The Initiation
Sale price
$929
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2016

The Initiation

By Ridley Pearson

Book #1 in the Lock and Key series

A missing heirloom, a secret society, and a young Holmes. Can James Moriarty solve the mystery?

3.7/5 Goodreads · 1,386 ratings
384 pages
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Bookroo's summary

Young James Moriarty, a trouble-prone boy from Boston, is thrust into a boarding school where he rooms with the brilliant Sherlock Holmes. When a valuable family Bible vanishes, the school locks down, and strange clues lead James into a web of intrigue. As a secret society looms, can James and Sherlock unravel the mystery before it's too late? Discover the origins of their legendary rivalry through the eyes of James's perceptive sister, Moria, in this thrilling reimagining of classic foes.

From the publisher

“Will leave you dying to know more.”–Rick Riordan, author of the Percy Jackson seriesThe New York Times bestselling author of the Peter and the Starcatchers and Kingdom Keepers series, Ridley Pearson, brings us the riveting first tale of the Lock and Key trilogy about the origins of the rivalry between literature’s most famous enemies–Sherlock Holmes and James Moriarty, told from the perspective of James’s observant little sister, Moria.Before James grew up to be a ruthless, remorseless villain, he was a curious boy from Boston, with a penchant for trouble and an acid tongue. Thrown into a boarding school against his wishes, James winds up rooming with a most unlikely companion: a lanky British know-it-all named Sherlock Holmes (“Lock” to his friends). An heirloom Bible, donated by the Moriarty family more than a hundred years ago, has gone missing, and it doesn’t take long for the two to find themselves embroiled in the school-wide scandal.The school is on lockdown until it’s found, strange clues keep finding their way to James, and a secret society lurks behind it all. It’s a brave new reimagining of the Sherlock Holmes series as only master of suspense Ridley Pearson could envision. As Rick Riordan, author of the Percy Jackson series, says, “This tale will change the way you see Sherlock Holmes and leave you dying to know more.”

At a glance
Format
Paperback
Pages
384
Reading age
8–12
Audience
Middle Grade
Lexile
670L
Themes & topics
Books about schoolBooks about siblingsBooks about detectivesBooks about BostonBooks about lost and found possessions
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The fine print

Book details

Reading levels
ATOS
~4.3
F&P level
~P
Publication
Published
May 2, 2017
First published
September 20, 2016
Publisher
HarperCollins
Edition
Language
English
Type
Chapter Book
Identifiers
ISBN
9780062399021

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