Dublin & London 1859: A Tale of Two Cities

Bram Stoker: boy seeking adventure (and things to write about)

Molly Malone: part-time fishmonger and full-time sneak thief!

Best friends Molly and Bram are on a mission in London.
Famous writer Charles Dickens has been kidnapped!

The pals set out to search the darkest corners of the city. On their travels, they meet all sorts of characters, among them a foul-mouthed fowl and a Worshipful Company of Fishmongers.

Can they solve the riddle of the disappearing Dickens before it’s too late?

Prizes

Short-listed for Children's Book of the Year (Senior) 2024 (Ireland)

An absolute riot of a read – funny and page-turning

plots unfold in perfect tandem, thrills and comedy equal throughout, and it’s all sprinkled with literary references to Dickens. The characters convince, even the cockney-rhyme spouting villains, and the settings – a tale of two cities – do too. This is a page-turning treat for young readers and lucky the teacher or parent who gets to share the story

this escapade is even better than the last. With Brams’ parents otherwise occupied, Molly and Bram head off on the adventure of a lifetime. The characterisation is superb; the setting is perfect, capturing 1859 London to a t … page after page of mayhem and foibles, peppered with the proper amount of danger and humour. Atmospheric, jaw-dropping, fast-paced and utterly marvellous, this book is perfect for anyone over the age of 10 and will inspire a love of history and mystery

this whodunnit is a deft mix of history, cultural references, social commentary and a whole lot of fun … a fantastic read

A great trilogy for kids to read!

A brilliant adventure ensues, with clues, red herrings, mad cap chases, jokes and puns. Nolan is a master at keeping child readers entertained and this is his best yet

Set in Victorian Dublin and London, this book is such fun. Charles Dickens disappears in Dublin and it’s up to the intrepid twosome, young street urchin Molly Malone and her pal, Bram Stoker, to find him, with the help of Dickens’ son. A brilliant adventure ensues, with clues, red herrings, mad cap chases, jokes and puns. Nolan is a master at keeping child readers entertained and this is his best yet

this whodunnit is a deft mix of history, cultural references, social commentary and a whole lot of fun. Set in Dublin and London with a cast of many, it is a glorious celebration of even the stinkiest aspects of city living in Victorian times. Peppered with the worst (and therefore the best) dad jokes and puns, the rich language adds to the entertainment – especially the Cockney rhyming slang! Readers can add 'lanky gob-daw’ and ‘dimber-damber’ to their personal arsenal of insults. A fantastic read

Charles Dickens disappears in Dublin in 1859 and it’s up to the intrepid twosome — young street urchin Molly Malone and her posh pal Bram Stoker — to find him. A brilliant adventure ensues, with clues, red herrings, madcap chases, jokes and many, many puns

author Alan Nolan skilfully blends fact and fiction

a brilliant adventure … clues, red herrings, mad cap chases, jokes and puns

ALAN NOLAN was awarded the 2024 Children’s Books Ireland Annual Award for his outstanding contribution to children’s books. Alan grew up in Windy Arbour, Dublin and now lives in Bray, Co. Wicklow with his wife and three children. Alan is the author of the Molly Malone and Bram Stoker series. He is also the author and illustrator of Fintan’s Fifteen, Conor’s Caveman and the Sam Hannigan series, and is the illustrator of Animal Crackers: Fantastic Facts About Your Favourite Animals, written by Sarah Webb. Alan runs illustration and writing workshops for children, and you may see him lugging his drawing board and pencils around your school or local library. www.alannolan.ie Bluesky: @alnolan Instagram: @alannolan_author Shane Cluskey is an illustrator from Galway in the west of Ireland. He studied at The National College of Art & Design in Dublin and after that, traveled to America and London to further his illustration career. Now, he's back in his hometown, still daydreaming and drawing pictures, and he hopes to keep doing it for a very long time!