We are thrilled to be revealing the cover for Tom Phillip’s The Curious League of Detectives and Thieves 2: S.O.S, the side-splitting second installment of a middle grade mystery series for fans of A Series of Unfortunate Events and Enola Holmes! Releasing on August 1 from Pixel + Ink, S.O.S is available to pre-order.
Read on to discover the synopsis, the amazing cover by Stephen Gilpin (find Stephen on Facebook and Instagram!), and Tom’s thoughts on it!
Fresh off recovering a billion-dollar ruby and losing the criminal who stole it, John Boarhog and Inspector Toadius McGee are soaring high on a new adventure. Hoping to intercept the Mauve Moth before they execute their next great heist, Toadius and John book passage on Her Majesty’s Royal Air Armada—a luxury cruise liner airship. But alas, there will be no clear skies ahead. A committee from the Society of Sleuths (S.O.S) is also aboard, ready to put John through his first trial to gain full membership, despite Toadius’s objections.
Furious with his mentor, John falls in with the Hive, a group of kids obsessed with using social media for fame. They see how valuable he is, even if Toadius doesn’t.
But when both the Mauve Moth and Shim-Sham resurface, each with their own nefarious aims, will the detective duo be able to see past their disagreements to, once again, save the day?
The second book in the Curious League of Detectives and Thieves series, S.O.S. is a hilarious, high-flying, heart-pounding mystery adventure readers won’t be able to put down.
“I think what I love the most about the cover is how Stephen Gilpin’s unique style captures the excitement of the book perfectly. It’s amazing to see another artist’s interpretation of my world, and he knocked it out of the park. I love how he captures the two new characters, a circus performer named Kana Rai and the lovable Wembley Quokkas. I’m excited for my readers to meet John’s new friends, see them fight sky pirates, and try to solve a mystery set on a cruise ship in the sky.” — Tom Phillips
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Despite a lifelong struggle with dyslexia, Tom Phillips grew up with a passion for storytelling. He writes books that kids can enjoy on their own, but also read aloud and share. He’s had a long career as an editor and artist for clients such as LeVar Burton Kids, HBO, Disney, and ABC, and is currently writing a screenplay for a major studio. An armchair Sherlockian, Tom lives in Los Angeles with his lovely wife and his dog, Dr. Watson. Visit him online at TomPhillipsWriter.com and on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok.
