Nick Muffet and the Silver Coffin

Amanda Lester, Detective #10

by Paula Berinstein, Anna Mogileva (Illustrator)

After promising Sherlock Holmes he’d look after his descendants, accidental time traveler Nick Muffet discovers he’s spoken too from his vantage point in the twenty-first century he can find no trace of Holmes’s child with the cunning actress Irene Adler. His only option is to return to the past and look for himself. But time travel is risky and Nick fears he might inadvertently cause a disaster. Still, a promise is a promise. Against his better judgment he commandeers Simon Binkle’s time machine and returns to 1890. Unfortunately his search for the elusive offspring leads nowhere and he becomes increasingly desperate. At a loss, he realizes there’s only one strategy left to him, and it’s fraught with peril. He must seek out Adler herself. Securing a job at the theater where she’s appearing, Nick finds himself in the perfect position to observe the actress. But Adler is not the type to make things easy, and his distance is soon compromised. That’s just the beginning of his problems though. It seems Adler is involved in much more than just acting, and Nick is in far more trouble than he ever imagined.

392 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 31, 2020

About the author

Paula Berinstein is the author of the Amanda Lester, Detective middle-grade/YA series, which features a descendant of the Sherlock Holmes character Inspector Lestrade and is set in the English Lake District.

She is also the author of the Indigo (time travel) and The King's Alchemist (historical fantasy) series for adults.

From 2005 to 2012, Paula produced and hosted the popular podcast The Writing Show (http://www.writingshow.com). She holds degrees in English literature and librarianship from UCLA.

Reviews

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm glad time travel doesn't exist

I enjoy a good time travel story, especially if there's a twist. Nick Muffet is one of my favorite characters in the Amanda Lester series, and it was great to have an entire book dedicated to him and his redemption. Looking forward to seeing where author Paula Berinstein takes readers next.

[Saundra Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

The enigmatic criminal turned detective, Nick Muppet, finally gets an adventure of his own. Nick is struggling with his conscience. With all the evil deeds of his past, he is starting to think he should turn himself in. But how can he break the news to Amanda?
 
He also has the problem of promising Sherlock Holmes that he would watch out for his descendants. Finding them is the problem. Will he have to take another trip to the past?
 

[Tonja Drecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read almost every single one of the titles in this series and never grow bored of the adventures. This one concentrates on Nick...one of my favorite character.

One of my favorite things about this series is the mix of genres. It's always a surprise as to what direction the tale will take and imagination flows freely. The stakes are always high and the twists and turns fresh. Yet, it always holds to the mystery end of things and ties in Sherlock Holmes in some way or another. It's an original mix with characters to love and adventures to get lost in.

This tale isn't any different as Nick finds himself trying his best to keep a promise to Sherlock Holmes. As if the promise is a chore in itself, Nick has to battle other unexpected problems, which make it almost impossible to keep his promise. Of course, danger is only a step away and the solution is almost impossible to find.

In other words, this is already the tenth book in the series, and I'm not nearly bored of it yet.