Overview

A demon takes a scrappy runaway under his wing. The gargoyle, the runaway, and a weary priest turn their attention to a series of killings that may have ties to political unrest-and may have ties to the supernatural.

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9781512411553

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In the 1930s, young teen Craig McGowan can't find work in Edinburgh, so he climbs to a church rooftop to jump off. It's then that a gargoyle, Silex, convinces the boy to work for him instead, to act as his eyes and ears in investigating a disturbing crime wave--the city's plagued with a series of mysterious murders, with knives left plunged into the victims, whose throats were cut. Silex suspects a supernatural motive, and Craig and Father Harris, the priest of Silex's church, soon find themselves in danger as the killer stalks more potential victims. Zangara's black-and-white art with sometimes scratchy lines provides a gloomy atmosphere in keeping with the somber story, while his architectural details evoke a strong sense of place. Silex's use of children harkens back to Sherlock Holmes and his Baker Street Irregulars, street kids who gather intelligence for the detective. Yolen and Stemple use enough Scottish vernacular that readers will need to pay attention while reading. Give this to middle- and high-school readers who enjoy mysteries mixed with dark fantasy. --Booklist --Journal Craig McGowan has little to believe in as a street urchin in 1930s Edinburgh, but just when he's ready to give up and throw himself from the top of a church, he meets Silex, a demon trapped in a gargoyle statue who runs a crime-solving operation, since perching on a church for centuries is a bit boring. Craig becomes his investigator and confidante as they try to solve a string of murders plaguing the city. This first volume in Yolen and Stemple's Stone Man Mysteries series sets up some enticing plot dynamics, including Silex's true nature and plan, Craig's intention in working for the demon detective, and what kinds of people they will encounter in the darker parts of Edinburgh. Zangara's black and white drawings fit the brooding and menacing mood of this story, and the detail and nuance within his artwork encourage multiple readings to notice its subtleties. At a quick glance, his drawings may seem like unpolished sketches, but this approach enhances the story, matching the bleakness and supernatural strangeness of Craig's world. --Publishers Weekly --Journal Craig McGowan, a young, white Scot, is recruited by Silex, a gargoyle, to join his detective agency and solve crimes in a mystery graphic novel. In 1930s Edinburgh, Scotland, Craig contemplates ending his life from the top of a cathedral on which Silex, an ill-natured gargoyle, is perched. Thanks to Silex, Craig doesn't go through with the jump. Together with Father Harris, an aging priest (also and unsurprisingly white), Silex runs an investigative service. To help solve a recent series of mysterious deaths, Silex invites Craig to join the agency, and as the teen begins his apprenticeship, Father Harris begins training Craig to gather information from locals. Throughout the mystery, Scottish colloquialisms are generously dispensed: 'lads, ' 'lass, ' 'wee bairns, ' 'toffs, ' 'dodgy, ' 'git, ' and more. Yolen and Stemple's writing style draws heavily from detective and crime novels, adding to the pulpy feel of the text, mostly made up of dialogue augmented by Silex's inner thoughts and selective snatches of third-person narration. Zangara mirrors the text with fittingly moody black-and-white panels that depict dark and intricate city skylines, expressive character close-ups, shadowy spreads, and slanted, rain-filled backgrounds. Political, theological, and socio-economic undertones reverberate, underscored by the occasional death scene. A visually engrossing noir debut in the vein of Sin City, this setup promises a number of sequels. --Kirkus Reviews --Journal

In the 1930s, young teen Craig McGowan can't find work in Edinburgh, so he climbs to a church rooftop to jump off. It's then that a gargoyle, Silex, convinces the boy to work for him instead, to act as his eyes and ears in investigating a disturbing crime wave--the city's plagued with a series of mysterious murders, with knives left plunged into the victims, whose throats were cut. Silex suspects a supernatural motive, and Craig and Father Harris, the priest of Silex's church, soon find themselves in danger as the killer stalks more potential victims. Zangara's black-and-white art with sometimes scratchy lines provides a gloomy atmosphere in keeping with the somber story, while his architectural details evoke a strong sense of place. Silex's use of children harkens back to Sherlock Holmes and his Baker Street Irregulars, street kids who gather intelligence for the detective. Yolen and Stemple use enough Scottish vernacular that readers will need to pay attention while reading. Give this to middle- and high-school readers who enjoy mysteries mixed with dark fantasy. --Booklist --Journal Craig McGowan, a young, white Scot, is recruited by Silex, a gargoyle, to join his detective agency and solve crimes in a mystery graphic novel. In 1930s Edinburgh, Scotland, Craig contemplates ending his life from the top of a cathedral on which Silex, an ill-natured gargoyle, is perched. Thanks to Silex, Craig doesn't go through with the jump. Together with Father Harris, an aging priest (also and unsurprisingly white), Silex runs an investigative service. To help solve a recent series of mysterious deaths, Silex invites Craig to join the agency, and as the teen begins his apprenticeship, Father Harris begins training Craig to gather information from locals. Throughout the mystery, Scottish colloquialisms are generously dispensed: 'lads, ' 'lass, ' 'wee bairns, ' 'toffs, ' 'dodgy, ' 'git, ' and more. Yolen and Stemple's writing style draws heavily from detective and crime novels, adding to the pulpy feel of the text, mostly made up of dialogue augmented by Silex's inner thoughts and selective snatches of third-person narration. Zangara mirrors the text with fittingly moody black-and-white panels that depict dark and intricate city skylines, expressive character close-ups, shadowy spreads, and slanted, rain-filled backgrounds. Political, theological, and socio-economic undertones reverberate, underscored by the occasional death scene. A visually engrossing noir debut in the vein of Sin City, this setup promises a number of sequels. --Kirkus Reviews --Journal Craig McGowan has little to believe in as a street urchin in 1930s Edinburgh, but just when he's ready to give up and throw himself from the top of a church, he meets Silex, a demon trapped in a gargoyle statue who runs a crime-solving operation, since perching on a church for centuries is a bit boring. Craig becomes his investigator and confidante as they try to solve a string of murders plaguing the city. This first volume in Yolen and Stemple's Stone Man Mysteries series sets up some enticing plot dynamics, including Silex's true nature and plan, Craig's intention in working for the demon detective, and what kinds of people they will encounter in the darker parts of Edinburgh. Zangara's black and white drawings fit the brooding and menacing mood of this story, and the detail and nuance within his artwork encourage multiple readings to notice its subtleties. At a quick glance, his drawings may seem like unpolished sketches, but this approach enhances the story, matching the bleakness and supernatural strangeness of Craig's world. --Publishers Weekly --Journal

Author Information

Adam Stemple is an author and American folk rock musician based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He has co-written many books with his mother, Jane Yolen. Jane Yolen lives in Massachusetts and has written more than 400 books across all genres and age ranges, including the Sydney Taylor Honor book Miriam at the River. In 2022 she was named the The Sydney Taylor Body-of-Work Winner. She has been called the Hans Christian Andersen of America and the Aesop of the twentieth century. Orion Zangara is an illustrator and comic book artist who lives in the Washington, DC, area. He is a graduate of The Kubert School, an art trade school, with a concentration in sequential art.

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