Shadowghast

Thomas Taylor Press Reviews

Praise for the series;

“Taylor’s prose effervesces with humour, the setting is richly atmospheric, the story sails along at a rate of knots and all the characters are beautifully drawn. Herbie and Violet are destined for more adventures and I, for one, can’t wait.” The Daily Mail

“Full of unforgettable characters and brimming with maritime mystery, Malamander is a masterclass in original story-telling. Taylor’s magical touch makes you believe in the impossible.” Catherine Doyle, author of The Storm Keeper’s Island

“Taylor is a supremely elegant writer, who does not dilly-dally. The plot is delivered like gunfire, and even less confident readers will be encouraged by cliffhanger chapters and knuckle-whitening prose. […] Children’s fantasy has become a crowded landscape in which new novelists can vanish without trace, but Taylor stands out. This is a sumptuously imagined book, which works a powerful spell.” The Telegraph

“Taylor knows how to create atmosphere and a sense of creepy place. It’s a book to be devoured, but is also born for the screen — and I can’t wait to see this south-coast Grand Budapest Hotel meets The Shape of Water (but with a better plot) become a hit.” The Times, Children’s Book of the Week

“This book introduces a diverse new detective duo in Herbie and Violet, and is told with such neat storytelling and surprising phrases it would be a joy to read aloud.” The Sunday Times, Children’s Book of the Week

“This is fantastical storytelling at its best with a Dickensian cast and a terrifying beast from the deep. This enthralling oceanic adventure had me hoping our heroic lost and foundlings will have more mysteries to solve in books to come. I wanted to read on and on.” M. G. Leonard, Author of Beetle Boy

“Mermonkeys, monsters and magic, oh my! Malamander is a brilliantly plotted mystery swirling with secrets, myths and the enigmatic residents of one unforgettable sea-side town.” Jennifer Bell, author of The Uncommoners

“[…] a wonderfully imaginative and atmospheric adventure, rich in myth and legend and with a delicious gothic edge […] Malamander confirms him as a ferociously talented writer […] this really is one that deserves all the buzz.” Fiona Noble, The Bookseller, Children’s Book of the Month

“Clever writing, swirling with atmosphere, standout characters and a crackling story combine to make this something special.”  The Irish Independent, Children’s Books of the Year

“The seaside in midwinter makes a fabulous setting for Thomas Taylor’s Malamander. More, please.” New Statesman