and over who like to read stories packed with action,
mystery and adventure.
I think fans of
Eoin Colfer’s Artemis Foul, Rick
Riordan’s Percy Jackson series and
Lemony Snickett’s Series of Unfortunate
Events will also enjoy Pitt’s breathtaking stories.
The Firebird Mystery, The Secret Abyss and the Broken
Sun are Pitt’s first three
books in this series. Stay tuned for book five, The Lost Sword, which will be published later in 2015.
