Rohan Gavin's funny and suspenseful YA debut KNIGHTLEY & SON, has won many fans and accolades in the UK since its recent publication. This charming debut, the first in a series, features a quirky father-son detective duo in a quintessentially London setting – and Bloomsbury, who clinched a three-book deal after a heated auction, launched it in style at the London Eye. It was a glittering winter’s night looking out over the London skyline and the outlook for the Knightleys looks bright both in the UK and further afield.
Gallimard have acquired French rights, and Bloomsbury US will publish on 4 March this year, with Rohan Gavin touring to promote. KNIGHTLEY & SON will be a part of the influential Spring 2014 Indies Introduce New Voices promotion, run by the American Booksellers Association, and supported by independent bookstores across the US. It’s also on the Spring 2014 Kids' Indie Next List – "Inspired Recommendations for Kids from Indie Booksellers”. In the UK it’s racked up a number of accolades including Sunday Times Book of the Week and Book of the Month on Mumsnet.
Kirkus gave it a coveted starred review, saying: 'Heaps of mystery, dry humor and tweed abound in this exemplar of crime fiction à la Doyle... Darkus’ skill at deduction, perpetual observation and sang-froid are spot-on Holmes-ian… … A rousing page-turner with one fault: It ends.' New York Times bestselling author Chris Grabenstein offered this praise: ‘Danger and excitement – not to mention quirky characters and wonderful writing – lurk around every page!’
Darkus Knightley is not your average thirteen-year-old: ferociously logical, super-smart and with a fondness for tweed, detective work is in his blood. His dad Alan Knightley was London's top private investigator and an expert in crimes too strange for Scotland Yard to handle, but four years ago the unexplained finally caught up with him - and he fell into a mysterious coma. Darkus is determined to follow in his father's footsteps and find out what really happened. But when Alan suddenly wakes up, his memory is wonky and he needs help. The game is afoot for Knightley & Son – with a mystery that gets weirder by the minute, a bestselling book that makes its readers commit terrible crimes, and a sinister organisation known as the Combination . . .
Rohan Gavin is a screenwriter and author based in London. He is the son of award-winning children's author Jamila Gavin, and recently became a father himself. His second novel KNIGHTLEY & SON: K-9 (featuring a plucky four-legged friend) is due for UK publication in August this year.
Some praise for KNIGHTLEY & SON:
‘An engaging, characterful debut’ – Nicolette Jones, Sunday Times Pick of the Week
'This book surpasses all expectations... Any fan of Sherlock Holmes will find this book very appealing ... full of suspense, mystery and some very clever detective skills.' – Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books
'Just too good... a fun adventure story that the whole family should read... I hope there are more adventures to come' – Girl-who-reads.com
'In Darkus Knightley, author Rohan Gavin has created a protagonist that readers will grow to love... clever, action-packed and humorous adventures' – bookzone4boys
‘His first novel, owes much to the world of film – especially the non-stop, tongue-in-cheek movies that are aimed at a family audience – Indiana Jones and most recently, Sherlock. … Action is high on the agenda … Aimed firmly at an audience who are steeped in Tintin and who have enjoyed The Diamond Brothers, this is a lively romp which will certainly please young readers.’ – Booksforkeeps
See here for Knightley & Son profiles and case files…
