School for Fireflies

About this book

When best friends and budding amateur detectives Zadie and Siddy discover hidden powers, they are thrust into the world of the Fireflies and find themselves attending a magical school, which is haunted by an unsolved mystery. 

Siddy is excitable and impulsive where Zadie is considered and thoughtful. But, together with their new friends, they make an incredible detecting team.

Each character uses their magical specialism — whether it be maps, elixir making, spotting, or a super-sensitive nose — to help uncover the secret behind the disappearance of Siddy’s father, all while battling against sinister Swallows who seek to steal Firefly magic and turn people to stone. 

This debut novel is filled with action, intrigue, and excitement, and readers will find themselves immersed in a magical world which is tantalisingly hidden in plain sight; a world filled with ghosts, disguised professors, and plenty of mysteries to unravel! 

The sisterly relationship between the two main characters is one of the strengths of this book and their sense of humour permeates the story even when things are looking bleak. It is a well-judged mixture of a magical world and an old-fashioned detective story.