A unique debut, which combines mentalism, escapology and magic with an exotic setting and an exciting search for identity.

East meets West; past meets present; criminal minds meet skilled artists - welcome to the Mysterium, a circus with dark and thrilling secrets at its heart.

Twelve-year-old Danny Woo is half-Chinese, half-British. His parents are performers in the Mysterium. Following their death in a mysterious fire, Danny is sent to live with his aunt Laura, an investigative journalist.

When Danny's school is closed after an explosion, he joins Laura on a trip to Hong Kong. She is researching the Triad gangs; he is trying to understand more about his cultural background.

But Laura disappears, and Danny is plunged into a dangerous quest to find her - which opens the door on the past he could never have imagined, and which leads him to question everything he has ever known about his past.

"Magic, mind-reading and escapology combine in this action-packed debut." - Bookseller

"The first of an exciting new trilogy." - The Sheffield Star

"Great adventure story for the 9-12 year old." - Books for Keeps

"With its break-neck pace, entertaining cast of characters and surprisingly high explosion quotient, Mysterium will no doubt be lapped up by younger teenagers with a taste fro action and adventure." - Booktrust

"This is a great debut, and a pacy, gripping thriller." - School Librarian

"I thought this book was amazing." - East Boldon Bookworms