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Barrington Stoke snap up 'action-packed' fantasy from Vashti Hardy
Barrington Stoke has snapped up The Relic Hunters: The Clockwork Key, the first in an "action-packed" adventure series, from Vashti Hardy.
Publisher Ailsa Bathgate acquired world rights from Kate Shaw at The Shaw Agency for publication in October 2024.
In The Clockwork Key, Mabel and Will Greystone visit their aunt Lucy, a famous relic hunter. Using an ancient map, the trio search for the legendary lost town of Umber, the place where clockwork was invented. However, the team are competing with the "devious" Byron Cogsworth, who is desperate for glory.
Hardy said: "I love bringing new fantasy worlds to [children’s] readership and this series, melding archaeology, STEM and fantasy, has been such a thrill to write. Children’s imaginations are boundless, whatever their reading ability, and I can’t wait for them to explore the fantastical landscapes and inventions alongside intrepid relic hunters Mabel, Will and aunt Lucy."
Bathgate added: "Vashti Hardy is an author whose imagination is seemingly boundless. The intricately detailed worlds she builds and the vividly animated characters she creates are the perfect gateway for children to build a love of reading. A new series from her is a real event and I can’t wait for our readers to set off on their adventures with Will and Mabel in The Clockwork Key."
