Description
Set during World War II, a twelve-year-old orphan who accidentally unleashes a shadow monster onto the streets of London must team up with unlikely allies to hunt it down.
"The twists and surprises just keep on coming. My kind of book!"-R.L. Stine, author of Goosebumps and Fear Street
Surviving on the streets of World War II London alone certainly hasn't been easy, but Nimble Nottingham has perfected the art of going it alone-and that's just how he likes it. The only friend he needs is his beloved dog, Winnie. To pass the time between rolling blackouts and bombs falling through the air, Nim spends his days fence-climbing, roof-jumping, and gargoyle-perching...that is when he's not scrounging for food to stave off the ever-present hunger the war has brought to London.
So when opportunity strikes in the form of a bomb falling onto the notoriously creepy Gravenhurst Manor, Nim knows he has to get inside and find whatever spoils he can get his hands on to sell for food. Get in. Get out. Quick as a flash. At least, that was the plan until Mouse-a member of a local street gang called the Dead End Kids-shows up and invites himself along for the heist.
Inside, Mouse and Nim encounter far more than just crumbling walls and shattered windows. Beneath Gravenhurst Manor lies a secret room and inside that room is a locked safe. Nim, inspired by the Hardy Boys adventures he used to read at Waifs and Strays orphanage, knows that something this protected has to be valuable, and so he cracks the safe and unknowingly unleashes a monster.
A shadow creature is now loose on the streets of London, and it's up to Nim, Mouse, and a band of unattended children to end its reign of terror.
About the Author
Ryan James Black is a writer from Manitoba, Canada, where he lives with his wife, two children, and a Jumanji's worth of pets. When not writing or reading, Ryan enjoys travelling, watching scary movies with all the lights on, and exploring the Great Outdoors with his family.
Reviews
Praise for The Dark Times of Nimble Nottingham:
"A shadow monster on the loose... and that's just the start of the frights. Tense... fast-moving...and the twists and surprises just keep on coming. My kind of book!"-R.L. Stine, author of Goosebumps and Fear Street
"In his debut, Black conjures a properly terrifying night monster... readers will enjoy the focus on the multiple frantic chases and pursuits through hidden tunnels and shattered buildings...tense climax...Strong on action and punctuated with moments of sharply felt terror."-Kirkus Reviews
"Ryan James Black's innate knack for storytelling and witty narrative voice are on full display in his historical fantasy horror debut. Nim and the entire cast of quirky, gritty, and altogether charming characters-including a loveably mangy mutt named Winnie-are already calling me back for a second read, and I am happy to oblige."-Jenna Lee-Yun, author of The Last Rhee Witch series
"Clever and courageous as its plucky hero, The Dark Times of Nimble Nottingham, is an explosive debut. Heart-pounding peril? Perfectly peculiar characters? Ghoulish mysteries buttoned into the gloom of a Blitz-Era London? Sign me up!"-Mary Averling, author of The Curse of Eelgrass Bog
"A thrilling debut from Ryan James Black. Set against the backdrop of the London Blitz, The Dark Times of Nimble Nottingham is brimming with scares and thrills but also tempered with the longing for family and home. I loved this book. A must-read!"-Ronald L Smith, Award-winning author of Hoodoo and the Black Panther: The Young Prince Trilogy
Book Information
ISBN 9780593698068
Author Ryan James Black
Format Hardback
Page Count 288
Imprint Nancy Paulsen Books
Publisher Nancy Paulsen Books
Weight(grams) 391g
Dimensions(mm) 210mm * 140mm * 18mm
"The twists and surprises just keep on coming. My kind of book!"-R.L. Stine, author of Goosebumps and Fear Street
Surviving on the streets of World War II London alone certainly hasn't been easy, but Nimble Nottingham has perfected the art of going it alone-and that's just how he likes it. The only friend he needs is his beloved dog, Winnie. To pass the time between rolling blackouts and bombs falling through the air, Nim spends his days fence-climbing, roof-jumping, and gargoyle-perching...that is when he's not scrounging for food to stave off the ever-present hunger the war has brought to London.
So when opportunity strikes in the form of a bomb falling onto the notoriously creepy Gravenhurst Manor, Nim knows he has to get inside and find whatever spoils he can get his hands on to sell for food. Get in. Get out. Quick as a flash. At least, that was the plan until Mouse-a member of a local street gang called the Dead End Kids-shows up and invites himself along for the heist.
Inside, Mouse and Nim encounter far more than just crumbling walls and shattered windows. Beneath Gravenhurst Manor lies a secret room and inside that room is a locked safe. Nim, inspired by the Hardy Boys adventures he used to read at Waifs and Strays orphanage, knows that something this protected has to be valuable, and so he cracks the safe and unknowingly unleashes a monster.
A shadow creature is now loose on the streets of London, and it's up to Nim, Mouse, and a band of unattended children to end its reign of terror.
About the Author
Ryan James Black is a writer from Manitoba, Canada, where he lives with his wife, two children, and a Jumanji's worth of pets. When not writing or reading, Ryan enjoys travelling, watching scary movies with all the lights on, and exploring the Great Outdoors with his family.
Reviews
Praise for The Dark Times of Nimble Nottingham:
"A shadow monster on the loose... and that's just the start of the frights. Tense... fast-moving...and the twists and surprises just keep on coming. My kind of book!"-R.L. Stine, author of Goosebumps and Fear Street
"In his debut, Black conjures a properly terrifying night monster... readers will enjoy the focus on the multiple frantic chases and pursuits through hidden tunnels and shattered buildings...tense climax...Strong on action and punctuated with moments of sharply felt terror."-Kirkus Reviews
"Ryan James Black's innate knack for storytelling and witty narrative voice are on full display in his historical fantasy horror debut. Nim and the entire cast of quirky, gritty, and altogether charming characters-including a loveably mangy mutt named Winnie-are already calling me back for a second read, and I am happy to oblige."-Jenna Lee-Yun, author of The Last Rhee Witch series
"Clever and courageous as its plucky hero, The Dark Times of Nimble Nottingham, is an explosive debut. Heart-pounding peril? Perfectly peculiar characters? Ghoulish mysteries buttoned into the gloom of a Blitz-Era London? Sign me up!"-Mary Averling, author of The Curse of Eelgrass Bog
"A thrilling debut from Ryan James Black. Set against the backdrop of the London Blitz, The Dark Times of Nimble Nottingham is brimming with scares and thrills but also tempered with the longing for family and home. I loved this book. A must-read!"-Ronald L Smith, Award-winning author of Hoodoo and the Black Panther: The Young Prince Trilogy
Book Information
ISBN 9780593698068
Author Ryan James Black
Format Hardback
Page Count 288
Imprint Nancy Paulsen Books
Publisher Nancy Paulsen Books
Weight(grams) 391g
Dimensions(mm) 210mm * 140mm * 18mm
