Review: Knightley and Son by Rohan Gavin

Sometimes I hate getting Netgalley ARCs because I read them and then have to wait possibly months before I can tell you about or if I tell you soon after reading it and you have to wait months to read the book yourself. For my US readers, the latter happens to be the case with this book. Good news for my UK readers - Knightley & Son by Rohan Gavin is now available.

I considered waiting until the US release date to post my review, but I couldn't wait until March to tell you about this book. It's just too good (I kind of want to read it again right now). I found it when looking for middle grades and younger adult books for my niece and nephew. I loved the description for this book and thought it would be a fun read for my nephew. Little did I realize how much I would personally enjoy the book. For me it felt a little like a Nancy Drew or Veronica Mars, but the lead character is boy and the case is a bit more supernatural. And oh, English!

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Presumably, I read the British version and I wonder how much of the wording will be changed for the US edition (kind of like how the Philosopher's Stone had to be changed to Sorcerer's Stone). Knightley and Son is set in London and so I hope it doesn't lose too much of its British feel, but there were a few references that I don't think the target audience in the US would get. 

The whole time I was reading it, I couldn't wait to share it with my nephew. I know he will love it. I guess having to wait until March isn't so bad as it is closer to his birthday and I won't have to worry about what to get him.

It is a fun adventure story that the whole family should read together. While there is a supernatural element to the plot, I wouldn't really call the book fantasy. It is such a small portion of the story line. Knightley and Son is so much more - a detective story, a great father-son adventure, conspiracy and danger abound, family and loyalty are at the forefront and never underestimate the intelligence of young people. There is even a bit of humor infused within the pages.

It would make an excellent father-son bonding activity whether read together at bed time or in a book club type setting where each read on their own and then talk about it together. I recommend it for father-son time because the story focuses on a father-son team, there is nothing keeping it from entertaining the entire family. I hope there are more adventures to come from Knightley & Son.

Book Info:
ebook & hardcover (30 pages)
Published March 2014 by Bloomsbury USA
ISBN13: 9781619631533
Source: Netgalley
Read: December 2013


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