Lovely to be back in the familiar town of Eerie-on-sea with another intriguing mystery. Herbert Lemon and Violet Parma team up again after they’re presented with a mysterious clockwork shell. Similar to the first book, I raced through this because I was desperate for more, more, more. The author does not dumb down his writing for children which is a blessing to see. The plot was thrilling and I was desperate to solve the mystery alongside the fabulous central pairing. The twists and turns drove me on and on, and I fully loved the story just like the first novel! Gargantis was full of intelligent references and it was a delight to have the opportunity to read this wonderful book. Herbert and Violet are again fully realised daring and brave characters who I hope to find out more about, and I particularly loved the sprightning – I felt very attached, just as Herbert did.

It's so wonderful to head back to Eerie-on-Sea for another mysterious adventure! Gargantis is the sequel to the thrilling Malamander, and is another exceptionally good seaside mystery. Herbert Lemon has a new case in his role as Lost and Founder, and it might be his toughest one yet! From the very beginning, this is dark and scary and foreboding, so much foreboding! One of the things I loved about this novel was how well it threw different elements of Eerie-on-Sea against each other, with different factions all claiming ownership of a mysterious bottle, and poor Herbert caught in the middle. Of course, he has Violet stuck there right along side him, and I love how we see her own character grow and develop from book one. Her work in the book depository has given her knowledge of all sorts of myths and legends about Eerie-on-Sea that just might come in handy.! There's a lot of depth to this novel, with it hard to tell at times who is in the right and who's clearly not, apart from our young heroes. I think I was left doubting just about everyone at some point, apart from Herbert and Violet. This is kept up throughout the book, with some startling revelations making us reassess any assumptions we might make and question everyone's motivations. It's also incredibly atmospheric. Eerie-on-Sea really does feel almost real, this storm swept little seaside town is as much a character as anyone else in the book.

This follow up to "Malamander" is just as exhilarating a read. Featuring an eclectic group of characters and set in the brilliant Eerie-on-sea, it is utterly compelling from start to finish. I can't wait for the next adventure.

Lost-and-Founder Herbert Lemon and his friend Violet are back in another adventure set within the seaside town of Eerie-on-Sea. This time a massive storm is shaking the town violently and there seems to be no end to it. If it continues it could cause the whole town to crumble into the sea. The fishermen have a tale of a creature, Gargantis, awakening and that is the cause of the storm, but could their tale be true and what’s with the fish-shaped bottle that has washed up on the shore during an electrical storm that everyone in the town is trying to lay claims to? Herbie and Violet are on a quest to discover the truth and save their adopted home before it is too late. Gargantis is the second book in the Eerie-on-Sea series for middle-graders, although it is that exciting that I can see plenty of YA readers enjoying it too. The first book, Malamander, introduced us to this unlikely pair, both found by locals when they were babies and given homes within the town. Herbie is still working at the local hotel, Grand Nautilus, as the Lost-and-Founder, whilst Violet is working at the bookshop. The book is continuous action the whole way through and the plot explosive has you hanging on every page and not wanting to put the book down. There is even a mysterious hooded man who hides his face and wants what Herbie has and resembles an Octopus when he’s in the water. I love the characters and being back in the town, which is certainly a one-off. I was intrigued the whole way through to see if Gargantis was real and was it coming for Eerie. I can see this series being a big hit and I’m not surprised. Both books have been amazing and I hope that there will be more visits to Eerie-on-Sea in the future. I’m sure more adventures are waiting to be had!

A great follow-up to the wonderful Malamander. Not an easy feat to pull off, but this is just as good as the first book. The location - Eerie-on-Sea - reveals more secrets and remains a strength of these books. The larger-than-life characters bring the place to life, and the main protagonists (especially Herbert in this one) discover more about themselves. A real, fun page turner.