One of our Books of the Year 2015 - June 2015 Debut of the Month An Edwardian department store provides a glamorous setting for this sparkling girls’ detective story, and there’s something of the Little Princess about its central character Sophie Taylor too. Left penniless when her father dies she’s pleased to find a job in the millinery department of Sinclair’s. The other girls decide she’s stuck-up but she makes friends with Billy a junior porter and beautiful Lil, who models clothes during the day and dances in the chorus at night. A daring burglary plunges them all into an exciting – and dangerous – adventure. Sophie is an appealing heroine, the mystery is cleverly plotted and leads to a thrilling climax, while the period details – clothes, hats, tea and cake – add to the charm. Splendid! ~ Andrea Reece
You are cordially invited to attend the Grand Opening of Sinclair's department store! Enter a world of bonbons, hats, perfumes and MYSTERIES around every corner. WONDER at the daring theft of the priceless CLOCKWORK SPARROW! TREMBLE as the most DASTARDLY criminals in London enact their wicked plans! GASP as our bold heroines, Miss Sophie Taylor and Miss Lilian Rose, CRACK CODES, DEVOUR ICED BUNS and vow to bring the villians to justice...
It is perfect for fans of Jacqueline Wilson, Chris Riddell and Enid Blyton.
Katherine Woodfine was born in Lancashire in 1983, and studied English at Bristol University. She lives in London and since 2009 has worked for the literature charity Booktrust, where she is a children's book specialist and project manager of the Children's Laureate, working with leading children's authors such as Malorie Blackman, Julia Donaldson and Anthony Browne.
Katherine is the bestselling author of the Sinclair’s Mysteries and the Taylor & Rose Secret Agents series. Her first novel, The Clockwork Sparrow, was shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize in 2015. For Barrington Stoke, her Heroines from History Little Gems series includes Elisabeth and the Box of Colours, Sophie Takes to the Sky and Rose’s Dress of Dreams which was heralded by the Guardian as “a pink-clad paean to design and dressmaking as an artistic rebellion”
