Inkbound: Meticulous Jones and the Shadow Compass
- Author Philippa Leathley
- Narrator Sarah Ovens
- Publisher HarperCollins Publishers
- Publish Date 29 January 2026
- Run Time 7 hours and 30 minutes
- Format Audio
- Genre Children’s / Teenage fiction: Crime and mystery fiction, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Family and home stories, Children’s / Teenage fiction: General fiction, Children’s / Teenage personal and social topics: Families and family members.
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What to expect
The next extraordinary magical adventure about family, fate and finding the courage to be truly yourself – perfect for fans of Nevermoor, Lemony Snicket and The Swifts.
At the Founders’ Day Parade in the magical city of New London, a tombstone engraved with Metty’s name mysteriously appears and leads her to an eerie underground cathedral. It’s home to the League of Shadows – a secret society who promise power and protection. But joining their ranks means going against Aunt Mag’s wishes and completing a set of dangerous, magical challenges.
When an inspector threatens to expose the Joneses’ darkest secret, Metty has no choice. The only way to protect her family is to join the League before the next full moon. Racing against time with the help of a magic thief and a sarcastic fire demon, she must find her way back to the cathedral. But will she be too late to save those she loves?
Critics Review
n Praise for Inkbound:n
n‘The whole book crackles with imagination. It’s beautifully written, with broad appeal to boys and girls, and fizzes with indelible imagery … A fantastic adventure’ The Times, Children’s Book of the Week
n‘An adventure overflowing with magic, brought to life with wit and charm’ Beth Lincoln, author of The Swifts
n‘Bursting with magic, heart and humour – bound to delight’ Abi Elphinstone, author of Sky Song
n‘Immersive, imaginative and immense. Destined to enchant its readers’ Hannah Gold, author of The Last Bear
n‘A wild feat of extraordinary imagination, fizzing with mystery, magic and humour. Readers are sure to be daydreaming about flying cities and fate tattoos for years to come’ Aisling Fowler, author of Fireborn
n‘Utterly dazzling! Leathley has woven together the perfect fantasy adventure. Anyone who reads this book is fated to find their new favourite author’ Siobhan McDermott, author of Paper Dragons
n‘A twisty Gothic adventure full of magic, mystery, secrets and soaring cities!’ Rashmi Sirdeshpande, author of Never Show a T-Rex a Book
n‘Deliciously dark and utterly compelling, I fell completely in love with the world of New London’ Zohra Nabi, author of The Kingdom Over the Sea
n‘A richly imagined, unique story with all the hallmarks of a future classic. Just like the most stubborn of tattoos, Inkbound will leave its mark on you’ Clare Povey, author of the Bastien Bonlivre Adventures
n‘I absolutely loved Inkbound. Incredibly imaginative, brilliant fun and enchanting in every way possible’ Jordan Lees, author of The Whisperwicks
n‘Had me starstruck from the very first page. An extraordinary debut full of everything I love in middle grade: magic, mystery and a heroine with an inability to follow rules’ Laura Noakes, author of Cosima Unfortunate Steals a Star
n‘This brilliant adventure sparkles with charm and imagination. My fate is to be bewitched, enchanted and obsessed with Inkbound’ Megan Hopkins, author of Starminster
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