Dido Twite is waylaid by her father, the shady Abednego Twite, acting on instructions from his evil patron. Why is Dido so urgently needed in Wapping? Why are King Richard's friends all accidentally drowning in the Thames? How does hard-drinking Mrs Lily Bloodvessel figure in this intricate plot, with her cellar full of sleeping guttersnipes?

Another rollercoasting story by Joan Aiken, in which Dido's scheming Pa finally receives his comeuppance.

One of the classic 'Willoughby Chase' series originally published in 1986 and now re-issued with a stunning new cover

About the Author

Joan Aiken was born in Sussex in 1924. She was the daughter of the American poet, Conrad Aiken; her sister, Jane Aiken Hodge, is also a novelist. Before joining the 'family business' herself, Joan had a variety of jobs, including working for the BBC, the United Nations Information Centre and then as features editor for a short story magazine. Her first children's novel, The Kingdom of the Cave, was published in 1960.

Joan Aiken wrote over a hundred books for young readers and adults and is recognized as one of the classic authors of the twentieth century. Amanda Craig, writing in The Times, said, 'She was a consummate story-teller, one that each generation discovers anew.' Her best-known books are those in the James III saga, of which The Wolves of Willoughby Chase was the first title, published in 1962 and awarded the Lewis Carroll prize. Both that and Black Hearts in Battersea have been filmed. Her books are internationally acclaimed and she received the Edgar Allan Poe Award in the United States as well as the Guardian Award for Fiction in this country for The Whispering Mountain.

Joan Aiken was decorated with an MBE for her services to children's books. She died in 2004.

Reviews
Joan Aiken is a marvel -- Philip Pullman * Guardian *
A writer of wild humour and unrestrained imagination * Oxford Companion to Children's Literature *
Rumbustious . . . The reader is entranced by Joan Aiken's language and imagination, grotesque characters, picturesque settings and hilarity * Writeaway.org.uk *



Book Information
ISBN 9780099456667
Author Joan Aiken
Format Paperback
Page Count 320
Imprint Red Fox
Publisher Penguin Random House Children's UK
Weight(grams) 224g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 20mm