‘Knightley and Son’ – Rohan Gavin

Knightley and Son

 

Trying to find books to engage some of our more able readers – without them suddenly having to jump into ‘The Classics’ – is an ongoing issue for me as a teacher. Giving some of our younger students YA titles that deal with more mature themes can be a little off-putting for them. I’m not saying we have to start policing  students’  reading material in the way that some condone, but I do feel there is something of a missing market so it is always exciting when someone recommends a new author/series.

Described as a Young Holmes for our times, this series by Rohan Gavin looks like it could form an ideal bridge between two quite distinctive groups of readers.

In this novel we are immediately introduced to the mystery surrounding best-selling book The Code perfectly. It is just macabre enough to pique your interest, without straying too far into gruesome description and putting people off.

When we first meet Knightley he is waking from a coma. We are told he is London’s top private detective so it is understandable that one of the first things he does is get back into trying to solve crimes; only this time he has the help of his thirteen year-old son, Darkus. A curious combination, but it works. Well.

For me this was a cracking read that keeps the reader interested and provides plenty of action. Of course, there are some wildly over-the-top moments and some of the villains could be regarded as pantomime but this is all part of the charm. Great fun.