East meets West; past meets present; criminal minds meet skilled artists - welcome to the Mysterium, a circus with dark and thrilling secrets at its heart.

Twelve-year-old Danny Woo is half-Chinese, half-British. His parents are performers in the Mysterium. Following their death in a mysterious fire, Danny is sent to live with his aunt Laura, an investigative journalist.

When Danny's school is closed after an explosion, he joins Laura on a trip to Hong Kong. She is researching the Triad gangs; he is trying to understand more about his cultural background.

But Laura disappears, and Danny is plunged into a dangerous quest to find her - which opens the door on the past he could never have imagined, and which leads him to question everything he has ever known about his past.

A unique debut, which combines mentalism, escapology and magic with an exotic setting and an exciting search for identity.

About the Author

Julian Sedgwick resolved to become a writer at the age of 12. He has written continuously since then - but got sidetracked along the way - and has subsequently worked as a painter, bookseller, researcher and advisor for film and TV, graphic artist and therapist. A lifelong interest in Asian culture led him to study Chinese and Philosophy at university and has shaped much of his working life. In his spare time he is a fire juggler and spends as much time as possible drawing. Recently he has been co-writing with his brother - the children's author, Marcus Sedgwick - working on a graphic novel, and various film projects. Julian lives in the Cambridgeshire Fens with his wife and two sons.

Reviews
Magic, mind-reading and escapology combine in this action-packed debut. * Bookseller *
The first of an exciting new trilogy. * The Sheffield Star *
Great adventure story for the 9-12 year old. * Books for Keeps *
With its break-neck pace, entertaining cast of characters and surprisingly high explosion quotient, Mysterium will no doubt be lapped up by younger teenagers with a taste fro action and adventure. * Booktrust *
This is a great debut, and a pacy, gripping thriller. * School Librarian *
I thought this book was amazing. * East Boldon Bookworms *



Book Information
ISBN 9781444913705
Author Julian Sedgwick
Format Paperback
Page Count 352
Imprint Hodder Children's Books
Publisher Hachette Children's Group
Weight(grams) 324g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 130mm * 27mm