Books in Jennings series

When Jennings arrives at Linbury Court Preparatory School as a new boy, he soon discovers how much he has to learn, especially when the other boys seem to be talking in a different language! Spivish ozard! But it is not long before Jennings becomes a celebrity, following an intrepid escape from the school grounds and a riotous attempt to enliven a fire practice, which leaves Old Wilkie literally climbing the walls! From then on, every time Jennings gives trouble the elbow, a new disaster trips him over. But only one thing really matters to J C T Jennings – his First Eleven debut. When the long-awaited match arrives, Jennings certainly uses his head.

Fossilized fish-hooks! ‘We must have a headquarters, where we can meet and work out clues and things. We might even put up a notice so that chaps will know where to come when they want mysteries solved. Something like Linbury Court Detective Agency – Chief Investigator, J C T Jennings?’ When Jennings is inspired to take up a career as a detective, with faithful Darbishire as his assistant, trouble is bound to be just around the corner. Their first mission – to recover a ‘stolen’ sports cup, is the first of several bungled attempts to imitate super sleuth Sherlock Holmes. Frightful bish! But the detective duo face their most perilous adventure yet when they make a nocturnal visit to the sanatorium and discover that they are not alone. An intruder is at large, but a missing coat button is Jennings’ only clue. Crystallised cheesecakes!

Hah-ooh cinosrepus! ‘Selbanev, Nosnikta, Senoj-Nitram,’ said Jennings. ‘They’re the names of people, I bet you can’t guess who!?’ ‘Russian agents, Zulu tribesmen, Ancient kings of Egypt’ hazarded Darbishire. ‘No, no, no,’ Jennings flipped his fingers in delight and danced ungainly ballet steps round the tuck-boxes. ‘Oh, wacko! If you can’t guess, neither will anybody else, so we can use it for the code.’ Jennings is suffering from beginning-of-term-itis, but things soon return to the normal state of mayhem and confusion when his new diary is made public property! Alarmed at the thought of his most private thoughts being made public, Jennings decides to invent a secret language. Will anyone be able to decode Selbanev si a llopdolc? Drazo Hsivips! Inspired by a visit to the Natural History Museum, Jennings and Darbishire establish their own collection of ancient relics, but they are not out of trouble for long and when the precious diary goes missing, Jennings finds himself on the wrong side of the law! Relggowsnroh emoseurg!

Supersonic hoo-hah! Jennings and Darbishire watched with mounting horror. Earthquakes and landslides seemed to be happening before their eyes. The little hut was heaving like a thing possessed. ‘Oh, fish-hooks!’ breathed Jennings in dismay. ‘He’s smashing up the place like a bulldozer!’ The woodland at Linbury Court becomes squatters’ territory when Jennings comes up with the idea of building huts out of reeds and branches. Jennings and Darbishire are thrilled with their construction, which even includes a patented prefabricated ventilating shaft, a special irrigation drainage canal and a pontoon suspension bridge! Gruesome hornswoggler! But things can only go horribly wrong for Jennings when he is put in charge of Elmer, the treasured goldfish, and even worse when the Headmaster pays the squatters a visit. And if Jennings thinks that a game of cricket will be far less trouble, he’s going to be knocked for six! Rotten chizzler!