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Overview
A sister and brother's search for their missing parents uncovers a mysterious secret society in an action-filled sea-and-land saga centered in 1920s Shanghai.
For Joshua Mowll, it was the surprise of a lifetime. There, among the archives inherited from his great-aunt Rebecca MacKenzie, was a 1920s journal recounting the thrilling and dangerous adventures of fifteen-year-old Rebecca and her younger brother, Doug, in the wake of their parents' mysterious disappearance in the deserts of China. Now carefully re-created in a lavish volume — complete with cloth binding and a journal-style elastic clasp — the siblings' tale begins aboard the Expedient, their uncle's enigmatic research ship, and moves at a breathless pace through the streets of Shanghai and on to a terrifying island fortress. Along the way, Doug and Becca encounter an ancient order of Chinese mercenaries, a brutal pirate warlord, a feisty Texan heiress, and a stolen cache of a volatile explosive called zoridium. By their saga's end, the intrepid duo has exposed a murderous plot involving their parents and uncovered a high-minded secret society hidden from the world for hundreds of years. Interspersed are such "archival" elements as:
— elaborate diagrams and maps
— vintage photos and illustrations
— documents with stamps, seals, and watermarks
— four full-color gatefolds, the largest a six-page foldout
— extensive appendices and notes
Painstakingly researched and packed with authentic detail, OPERATION RED JERICHO is the first of three nonstop-action tales of intrigue by first-time author Joshua Mowll — historical fiction at its finest.
Editorials
From Barnes & Noble
Shanghai, 1920. Fifteen-year-old Becca MacKenzie and her younger brother, Doug, are traveling on their uncle's research ship, Expedient, when they stumble across leads that could solve the mysterious disappearance of their parents in the deserts of China. Their pursuit of these clues sends them into the perilous streets of Shanghai and into a forbidding island fortress. This thoroughly compelling historical novel is organized as a simulated diary, complete with documents, gatefolds, and vintage photos and illustrations.Publishers Weekly
Mowll's intriguing debut novel introduces siblings Becca and Doug. An opening "note to the reader" adds an air of authenticity to the fiction by identifying the author as heir to his deceased great-aunt (Becca), who had requested that he finish putting her "archive into a publishable form." Set in 1920, the elaborately plotted saga opens in Shanghai, as Becca and Doug (whose parents disappeared a year ago during a mysterious expedition to western China) arrive at a research ship captained by their uncle, their newly appointed guardian. Also on board is a French scientist who had been kidnapped by a Chinese warlord and forced to create torpedoes using a powerful explosive. The teens explore the ship in hopes of discovering why their uncle is so secretive about his South China Sea mission, and discover messages outlining the man's assignment from the board of the "Honourable Guild of Specialists," an organization whose raison d' tre readers learn only at tale's end. Inquisitive, impulsive Doug and cautious, thoughtful Becca play key roles in accomplishing the complex task, which entails a dramatic showdown with the warlord. Becca's diary entries and sidebars with background information supplement the narrative, along with drawings from Doug's sketchbook, cutaway views of the ship, maps and foldout pages marked "Confidential Material." As the energetically paced story winds down, Becca and Doug make a pact to search for their parents, setting the scene for book two of the planned Guild Trilogy. Ages 12-up. (Sept.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.Children's Literature
This title is the beginning of a new series called "The Guild of Specialists." The setting is modern day when Joshua Mowll—the author—receives his late great-aunt's, that is, Rebecca MacKenzie's estate. Among the estate items are important documents that explain his Uncle Douglas's and Aunt Rebecca's role in Operation Red Jericho. After finding Aunt Rebecca's diary, he learns more about this secret society and his relatives' connection to it. The rest of the novel explains in great detail this particular operation using Becca's diary, drawings of scientific devices and notes on important people, and other documents that Mowll finds at the estate. The novel continues to be suspenseful at the turn of every page—always attempting to find out if Becca and Doug will find their lost parents. The author confuses the reader by incorporating real scientific details, and actual historical people and occurrences of the early 1900s; however, the book is completely fictional. The book has a beautiful red cloth cover with an elastic black strap that goes around the entire novel—adding to the mystery of fiction versus reality. 2005, Candlewick Press, Ages 12 up.—Kathy Shelton
KLIATT
Clever in both its conception and format, Mowll's first novel is sure to appeal to young readers with its interactive mystery plot. The premise is that the story came to the author via a legacy left to him by a great-aunt Rebecca. In examining her archives, he has uncovered documentation of a secret society, Operation Red Jericho, hidden for generations; his great-aunt and her brother Doug were involved in the society during the 1920s. The narrative follows the adventures of Rebecca and Doug as they are passed off to their Uncle Fitzroy MacKenzie, captain of the oceanographic research ship Expedient. Their parents have disappeared on a mysterious adventure, and Rebecca and Doug uncover secrets on the ship, including documents that hint of their parent's involvement in the Honourable Guild of Specialists and the real focus of the mission from which they disappeared. The story takes the teens in and around Shanghai in an adventure worthy of James Bond, complete with mysterious characters, villains, and a plot involving dangerous weapons. The text is delightful, with pullout schematic drawings, sketches from Doug's sketchbook, excerpts from Rebecca's diary, loads of photographs and archival documents, and appendices to provide additional information. Mowll's skill as a graphic designer is evident in the care taken to create authentic replications of artifacts and photos. The book ends with Rebecca and Doug heading off to find their parents, making readers eager for the sequel. (The Guide Trilogy, Book One). KLIATT Codes: JS—Recommended for junior and senior high school students. 2005, Candlewick Press, 288p. illus., Ages 12 to 18.—Michele Winship
School Library Journal
Gr 5-8-Excerpts from 15-year-old Becca's diary interspersed with third-person narrative combine to produce a tale of high adventure, intrigue, and science fiction along the China coast in 1920. Following their parents' mysterious disappearance in the remote Sinkiang region, Becca and her younger brother, Doug, are sent from their home in India to live with their sea-captain uncle, whose research vessel they board in Shanghai. Through their inquisitiveness and spying, they learn of a secret society that may have had something to do with their parents' fate and of a very volatile substance called zoridium that their uncle is trying to retrieve from an evil warlord. Their curiosity leads to their capture and captivity on his island fortress-the site of a rousing showdown that sets the stage for the second volume in this trilogy. Memorable, over-the-top characters and an often unbelievable plot are united with fascinating sidebars and graphics, such as short biographies of people like Bohr and Einstein, archival photographs of old Shanghai, vintage newspaper clippings, a chart of the Morse code, diagrams of "inventions," or Doug's sketches of the action scenes. Several "confidential" full-color pull-outs provide detailed descriptions of the various vessels and of an ancient fighting order, the Sujing Quantou. Some readers may pore over the details in this novel; others will simply appreciate the comic adventure.-Diane S. Marton, Arlington County Library, VA Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.Kirkus Reviews
When Mowll inherits his late great-aunt Rebecca MacKenzie's British estate, including her archives and 1920 diary, he is charged to prepare her memoirs. This first of a trilogy chronicles the fictional adventures of 15-year-old Rebecca and her 13-year-old brother Douglas who travel to Shanghai in 1920 to board a research ship with their uncle, Captain Fitzroy MacKenzie, after their parents mysteriously disappear. Excerpts from Rebecca's diary, four beautifully produced gatefolds detailing ships, weapons, and submersible crafts, wonderful pencil sketches, photographs (and more) add dimension and authenticity to the high-seas hijinks. Readers will revel in the exciting setting, the abundant science and history, a dangerous tiger, ruthless pirate warlords, the mystery of an ancient secret society and even a battle to keep the volatile substance zoridium out of the hands of evildoers. Unfortunately, the urgency of the siblings' search for their parents, the emotional core of the story, drowns in the wake of swashbuckling action. Budding scientists, inventors and fans of all things nautical, however, will still be enraptured by this lovingly created, highly visual offering. (reader's note, map, appendices, selected sources) (Fiction. 12+)Book Details
Published
August 9, 2005
Publisher
Candlewick Press (MA)
Pages
288
Format
Hardcover
ISBN
9780763626341