Fifteen-year-old Tom lives in the murky, sooty city of London, where he helps his father to run a print shop. Among the customers is wise old Dr Harker, a retired physician and seafarer, whose patient demeanour and fascinating tales endear him to Tom. When Tom and Harker hear a newspaper seller announce a most curious murder in the city, with the victim pierced by an arrow and left holding an illustrated card of 'Death and the Arrow', they are both intrigued by the mystery. As subsequent 'Death and the Arrow' victims are discovered, the mystery closes ever more tightly round the city and intrudes even into Tom's own life. From then onwards, he can't rest till he has discovered the truth behind the murders... A really atmospheric venture into the eighteenth-century, combined with a gripping mystery plot, will fascinate and engage readers of ten and upwards.

 

This book features in the following series: Tom Marlowe, Tom Marlowe Adventures .

There are 240 pages in this book. This book was published 2006 by Random House Children's Publishers UK .

Chris Priestley, author of Jail-breaker Jack (Hodder), Dog Magic (Transworld, shortlisted for the Children's Book Award) and My Story: Battle of Britain (Scholastic).