Review – The Clockwork Conspiracy

I received a free early copy of this from the publishers in exchange for an honest review. All views and opinions are my own.

Isaac Turner Investigates: The Clockwork Conspiracy by Sam Sedgman, cover design by Tom Clohosy Cole published by Bloomsbury

I love the Adventures on Trains books (you can read my reviews of most of them here, here, here, here and here if you haven’t read them yet!) so I was super excited when I heard co-author of this series, Sam Sedgman, had his own new mystery adventure coming out.

The Clockwork Conspiracy is a high octane, science-fuelled adventure whose main character Isaac Turner sees his horologist father inexplicably disappear from inside Big Ben and sets out to investigate what’s happened to him.

He’s ably assisted by new friend Hattie, whose confidence and risk-taking, get-stuff-done attitude perfectly complements Isaac’s more cautious, logical nature.

Together they embark on a code-breaking, rooftop-navigating, puzzle-piecing, clock-watching quest across London, uncovering a dastardly plot at the heart of government and frantically trying to save both his father and the country before time runs out…

I loved this. It’s a punchy and pacy adventure with plenty to get the grey cells working overtime as you wrap your head around scientific ideas whilst simultaneously trying to figure out how Isaac’s dad disappeared, who’s behind it and how they’ll find him.

I especially liked the insight into parliament and how that functions. Detailed and shrewdly observed without impeding the story, it felt like the sort of text version of a cross sectional illustration with all the inner workings wryly exposed.

I can’t wait to recommend this when it hits the shops in Feb! And I’m really hoping Isaac and Hattie will be back…!