Review by Booklist Review
In the wake of his Newbery Honor Book Scary Stories for Young Foxes (2019), Heidicker adopts an appropriate pseudonym for this equally chilling series opener. Desperate for the money needed to keep his visionary brother Graham safe from ominous experiments in the local asylum, orphan Wally Cooper joins forces with Arthur Benton--another young rascal whose main ambition is to be like Garnett Lacroix, the flamboyant gentleman thief of a cherished series of adventure novels. But their attempted burglary of a supposedly empty mansion pitches them into the midst of a frantic struggle to preserve the fragile Veil that separates the residents of Real Kingsport from the Fae realm of embodied nightmares and imaginings. Unfortunately, those imaginings are already leaking through with rapidly escalating effects: an eerie doll whose touch turns people to porcelain gives way to giant tentacled monsters. Along with spot art, Earley portrays some of these creatures, along with select characters, in a sparse array of expertly modeled portraits. Arthur's climactic realization that the monsters are all drawn from the exploits of his literary hero supplies the key to suppressing this outbreak, but hints of a broader, ongoing conflict remain for sequels. Wally's friend Breeth, an intrepid, pun-loving child ghost who can occupy any organic item, is just one scene-stealer in the unusually colorful supporting cast.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
When two 12-year-old thieves attempt to rob a spooky, deserted mansion in hopes of landing treasure, they instead stumble into a magical adventure. Aspiring con man Arthur Bentonwants to pay off his father's debts, while lockpick and pickpocket Wally Cooper must settle medical bills for his brother, who has been institutionalized due to "grand delusions about his role in a citywide conspiracy." But when the two break into Weirdwood Manor, they discover that it sits on the border between the mundane and Fae worlds, and its inhabitants are dedicated to protecting both realities. With supernatural threats leaking into their own world, courtesy of a Rift in the Veil and a powerful magical artifact, it's up to Arthur, Wally, and their new friends to thwart a mad scheme imperiling both Kingsport and Mirror Kingsport. With this rousing escapade, Heidicker (Scary Stories for Young Foxes) and narrator Shivering play with the power of belief and the impact of imagination as heroes face off against otherworldly threats and explore the lingering legacy of a notorious Gentleman Thief and his reclusive creator. Strong worldbuilding and great fun carry the story, and occasional illustrations by Early visualize the enchantment. Ages 8--12. Agent: John Cusick at Folio Jr./Folio Literary Management. (Apr.)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Two young thieves break into a derelict house and discover a mirror world of magic.When Wally Cooper's older brother, Graham, decides to use the side of one of Kingsport's public buildings for his "otherworldly" landscapes, he's quickly arrested. And then his rants about "Rifts" and "Fae-born" conspiracies land him in Greyridge Mental Hospital. Wally must come up with a way to pay the hospital bills fast; although he is a member of the thieving Black Feathers, most of the money he steals is kept by the Rook, the notorious gang's leader. When he hears about a secret job his friend and fellow thief Arthur Benton is planning, he convinces Arthur to let him in on the con. The mark is the ruins of a house called Hazelrigg that Arthur swears is more than it seems after he saw a girl in golden robes carrying swords enter the house. The two break in, find a treasureand then become tangled up in a mystery made of nightmares. This series opener's both funny and well paced, and the worldbuilding is fantastic, with information emerging about Mirror Kingsport at the same time new oddities arise. Even with so much happening, character development is splendid: Arthur stands out as both flawed and heroic. Wally and his brother are black, Arthur is white.A funny, unusual adventure with enough unanswered questions to have readers eager for Book 2. (Fantasy. 9-12) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
