Tried and Tested Trilogies: Part Three

As we head into 2020 and a new year of reading, I wanted to highlight a few trilogies that I have recently read and enjoyed. There is something brilliant about a trilogy, the story continuing, more depth of character and more reading! The plot thickening, the mention of previous events and relationships blossoming…so much to read and enjoy!

Penelope Tredwell is the unwavering and brave 13 year old heroine of this trilogy. Orphaned but cared for by a friend of the family, she has inherited The Penny Dreadful, a London based magazine. Originally failing, Penny has changed the magazine into one of the most popular ones of the time. Due largely to the scary stories of Montgomery Flinch.

However, Montgomery Flinch is a pseudonym for Penny, who is the actual author of the stories. Always on the look out for story inspiration, Penny stumbles onto a mystery in each book that take her into danger, involving her with criminals and introducing her to new friends. These friends inevitably get drawn into the mysteries and they work together to solve them.

In the first book, the patients at Bedlam Hospital are waking at twelve minutes to midnight and writing pages of information forecasting the future. Penny and hired actor playing Montgomery travel to see what the reasoning is. The Spider Lady is behind this with plans for the information contained in the pages. Who is she and what will she do with this information?

When one of Penny’s stories is being brought to the screen, Penny and hired actor are invited to be part of the production. The filmmaker is hiding a dark ghostly secret and it is pulling Penny and ‘Montgomery’ in. The filmmaker is using a Veritescope which seems to be a normal camera but Penny suspects there is more to it. When the film is being shown to the Prince, she realises they are all in grave danger and must stop the film reel.

The third book features an incredible and unbelievable theft of the Crown Jewels from the Tower of London. This impenetrable fortress is shocked at the theft and with the coronation of the King just days away, this is a high profile case. As Penny writes a story about The Thief who Wasn’t there, the police believe Montgomery to be the thief. In order to clear his name, Penny must solve the mystery of how the jewels came to be stolen and why this mystery leads her to the German Embassy in London. Is there a connection? Who are the Radiant boys that seem able to penetrate walls?

These books will keep you thinking, pondering over the advancement of science and in awe of the wonderful Penny! She and her friends are relentless in their pursuit of justice.

A wonderful trilogy from the incomparable Christopher Edge.