Written by: Richard Hardie
Submitted By: Richard Hardie
(This review posted by the book's author)
Merlin is a good looking woman and madly in love with Arthur, but that’s only the start of the story.
Tertia, Unita and Marlene know what they want to be... detectives with a difference. Bored with the lack of opportunity in 5th century Camelot they start up the Temporal Detective Agency and use the great Merlin’s Time Portal to relocate from Camelot to the 21st century mostly because the cases are more interesting, but also because the toilet facilities are so much better.
Things start slowly until one Sunday morning Tertia finds herself replacing Nelson’s statue in Trafalgar Square, involved in the thefts of the Koh-i-noor diamond and the Mona Lisa. The Agency follows the trail to South Wales in 1734 where they come up against a gang of vicious smugglers and deadly ship wreckers led by their deadliest and most unexpected enemy.
Help comes from an unexpected source, but the Temporal Detective Agency’s first case could prove to be their last!
Independent review:-
Right from the off the writing is witty and highly readable. The pages come to life with vibrant characters who hold your interest. For young adults this is brilliant because history is played into the story with knowledge and know-how. I can highly recommend this book and hope the series becomes successful - it would be wonderful televised! Just a thought.. `Leap of Faith' tells the story of the Temporal Detective Agency's first proper case - and what an entertaining story it is! For this is no ordinary detective agency. It is run by three feisty girls who have relocated from King Arthur's Camelot to set up shop in the twenty-first century, as they believe our century will have more interesting cases - and better toilets! When Nelson's Column disappears from its plinth, our heroes embark on a fast-paced adventure which takes them back to 18th Century Wales. Soon they must unravel a plot involving ruthless ship wreckers and smugglers, not to mention a formidable old foe. Danger, excitement and romance are cleverly blended together in a tale which sparkles with wit. Aimed at young adults, `Leap of Faith' is a story which can be enjoyed at any age. Welcome to The Temporal Detective Agency, Richard Hardie's gloriously inventive and energetic sci-fi fantasy adventure for kids of all ages. In this time-bending comic tale the Arthurian legend is turned on its head and re-booted for the 21st Century. The novel begins in the present day, and following the disappearance of Nelson and his column from Trafalgar Square, Merlin's young apprentices, now transplanted to modern day London, set up a detective agency to solve the mystery, and together (along with an hilarious real police detective) they travel back in time to find the missing statue. From the start, Leap of Faith sparkles with original and engaging plotlines, loveable characters and streetwise dialogues. Yet despite its 21st Century feel, there is still something very reassuringly old fashioned at the heart of the story, and all the dastardly deeds, daring do's and cliff top adventures are very reminiscent of the best of Enid Blyton. The story also boasts a fabulous Darth Vader-like villain in the shape of The Black Knight. Funny, warm and thoroughly entertaining throughout, Leap of Faith is a joy to read from beginning to end and comes highly recommended. Once I started reading it I could not put it down. I hope the author is writing more books like this What an excellent first book - really enjoyed it. The rest of the family are reading it now. I look forward to the next. Richard Hardie's YA novel, the first in a series, is great fun. Narrated by Tertia, it brings to mind Jasper Fforde and Terry Pratchett's work, as the same kind of wry and dry humour is in evidence.
