Books with author Simon Mann

Meet Garvie Smith. Reprobate, genius, waster, and sometime detective. Right in the middle of revision hell - until now. A boy from Marsh Academy has been shot, with no clear motive and no clues. Disgraced DI Singh is on the case, and he's determined to keep Garvie away. But Garvie knows he's the only one who has any idea where to look for the answers. Starting with his best friend's girlfriend. And it's going to take more than pointless revision or flunking his exams to stop him getting involved. Exams. What exams?

Tidy the house. Make tea. Put Tug to bed. Ever since her mum died, 11-year-old Martha has gotten used to being the one in charge. Her brother, Tug, is too small. Her friend Marcus is too obsessed with Hollywood movies. And Dad is just too strange.When Dad falls off the roof, it's Martha who takes him to the doctor. And when Dad doesn't come home at night, it's Martha who cooks Tug his favorite pie. But Martha's to-do list keeps getting harder: Tidy the house. Find out what's wrong with Dad. Make us a family again.This is a funny, tender novel about families, dreams, being yourself—and pies.

NOW AVAILABLE IN paperback, the Quigleys return in this second collection of stories. Funny and instantly recognizable from their last adventures, this time the family goes camping in France. Mum stars in the skipping competition at the local village fete; Will gets locked in his empty school; and Dad (not surprisingly) loses the pet bird. Here are four more hilarious escapades from this irrepressible yet warmly affectionate family.“Simon paints a picture of a remarkably recognizable, but totally unique family. British words and spellings add to the fun. They are a family like most of ours—full of life and ridiculous, but ordinary experiences. This will be the next treat for the Hurwitz and Cleary crowd.”—KirkusFrom the Hardcover edition.

Eleven-year-old Martha is used to being the one who has to keep her head. Tug, her little brother, is too small. Dad is too strange. And Mum's not here any more.So when Dad falls off the roof, it's Martha who ices his knee and takes him to the doctor. And when Dad doesn't come home, it's Martha who cooks Tug's favourite pie and reads him his bedtime story. And when Dad passes out, it's Martha who cleans him up and keeps his secret.But eventually Dad's problems become too big for even Martha to solve. There is only one person who can sort things out now. Dad.