Malamander

Malamander
Malamander Book One
Written by Thomas Taylor
Middle Grade, Adventure, Mystery, Fantasy
Published May 1st 2019
304 Pages
Add to Goodreads
★★★★★
Nobody visits Eerie On Sea in the winter. Especially not when darkness falls and the wind howls around Maw Rocks and the wreck of the battleship Leviathan, where even now some swear they have seen the unctuous Malamander creep.

Herbert Lemon, Lost and Founder at the Grand Nautilus Hotel, knows that returning lost things to their rightful owners is not easy, especially when the lost thing is not a thing at all, but a girl. No one knows what happened to Violet Parma’s parents twelve years ago, and when she engages Herbie to help her find them, the pair discover that their disappearance might have something to do with the legendary sea monster, the Malamander. Eerie On Sea has always been a mysteriously chilling place, where strange stories seem to wash up. And it just got stranger...
As winter approaches the seaside town of Cheerie On Sea, the summer warmth begins to evaporate, the bustle of tourists has disappeared and the first two letters on the welcome sign disintegrate and the harbour side town becomes Eerie On Sea, a township thriving on folklore and intrigue. Herbert Lemon is the lost and founder at the Grand Nautilus Hotel, a centuries old tradition of returning lost items to their owners and finding objects that have been lost. When a wild eyed young girl stumbles into Herbert's cellar of lost treasures, adventure awaits.

Violet Parma has returned to the Grand Nautilus Hotel to uncover the mystery of the disappearance of her parents, infant Violet found in the family hotel suite while all that remained of her parents were their shoes left upon the beach for the tide to claim. Technically Violet is a lost child searching for her parents and if anyone could solve the decade long disappearance, it's Herbert Lemon, lost and founder extraordinaire.

Herbert Lemon is a fantastically entertaining, endearing young man and prestigious lost and founder at the Grand Nautilus Hotel. Herbert Lemon arrived at the hotel as a child under the care of Lady Kracken and hotel manager, the petulant Mister Mollusc, found washed upon the sandy shore with no knowledge of his name. Residing in the hotel cellar, Herbert is surrounded by centuries of hotel memorabilia including clues which will perhaps provide answers for young Violet.

Violet Parma has returned to Eerie On Sea to discover the final moments of her parents. Although raised by her aunt, Violet has travelled alone with only the clothes she's currently wearing and a tattered postcard around her neck that was found in her abandoned bassinet. Violet is a sprightly girl and daring adventurer but under her inquisitive facade is a young girl grieving and searching for the parents she barely knew. She may not remember the community of Eerie On Sea but her reputation proceeds her. Following in the footsteps of her parents, visiting the Eerie Book Depository where books choose their reader, the fish and chippery at the end of the pier where the lonely man awaits the song of the siren or the local physician who has a museum of artefacts and curios but those of Eerie On Sea will tell you they were taken by the Malamander, a mythical creature from the ocean depths.

Malamander is outrageously entertaining and wildly imaginative. Thomas Taylor has created a fantastically atmospheric narrative of unforgettable and beautifully written characters, of adventure and shenanigans. Simply brilliant. 

19 comments

  1. You find the BEST books! Always something brilliant and that I wouldn't have known about otherwise.

    Karen @ For What It's Worth

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    1. This is absolutely brilliant Karen, so incredibly entertaining and I can't recommend it highly enough.

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  2. You have been reading some amazing middle grades books lately. They always seem to delight me too, and this one sounds like a solid winner.

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    1. I have Samantha, I've been really wanting to read fun, adventure type middle grade or middle grade contemporaries lately and they've all been incredible. This one in particular, I couldn't put it down!

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  3. *adds this to my read list*
    Lovely review, Kelly!

    ~Star

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    1. Thank you darling and I can't wait to see what you think of it!

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  4. You're making me want to dive back into MG, something I haven't done in years! This sounds really good! I love when a book can be very imaginative.
    Genesis @ Whispering Chapters

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    1. Same! Middle grade novels have incredible depth within their narratives and the storyline doesn't need to rely on romance which is really refreshing. It's brilliantly entertaining, would love to see what you think of it!

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  5. OOh I haven't heard of this one but it sounds good.

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    1. It's brilliant Deanna, definitely an all time favourite now.

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  6. A place where books choose their readers? I want to visit there! This sounds like a really fun, imaginative read for sure. I'm so glad to hear that you loved it so much. I really do need/want to read more MG. LOVE this cover too.

    -Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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    1. it's been such a brilliant year for middle grade novels Lauren, I think you'll absolutely love this one and can't wait to see what you think of it!

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  7. This sounds like such a fun read. My son is in this age range so I'll have to keep it in mind for him the next time we go book shopping.

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    1. It's the beginning of an adventure mystery series as well and great for all young readers, even the most reluctant of readers. I absolutely loved it and have no doubt that he will too!

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  8. Replies
    1. It's brilliant, would love to see what you think of it!

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  9. Oh my goodness this sounds fantastic, stellar review Kelly.
    I can’t wait until Riley’s got a little bit higher reading skill, so we can start devouring Middle Grade books together – yes yes, I could read them to him, but sitting still long enough to get absorbed in the longer tales is the issue there.

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  10. is it really middle grade, sounds like a fun adventure for everyone thoughh

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  11. This MG read sounds adorable and exactly the kind of book I would have loved reading when I was younger and one I would probably still enjoy now.

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