Something for the Weekend: Jon Mayhew and supporting the Big Green Bookshop

Edgy Taylor sees demons when nobody else can. Edgy thinks he is insane and expects to be carried off any minute. He is a prime collector, wandering the streets of London collecting dog muck for the tannery. The only thing Edgy is good at is setting and solving riddles, and evading his brutal and abusive master.

One night, when his master seems genuinely intent on killing Edgy, Professor Envry Janus intervenes. Envry takes him to the Royal Society of Daemonology where Edgy will now live. It is here, though, that Edgy discovers chance had nothing to do with their meeting, and that he holds the key to a deadly demon prophecy…

Published by Bloomsbury, ‘The Demon Collector’ was written by Jon Mayhew. This is Jon’s second book set in the Victorian period and although I loved ‘Mortlock’ (which was shortlisted for the Waterstone’s Children’s Book Prize this year), for me ‘The Demon Collector’ has something extra special. The writing is truly confident, unapologetic and seriously good. This story, for me, comes from the heart (and utterly bonkers mind) of a true storyteller.

Dark humour, packed full of adventure and with riddles of riddles, ‘The Demon Collector’ is breathtaking.

And, seeing as it’s Friday and you’re bound to be in a good mood, I’d like to give a big shout out for the Big Green Bookshop, whilst subtly adding that they offer free postage for spends over £5.

Simon, Tim and Mark are top blokes and the Big Green Bookshop is fabulous. I launched ‘Like Bees to Honey’ there last May and they did both me and the book proud. At the moment they’re struggling and need our help. So, If you’re considering buying a book this week, then do check out their website to order online or give them a ring or pop in. I’ve ordered ‘One Day’ and ‘Starter For Ten’ (both by David Nicholls) from them this week, as David will be signing in store on Saturday and ‘One Day’ was my most favourite read last year.

I have the utmost respect for the blokes at the Big Green Bookshop and would rather like to launch a ‘soon to be announced very exciting something completely different’ there early next year… (oooh, the mystery! See how I tease you so?).