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Simon has always been fascinated by crime novels and grew up reading the stories of Arthur Conan Doyle, Raymond Chandler and Agatha Christie.
To this day, he continues to be mesmerised by their most famous detectives: Sherlock Holmes, Philip Marlowe and Hercule Poirot. These are the characters who inspired Simon to write his first crime novel, Running Girl, introducing Garvie Smith, a young man with a brilliant brain and an obvious reluctance to use it responsibly. Maths was a subject Simon struggled with at school – so he made Garvie a maths genius.
He also asked himself: what makes a really good crime novel, what keeps readers hooked until the very end? And he answered: 1) a totally gripping story full of mystery, danger and foul deeds, 2) a charismatic detective, and 3) a vivid sense of place. This is what he always aims for in his own writing.
Simon lives in Oxford, the city of another very famous detective, Inspector Morse, and he is currently writing another Garvie Smith Mystery.
This is the third in Simon Mason’s award-winning Garvie Smith crime series and you won’t find a better, more entertaining or more stylishly written whodunnit. His hero Garvie Smith is very smart – indeed, he’s a virtual maths genius – but very lazy, whether it comes to housework, schoolwork or his new job as a fencer (delivered courtesy of his friend Smudge). The disappearance of the teenage daughter of the house behind the fences they are fixing is something that exercises Garvie and he’s much better placed to solve the mystery than the police, of whom he has a very low opinion. The story he untangles is full of double-dealing and deceit and Mason creates a world of dark cynicism that Chandler would recognise and envy. Garvie solves the crime but is definitely left with cracks in his hard-boiled exterior. A brilliant page-turner for all readers, and a sharply observed and often very funny bit of YA.
A brand new and intriguing Garvie Smith mystery, featuring the same brilliant characters and dry humour as Costa Prize-shortlisted Running Girl.
Shortlisted for the Costa Children's Book Award 2014 A brand-new teen crime novel from one of today's great storytellers. The Costa Award Judges said “For older teenagers, this is a fast-paced, gripping detective thriller that keeps you guessing. Unputdownable.”
April 2012 Book of the Month. As touching a story as its title suggests, Moon Pie is deft and witty in how it tells the story of Martha, who tries to cope with her father’s increasingly erratic and unpredictable behaviour after her mother dies. Older than her years, Martha is very sensible; dealing with his oddities as well as caring for her small brother Tug seems not much stranger to her than her friend Marcus’s obsession with Hollywood movies. But finally, even for her, it is all just a bit too much. How Martha, Dad, Tug, the grandparents as well as Marcus and his family all move to a surer grip on life is beautifully told in a story that is long in affection and short on preaching or problem-solving.
One of the 4 titles longlisted for the Guardian Children's Book Prize 2011. How love is tested, challenged and threatened, but can ultimately hold families together is at the heart of Moon Pie. Martha is used to managing her father's sometimes erratic behaviour after her mother dies. Dealing with his oddities and caring for her small brother Tug seems not much stranger than her friend Marcus' obsession with Hollywood movies. But finally, even for her, it is all just a bit too much. This is a beautifully told story that is long on affection and short on preaching. Titles longlisted for the 2011 Guardian Children's Book Prize: My Name is Mina by David Almond Small Change for Stuart by Lissa Evans Twilight Robbery by Frances Hardinge Momentum by Saci Lloyd Moon Pie by Simon Mason Return to Ribblestrop by Andy Mulligan My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece by Annabel Pitcher Mr Gum and the Secret Hideout by Andy Stanton
Perfect for reading aloud with young children or for them to read by themselves. Kids will love the adventures of this accident prone family. This book has five mini stories.
This is the third in Simon Mason’s award-winning Garvie Smith crime series and you won’t find a better, more entertaining or more stylishly written whodunnit. His hero Garvie Smith is very smart – indeed, he’s a virtual maths genius – but very lazy, whether it comes to housework, schoolwork or his new job as a fencer (delivered courtesy of his friend Smudge). The disappearance of the teenage daughter of the house behind the fences they are fixing is something that exercises Garvie and he’s much better placed to solve the mystery than the police, of whom he has a very low opinion. The story he untangles is full of double-dealing and deceit and Mason creates a world of dark cynicism that Chandler would recognise and envy. Garvie solves the crime but is definitely left with cracks in his hard-boiled exterior. A brilliant page-turner for all readers, and a sharply observed and often very funny bit of YA.
It's exam season - but Five Mile is in shock. Ateenageboywasshotlastnight, with no clear motive and no clues. Garvie Smith - reprobate, genius and waster - was just getting down to a spot of revision. But he knows he's the only one who has any idea where to look for the answers. Starting with his best friend's girlfriend. Exams. What exams?
A brand new and intriguing Garvie Smith mystery, featuring the same brilliant characters and dry humour as Costa Prize-shortlisted Running Girl.
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