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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.
Amy Roecastle is beautiful. Selfish. And missing. Vanished without a trace in the middle of the night, she's taken her ferocious dog - and something else, too. Something deadly. Amy's best friend is lying to Inspector Singh, who has no leads and no idea. Cue Garvie Smith. Teenage slacker. Undeniable crime-solving genius. Garvie's one step ahead of the investigation. But there's nothing simple where Amy is involved. And this time Garvie's about to find himself in way over his head.
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?
Meet Garvie Smith. Reprobate, genius, waster, and sometime detective. Right in the middle of revision hell - until now. A boy from Marsh Academy has been shot, with no clear motive and no clues. Disgraced DI Singh is on the case, and he's determined to keep Garvie away. But Garvie knows he's the only one who has any idea where to look for the answers. Starting with his best friend's girlfriend. And it's going to take more than pointless revision or flunking his exams to stop him getting involved. Exams. What exams?
Meet Garvie Smith. Highest IQ ever recorded at Marsh Academy. Lowest ever grades. What's the point? Life sucks. Nothing surprising ever happens.Until Chloe Dow's body is pulled from a pond. His ex-girlfriend.DI Singh is already on the case. Ambitious, uptight, methodical - he's determined to solve the mystery - and get promoted. He doesn't need any 'assistance' from notorious slacker, Smith.Or does he?
Eleven-year-old Martha is used to being the one who has to keep her head. Tug, her little brother, is too small. Dad is too strange. And Mum's not here any more. So when Dad falls off the roof, it's Martha who ices his knee and takes him to the doctor. And when Dad doesn't come home, it's Martha who cooks Tug's favourite pie and reads him his bedtime story. And when Dad passes out, it's Martha who cleans him up and keeps his secret. But eventually Dad's problems become too big for even Martha to solve. There is only one person who can sort things out now. Dad.
Five more stories about the irrepressible Quigleys (and including a surprise guest appearance from next-door neighbour's cat, Fatbrain). Will makes a huge effort to get on with the sullen Robinson Potts, an unwelcome visitor on the family's weekend away. Lucy desperately hopes that her birthday party will occur without mishap even though Dad is promising to make it an event to remember...and Mum gets stuck on the roof - with Fatbrain. In the fourth book of the series, Simon Mason reveals the charm and humour in the everyday life of an ordinary (yet unique) family. These are perfect stories for reading aloud, and for young children to read by themselves.
The Quigleys are back in this second collection of stories. Funny and instantly recognisable, the family go on a camping holiday to France, Mum stars in the skipping competition at the local village fete, Will gets locked in his empty school at night, and Dad (unsurprisingly) loses the budgie. Four more hilarious stories from this irrepressible and warmly affectionate family.
The Quigleys are back! When the family visits a smart hotel, Will gets into all sorts of trouble when he tries to be charming - which has interesting results. And on Mother's Day, the family walk turns into an unforgettable adventure when the terrifying Pokehead saves Lucy from an equally terrifying bull. Here are four more hilarious stories about this unforgettable yet entirely recognizable family.
Meet Garvie Smith: Charming, brilliant and completely bone idle. If anything can get his attention, it might just be a murder. What sort of girl was gorgeous Chloe Dow? Not the sort to disappear without a trace. What sort of policeman is workaholic Detective Inspector Raminder Singh? Not the sort to rush his first murder investigation. What sort of boy is Garvie Smith? Don't ask. At least, don't ask his mother. When Chloe's body is pulled from Pike Pond, the hunt is on for her killer and DI Singh has a chance to prove his worth. He doesn't need any 'assistance' from notorious slacker Garvie Smith, the boy with the highest IQ ever recorded at Marsh Academy, and the lowest ever grades. Or does he? A brand-new teen crime novel from one of today's great storytellers.
Eleven-year-old Martha is used to being the one who has to keep her head. Tug, her little brother, is too small. Dad is too strange. And Mum's not here any more. So when Dad falls off the roof, it's Martha who ices his knee and takes him to the doctor. And when Dad doesn't come home, it's Martha who cooks Tug's favourite pie and reads him his bedtime story. And when Dad passes out, it's Martha who cleans him up and keeps his secret. But eventually Dad's problems become too big for even Martha to solve. There is only one person who can sort things out now. Dad.
When I'm older, she thought, I'll remember this midnight picnic as a good thing. I'll forget that I was scared of the dark, and that Dad was strange. I'll remember the candles in the grass, like flowers made out of flame, and Tug dreaming of pie, and Dad telling me he loves me. Eleven-year-old Martha is used to being the one who has to keep their head. Tug, her little brother, is too small. Dad is too strange. And Mum's not here any more. So when Dad falls off the roof, it's Martha who ices his knee and takes him to the doctor. And when Dad doesn't come home, it's Martha who cooks Tug's favourite pie and reads him his bedtime story. And when Dad passes out, it's Martha who cleans him up and keeps his secret. But eventually Dad's problems become too big for even Martha to solve. There is only one person who can sort things out now. Dad.
This is the first book in a wonderfully amusing series about the chaotic Quigleys. Written in a fresh, witty and original manner, each member of the family - Lucy, Will, Dad and Mum - has their own tale to tell. Lucy only wants to be a bride's maid dressed as a bee. Will only wants a Harpy Eagle for Christmas. Dad only wants to watch the football in peace. Mum only wants - well, who cares what Mum wants? Whether it's babysitting problems, the difficulty of being good as Christmas approaches or, simply how to watch the football without interruptions, the quirky escapades of the Quigleys will appeal to adults and children alike.
Five more stories about the irrepressible Quigleys (and including a surprise guest appearance from next-door neighbour's cat, Fatbrain). Will makes a huge effort to get on with the sullen Robinson Potts, an unwelcome visitor on the family's weekend away. Lucy desperately hopes that her birthday party will occur without mishap even though Dad is promising to make it an event to remember...and Mum gets stuck on the roof - with Fatbrain. In the fourth book of the series, Simon Mason reveals the charm and humour in the everyday life of an ordinary (yet unique) family. These are perfect stories for reading aloud, and for young children to read by themselves.
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