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Jackie Loxham

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Before writing adventure stories for children, I like to think I had adventures of my own. My long career as a writer in the travel industry was tailor-made for someone with a love of words, a fear of settling down and a yen to see the world. Especially the sunny bits with the palm trees and rolling surf, and I've lived and worked everywhere from Devon and Hong Kong to Florida and Antigua. And while family commitments have now brought me back to the northwest of England, The Dragondah Mysteries allow me to continue my seaside adventures through an 11-year-old girl called Ottillee Bottomly!

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CHILDREN'S & TEEN

DRAGONDAH

BY Jackie Loxham • POSTED ON May 4, 2023

A tween girl’s newly inherited home comes with mysteries and buried secrets in Loxham’s middle-grade series launch.

Eleven-year-old Londoner Ottillee Bottomly has just inherited a “big old house.” She doesn’t know her late benefactor, who’s surprisingly bequeathed Ottillee all of her worldly goods. The girl would rather not move, as she desperately hopes that her father, a documentarian with a popular TV show who’s been missing for 18 months, will return. But her mother (and trustee of the house) decides they will live in the new home—called Dragondah Hall—which is situated on the opposite side of England, in Cornwall. Maybe it’s not so bad: Ottillee meets a curious boy, Finn, who’s never known his birth parents and whose best friends are Shadow, a bat, and Vixen, a fox. And Cornwall only gets more intriguing, with a castle on a nearby island and such lore as a shapeshifting dragon in a local cave. As the youngsters pick up startling bits of local history that may affect the both of them, Ottillee remains steadfastly wary of the man who’s seemingly schmoozing her mother. Although the titular hero is initially a touch pigheaded, she’s thoroughly charming, even when stubbornly refusing to admit to her mother that their new place has its perks. She’s also humbly intelligent, makes an effort to learn Cornish (which Finn speaks fluently), and regularly dispenses memorable phrases like “bossy-boots” and “pooh on a stick.” The rest of the cast follows suit, from the instantly likable Finn to the perhaps villainous guy whom Ottillee keeps her eye on. Much of this tautly written narrative is given to discovery and exposition; quite a few questions are answered, and there’s even a hint of the supernatural. The action leads to an exciting albeit predictable climax that aptly sets the stage for a sequel.

Effervescent characters bolster this diverting tale that celebrates youthful exuberance.

Pub Date: May 4, 2023

ISBN: 9798386432843

Page count: 292pp

Publisher: Self

Review Posted Online: Nov. 23, 2024

ADDITIONAL WORKS AVAILABLE

Brimstones: The Miseducation of Ottillee Bottomly

In Part One of The Dragondah Mysteries, 11-year-old Ottillee Bottomly discovers her new life in the English county of Cornwall isn’t as boring as she’d expected. Talk about thrills, spills and chills around every corner! But in Part Two, the action moves from Dragondah on the Cornish coast to Brimstones on the Cornish moors. And if you think Ottillee’s new boarding school means dull teachers and dreary lessons, then you can think again. Life at Brimstones is all swirling mists and shimmering lakes, ancient stones and buried secrets. Oh, yes, and then there are the bullies and the beasts – and this time, we’re not just talking about the usual suspects.
Published: May 4, 2023
ISBN: 9798386531379

Penhaligons: The Brilliance of Ottillee Bottomly

It’s the festive season in Part Three of The Dragondah Mysteries, and Dragondah is a veritable winter wonderland. The snow is thick, the gifts are wrapped, and the castle is saved. So why isn’t Ottillee Bottomly jumping for joy? Is it because something important is proving impossible to find? Because someone she loves is struggling with their health? Because her closest friend has rejected her? Or because her sworn enemy is still lurking about in the background? Thankfully, Ottillee has plenty of people helping her through these challenging times, including school friends old and new. And, of course, sudden flashes of inspiration always help!
Published: May 4, 2023
ISBN: 9798386561932
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