Small Change for Stuart

Things change for ten-year-old Stuart Horten who is unwillingly spending his summer holidays in his father’s home town when he starts looking into his family history and discovers he comes from a long line of stage magicians. Further research aided by Alice, one of the triplets living next door, makes it clear that the spirit of his great uncle, once the most famous magician of his age, is willing him on to discover the whereabouts of a long lost collection of stage tricks. Beating off some adult rivals also looking for the same thing, Stuart finally wins through after some extraordinary adventures. This bright, action-packed novel is Lissa Evans’s first for children, and perhaps more time could have been spent on character where she can be very witty, and less on ever-escalating plot developments. Even so, this is a promising debut with much both to excite and amuse.