Inkbound: Meticulous Jones and the Skull Tattoo
Enter an extraordinary magical adventure about family, fate and finding the courage to be truly yourself – perfect for fans of Nevermoor, Lemony Snicket and The Swifts.
‘An adventure overflowing with magic’ Beth Lincoln, author of The Swifts
‘A wild feat of extraordinary imagination, fizzing with mystery, magic and humour’ Aisling Fowler, author of Fireborn
‘The perfect fantasy adventure’ Siobhan McDermott, author of Paper Dragons
On her tenth birthday, Meticulous ‘Metty’ Jones receives her fate, as all children do, in the form of a magical tattoo on her hand. She hopes that her tattoo will reveal an exciting destiny: travel, discovery or adventure. What appears is a skull in the palm of a violet glove – Metty’s fate is to be a murderer.
When Metty’s father disappears in mysterious circumstances, Aunt Magnificent takes her to the glittering city of New London, filled with magic, wonder and enchantment. But when Metty hears rumours of a shadowy organisation known as the Black Moths, she begins to suspect they are connected to her own dark fate …
”'An adventure overflowing with magic, brought to life with wit and charm” - Beth Lincoln, author of The Swifts
”'Bursting with magic, heart and humour - bound to delight” - Abi Elphinstone, author of Sky Song
”'A wild feat of extraordinary imagination, fizzing with mystery, magic and humour. Readers are sure to be daydreaming about flying cities and fate tattoos for years to come” - Aisling Fowler, author of Fireborn
”'Utterly dazzling! Leathley has woven together the perfect fantasy adventure. Anyone who reads this book is fated to find their new favourite author” - Siobhan McDermott, author of Paper Dragons
”'A twisty Gothic adventure full of magic, mystery, secrets and soaring cities! Had me hooked from the start” - Rashmi Sirdeshpande, author of Never Show a T-Rex a Book
”'I loved Inkbound! Deliciously dark and utterly compelling, I fell completely in love with the world of New London” - Zohra Nabi, author of The Kingdom Over the Sea
”'A richly imagined, unique story with all the hallmarks of a future classic. Just like the most stubborn of tattoos, Inkbound and Meticulous Jones will leave their mark on you long after the final page has been turned” - Clare Povey, author of the Bastien Bonlivre Adventures
”'I absolutely loved Inkbound. One of my favourite middle-grade books from recent years - incredibly imaginative, brilliant fun and enchanting in every way possible” - Jordan Lees, author of The Whisperwicks
”'Inkbound had me starstruck from the very first page. An extraordinary debut full of everything I love in middle grade: magic, mystery and a heroine with an inability to follow rules” - Laura Noakes, author of Cosima Unfortunate Steals a Star
”'A magnificent new world that crackles with wild invention and delicious humour. A joy to read” - Ash Bond, author of Peregrine Quinn and the Cosmic Realm
”'What a treat of a book! Packed with ingenuity, intrigue and charm. It gave the me the peculiar prickling feeling of being at the start of something truly special” - Clare Harlow, author of Tidemagic