Rohan Gavin’s novel Knightly and Son introduces a father/son detective duo that brings Sherlock Holmes and Watson to life again. This modern mystery has all of the intrigue and suspense of Doyle’s beloved books, but with the appeal to a younger crowd as the main mystery solver is a thirteen year old boy named Darkus Knightly. Doc, as he likes to be known, is stepping into his father’s footsteps as they work together to solve mysterious cases happening around London, that seem to somehow fit together. The catch is his father just woke up from a four year-long coma, so Doc is more than his right hand man–he’s his right hand mind as well, seeing as his father doesn’t remember much of any of his former cases.  This leads to an interesting dynamic in the investigation and allows Doc’s powers of reasoning and deduction to shine throughout the novel.

This new series (yes, it is a series with the second book already out) will surely appeal to those that like mystery and detective novels. The characters are interesting without being overly complex, which allows the mystery to stay in the forefront. The mystery itself is intriguing and different, that will have the reader guessing to the end. There is also a quirky cast of supporting characters that add a lot to the enjoyment of the novel.  The odd Scotland Yard Scotsman and the Polish housekeeper kept the story light and funny at times, while the complex step-sister kept the plot moving with her determination to play a part in it all. This page turner will have the reader wanting more in the end, so be sure to have the second book handy.
This book was sent to Compass Book Ratings for review by Bloomsbury Children’s Books

Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language:  6 Religious exclamations; 6 Mild obscenities

Violence/Gore:  Person bit by scorpion; brief description of death caused by a accident; character grabbed forcibly in a choke hold; character talks about wanting people ‘dead’ as a form of justice; teenage character manhandled by an adult; character hit and killed by a vehicle-non-detailed; character verbally threatens another with death; mention of someone dying in an accident; character shot in face with nerve gas rendering him unconscious which caused him to fall and sustain serious injury; characters examine a corpse of someone that had been killed by a knife-minimal description; secondhand account of boy falling from window to his death; characters fight and one person is knocked out–extended scene of 3 pages; character stunned with a stun gun and reaction described; character kicks an attacker; character hits attacker with a frying pan; character ordered to murder family member; character attempts to strangle another as they fight–extended 3 page scene; character held at knife point; character points a knife at another and threatens them with death; secondhand account of someone’s death; character hit in the head and knocked unconscious; character throws himself in front of a train; several accounts of how a book influences people to harm others, cause destruction and commit crimes.

Sex/Nudity:  None

Mature Subject Matter:

Death, death of family member, divorce, crime, murder, supernatural elements.

Alcohol / Drug Use:

Adult smokes cigar; Adults smoke cigarettes; Adult drinks a glass of whiskey.