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THE LUCY WILSON MYSTERIES: THE PENNYWORTH RECURSION

THE LUCY WILSON MYSTERIES: THE PENNYWORTH RECURSION

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Candy Jar Books is thrilled to announce an exciting new addition to The Lucy Wilson Mysteries series: The Pennyworth Recursion.

Penned by veteran Lucy Wilson author Chris Lynch, this captivating short story continues the adventures of Lucy and Hobo.

Publishing Co-ordinator, Keren Williams, shares her enthusiasm:

“Chris has been with us since the inception of this series and has a remarkable grasp of the characters, especially Hobo. Whenever I get a Chris story for proofing, I know that I’m going to have a fantastic couple of days!”

The Pennyworth Recursion reintroduces the character of Pennyworth, originally seen in the Lethbridge-Stewart novel, The George Kostinen Mystery. Pennyworth, a robot Yeti created by Hobo, aids him in navigating his bleak, dystopian life. This story brims with humour and adventure, featuring multiple versions of Pennyworth from alternate dimensions!

Head of Publishing, Shaun Russell, adds:

“Chris has been a cornerstone of the Lucy Wilson series, particularly with his annual Christmas stories. While this story takes on a slightly darker tone, akin to The Terminator franchise, Chris’ signature outlandish ideas make it truly exceptional.”

Renowned Beano artist, Steve Beckett, once again delivers a fantastic cover, which showcases various Yetis, including Pirate Yeti, Cowboy Yeti, and Football Yeti.

Blurb for The Pennyworth Recursion:

Lucy and Hobo embark on an olde-worlde coach trip to Bledoe. It’s clearly a trap, but with tickets priced at just 1p, how can they resist? Or more accurately, how can Hobo resist? Lucy isn’t convinced the price is worth the ride…

On a musty old coach packed with OAPs, they find solace in Pennyworth, a virtual, portable assistant created by Hobo. However, their luck takes a turn when Pennyworth calculates their chances of reaching Bledoe are… zero.

Robotic Yetis appear from nowhere – one in a cowboy hat, another wearing a football kit, and one half the size of the others! Despite their differences, they all share one name: Pennyworth.

The Lucy Wilson Mysteries is a Lethbridge-Stewart spin-off adventure and features licensed characters created for Doctor Who by Mervyn Haisman and Henry Lincoln.

STOP THE CLOCK! New From Candy Jar

STOP THE CLOCK! New From Candy Jar

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Candy Jar Books is pleased to announce that Stop the Clock!, the latest instalment of The Lucy Wilson Mysteries, is now available for pre-order exclusively from the Candy Jar website.

The Lucy Wilson Mysteries series first started back in 2018 and even though it was spearheaded by the talented Sue Hampton the series has since been very male-led, with Stop the Clock! being the first full-length novel written by a female writer since.

Author, Cherry Cobb, is very excited to be the second woman author for the series. She says:“I’ve written a few short stories about Lucy over the years, but when Shaun asked me to write a full-length novel, I jumped at the chance!”

Head of publishing at Candy Jar, Shaun Russell, says:

“It’s fantastic to have Cherry writing for the series. We were incredibly lucky to have the series kickstarted by Sue and I’m hoping that this will be the start of more stories by women authors.”

Lucy Wilson is the granddaughter of the iconic Doctor Who favourite Brigadier Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart. Recently in the series, Lucy had one of her biggest adventures yet (in The Mystery of Lucy Wilson trilogy) where she time travelled back to 1985 Melbourne to meet plant people from outer space (Memories of the Future), followed by killer koala bears (Rampage of the Drop Bears). She was then thrust forward to encounter giant spiders in an alternate 2020 apocalyptic Earth (Apocalypse Tomorrow). As if this wasn’t enough, Lucy also visited her first alien planet in The Web of Terror.

This time, however, Lucy is spending time away with her best friend Hobo at her brother’s house in London. After a whirlwind of adventures over the past few months, the duo are under strict orders not to go exploring London on their own. But Lucy’s time ring has other ideas and they are soon cast back in time to London to World War IIduring the blitz.

Cherry continues:

“I had to set the story in World War II London as it was such a remarkable period in history. There are so many stories to be told, but one that grabbed my attention was the time that Big Ben stopped working from June the 3rd at 10.13pm to June the 4th at 10.13am in 1941. This was due to a workman who accidentally dropped a hammer into the movement works while repairing the clock after an air raid. But then I started to think, what if it wasn’t the workman and was something else entirely?”

As well as exploring a time so rich with history, the book also features some cameos of Winston Churchill, Alan Turing and Candy Jar’s very own Eileen Younghusband, author of the award-winning One Woman’s War.

Keren Williams, Publishing Co-ordinator and part of the editorial team for both Lethbridge-Stewartand Lucy Wilson, says:

“We’ve seen Eileen quite a lot in the Lethbridge-Stewart series, due to popular demand, but this is her first appearance in Lucy Wilson. And, what’s most exciting is that the ending leaves an opening for her return in a later story.”

Blurb of The Lucy Wilson Mysteries: Stop the Clock!:

London, 1941. The day Big Ben stopped.

It’s half-term. Lucy and Hobo are excited to be in London, especially as they’re going to see The Lion King at the theatre! But, Lucy’s dad has told them to stay inside and out of trouble. Luckily for the dynamic duo, Lucy’s time ring has other plans!

Rationing. Air raids. Bombs. The Houses of Parliament. Big Ben. And a strange ticking noise.

But who is Curt Uhrmacher? Why does he have an army of clockwork people? And can Lucy and Hobo stop the clock in time  

This brand-new Lucy Wilson book is filled with unexpected twists and intriguing characters. Join Lucy and her loyal companion, Hobo, as they race against time to unravel a mysterious case that holds the key to the future. Set in the backdrop of wartime London in 1941, Lucy and Hobo are entangled in a web of secrets and suspense. Prepare to be spellbound as you uncover the truth behind the enigmatic ticking noise that echoes through the Houses of Parliament. With their sharp wit and keen investigative skills, Lucy and  Hobo dive deep into the heart of the mystery, uncovering secrets and unravelling clues along the way.

The Lucy Wilson Mysteries is a Lethbridge-Stewart spin-off adventure inspired by characters created for Doctor Who by Mervyn Haisman and Henry Lincoln.

THE LUCY WILSON MYSTERIES: 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS!

THE LUCY WILSON MYSTERIES: 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS!

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Candy Jar Books is pleased to announce that twelve brand new Lucy Wilson festive short stories will be released for free in the run-up to Christmas.

The first Christmas-themed short story by Steven Walton is available to download right now. After this, a story will be released daily, with the concluding tale being released on Christmas Day.

Inspired by the carol The Twelve Days of Christmas, the first story is entitled ‘Twelve Drummers Drumming’ and each subsequent story is named after, and is loosely linked, to one of the twelve days.

Head of publishing at Candy Jar, Shaun Russell, says:

“We like to give something back at Christmas as a thank you for the support our readers have given us throughout the year. In the last few years, we’ve had some brilliant Christmas stories from our regular writer Chris Lynch. And with his Lucy Wilson book, The Best Christmas Ever being released in all good retailers this Christmas (please go and buy a copy if you can), we thought we’d give someone else a chance to celebrate the upcoming festivities”.

Enter Steven Walton…’

Steven previously wrote a short story for the Lethbridge-Stewart series, which led to the commission of a full-length Lucy Wilson novel entitled The Mystery of Lucy Wilson: Apocalypse Tomorrow, available exclusively via Candy Jar in the summer of 2023. Following its success, Apocalypse Tomorrow will be released officially through the Books Council of Wales, making it available at all good bookshops, in June 2024.

Publishing Co-ordinator at Candy Jar, Keren Williams, says:

“In my duties as part of the Lethbridge-Stewart and Lucy Wilson editorial team, I’ve found Steven to be a highly creative individual. It’s not easy writing twelve festive-themed short stories back-to-back, but Steven has succeeded and has even managed to bring the reader something different each day, which is a real triumph.”

And, with popular Beano artist Steve Beckett continuing at the helm of the series’ artwork, providing a front cover filled with Christmas chaos, this is a collection that won’t disappoint!

Available from the 14th of December until the 25th of December on the Candy Jar website. https://www.candy-jar.co.uk/books/thetwelvedaysofchristmas.html

Blurb for The Twelve Days of Christmas:

By now, Lucy Wilson shouldn’t have expected anything more than a holiday hamper full of monster mayhem at Christmas. But this time around, Lucy didn’t quite anticipate being attacked by her Christmas dinner.

Twelve festive stories featuring monsters in the pipes, a Christmas party gone wrong, and a trip around the world with Santa himself. Will Lucy be able to save the world just in time for the holidays?

The Lucy Wilson Mysteries is a Lethbridge-Stewart spin-off adventure and featured licensed characters created for Doctor Who by Mervyn Haisman and Henry Lincoln.

A Lucy Wilson Extravaganza!

A Lucy Wilson Extravaganza!

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Candy Jar Books is pleased to announce four brand new stories in The Lucy Wilson Mysteries series.

The Lucy Wilson series was born in 2018 with The Lucy Wilson Mysteries: Avatars of the Intelligence by author Sue Hampton and since then Lucy Wilson, the granddaughter of the Brigadier, has carried the formidable legacy of the Lethbridge-Stewart name through eight full-length novels and five short story collections, not including the four newly released pre-order titles.

Kick-starting Lucy’s new quartet of adventures is fairly-new-to-the-scene author Jonathan Macho, with his short story The Ballad of the Borad, which is an action-packed tribute and farewell to the recently closed Bristol Zoo. Jonathan is an exciting new talent from Cardiff who’s first novel The Lucy Wilson Mysteries: The Serpent’s Tongue was very well received by fans of the series.

The Ballad of the Borad

Jonathan says: “When Shaun asked me to pen a new story with Lucy and Hobo encountering the Borad and some animal hybrids at Bristol Zoo, it turned out to be a two-fold blessing. Not only did I get to spend more time with two characters I really love to write, but it gave me an excellent excuse to go to Bristol Zoo for ‘research’, just a few days before it closed down! The more I saw and learned about the Zoo and its history, the more clear it became that it was the perfect setting for a Lucy Wilson adventure. I hope I did such a special place justice.”

Popular author John Peel, writer of the third book in the Lucy Wilson series The Midnight People, returns with his second full-length novel The Lucy Wilson Mysteries: The Invisible Women, but there’s a twist! John’s new Lucy Wilson novel crosses over with the ongoing Lethbridge-Stewart spin-off series, Travers & Wells.

Range Editor Andy Frankham-Allen says: “First it was The Brigadier and the Bledoe Cadets paired with Lucy Wilson and the Bledoe Cadets and now… When it came time to discuss what our next crossover would be, Shaun suggested Lucy meeting up with Edward Travers and HG Wells. Then came the old ‘who to write it’, which almost always results in Shaun suggesting John Peel. I was on board with that, and knew John would be up for the challenge…”

In The Invisible Women, Lucy is transported back in time for an Edwardian adventure that includes ghosts, ferocious fairies, Harry Houdini and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, as well as some irksome invisible women. On their adventure, Lucy and Hobo pair up with popular character in the Lethbridge-Stewart series Edward Travers and his companion HG Wells, in an attempt to stop the monster behind a kaleidoscope of calamities!

John Peel says: “Writing the story was… interesting. The two books had to have separate plots that interlinked, and yet still made sense if read alone – which obviously took a bit of planning! And the last couple of chapters (the wrap-up) had to be the same, obviously, but told from two different perspectives. The only way I could imagine doing this was to write both books together as a single manuscript, so that I could be sure that the pacing worked out and the overlaps occurred at the same time in each tale, and then leave the two respective editors to disassemble the manuscript into two books. Hey, I wasn’t going to do all of the work! I was expecting the process to be challenging, but because the editors and I had worked it out beforehand, it actually proved to be a lot smoother and easier than I had feared. And also a great deal more fun.”

Following on directly from The Invisible Women is The Mystery of Lucy Wilson: Memories of the Future by George Ivanoff, which is the first book in a three-part time travel adventure set in Australia.

LW Memories of the Future Cover

George says: “The main theme of the book is memories. Lucy has travelled to Melbourne, Australia, in 1985 but has lost most of her memories. She can’t remember where or when she came from, or even who she is. Particularly important are the lost memories of her grandfather, Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart. In 1985, she befriends a boy named Matty who also has repressed memories. Weaving all those memories into the story as they begin to be reclaimed was the concept that inspired the novel.

“Much of the book’s setting is based around my own teenage years. I grew up in the suburbs of Melbourne, Australia. The library and lifesaving club mentioned in the book were places that I used to ride my bike to. And, just like the characters in this book, in 1985 I attended Aussiecon 2, the 43rd World Science Fiction Convention, as Melbourne was the host city. It was heaps of fun, taking these elements from my formative years, and weaving them into Memories of the Future.”

Fans of The Lucy Wilson Mysteries may notice the change in the series title to The Mystery of Lucy Wilson for this three-part instalment, because Lucy Wilson truly is a mystery to both herself and her new friends, but Lucy is not the only mystery in this story!

George continues: “I was really excited when I was told that I’d be able to use UNIT. in Memories of the Future. I ended up giving UNIT. an Australian branch. In my mind, they are off having other adventures around Australia now that Lucy has returned to her own place and time.”

And last, but certainly not least, in the newly released quartet is The Mystery of Lucy Wilson: Rampage of the Drop Bears by Baz Greenland, which is the second book in the three-part time travel adventure set in Australia.

Rampage of the Drop Bears cover

Baz says: “What better inspiration for a kid’s story than evil Koala Bears? I had so much fun stepping into the world of Lucy Wilson, and throwing her into a time travel adventure with one of Australia’s greatest mythical monsters, the legendary drop bears!”

Lucy finds herself back in Melbourne in 1985 and she still doesn’t know who she is or where and when she’s come from! All she does know is that her time ring seems to be defunct and she’s being taken on an even bigger adventure than she’s ever been on before.

Baz continues: “It’s Gremlins meets a tour through Australia’s rich history – from a trip to the Pleistocene era through to the 2000 Sydney Olympics. It was an honour to follow up a wonderful story by George Ivanoff and I hope Rampage of the Drop Bears delights fans, young and old!”

The third book in the Mystery of Lucy Wilson trilogy will conclude next year.

All four of the newly released books feature artwork by The Beano artist Steve Beckett, who is responsible for all of The Lucy Wilson Mysteries covers (including the logo!).

Blurbs:

The Invisible Women by John Peel

2020 has only just begun, and it already feels like it’s going to be full of back-to-back adventures as Lucy’s time ring sends her and Hobo on their second adventure of the year.

On arrival, our Ogmore-by-Sea teenage heroes have no idea where (or when) they are. They are just grateful that it isn’t lunchtime, as they crash land right in the middle of a dinner table surrounded by strange faces!

With invisible women lurking around every corner, how can they defeat someone when they can’t even see them? Add ghosts, ferocious fairies, Harry Houdini, HG Wells, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle into the mix, and this is one strange time travelling escapade. But who is the monster behind this kaleidoscope of calamities, and why does it want Lucy’s time ring?

Lucy and Hobo are about to find out…

Battle of the Borad by Jonathan Macho

School trips are never simple when it comes to Lucy and Hobo. There’s always an adventure just around the corner.

Spending the day at Bristol Zoo, Lucy hopes to have a normal day out, but it’s not long before she realises the zoo has gone wild!

The animals have escaped and, Lucy’s no expert, but these animals aren’t quite what Lucy was expecting: a fish-bird, a cat-snake, a tortoise-spider and a huge, lumbering elephant-frog!

As Bristol Zoo welcomes visitors for the very last time in 2022, Lucy Wilson joins many other visitors in looking back at what makes the zoo special to her as she says a final goodbye.

The Mystery of Lucy Wilson: Memories of the Future by George Ivanoff

Melbourne, 1985. Matty is just an ordinary boy having an ordinary evening, browsing for books in his favourite sci-fi shop. Until he meets a girl. A girl who appears out of thin air, into a locked room, and can’t remember who she is or where she came from.

And then Matty’s day gets slightly less ordinary when he encounters time-travelling killer plant people from outer space.

For Matty to put things right, he must work out who his new friend Lucy Wilson is, and why he is suddenly not so ordinary.

The Mystery of Lucy Wilson: Rampage of the Drop Bears by Baz Greenland

Melbourne, 1985. Fred’s best friend Matty has vanished. And now he’s found a new friend, Lucy Wilson.

Lucy doesn’t remember much about herself, but what she does know is that she’s from the future. But time travel isn’t possible, is it?

Aliens, drop bears on a rampage, a Pleistocene safari, a trip to Sydney Olympic Stadium in 2000, and a vicious baby running riot through time. Will Lucy and Fred ever be able to restore the timeline, or has their life as they knew it changed forever?

The Lucy Wilson Mysteries and The Mystery of Lucy Wilson is a Lethbridge-Stewart spin-off adventure inspired by characters created for Doctor Who by Mervyn Haisman, Henry Lincoln and Derrick Sherwin.

The Invisible Women, The Battle of the Borad, Memories of the Future and Rampage of the Drop Bears are all available to pre-order via the Candy Jar shop and will be posted out at the end of October.

To order, please visit: https://www.candy-jar.co.uk/books/lethbridge-stewart.html

Also, Hannah Haisman’s daughter, Amelia Hatt, has illustrated a picture book entitled “A Monster Stole My Lunch Box“, in collaboration with The Analysis Bureau, Lucy Wilson and Lethbridge-Stewart author, Tom Dexter.

THE CHILDREN OF JANUARY

THE CHILDREN OF JANUARY

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Children of January

Candy Jar Books is pleased to announce that The Children of January, the latest instalment of The Lucy Wilson Mysteries, is now available for pre-order, exclusively from the Candy Jar and Lethbridge-Stewart websites.

Lucy Wilson is the granddaughter of the iconic Doctor Who favourite Brigadier Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart, and the last four years have seen her contend with a succession of extra-terrestrial threats drawn to her home in the seaside village of Ogmore-by-Sea, Wales.

This time, however, Lucy is packed off on a school trip to Dartmoor, where to her surprise she encounters seven other young defenders of Earth.

Head of publishing at Candy Jar, Shaun Russell, said:

“Lucy and Hobo have really grown as characters since Sue Hampton masterfully introduced them in Avatars of the Intelligence. Since then we’ve seen them thwart an invasion of Mirror Clowns, end the TV career of Billy Bandrel, meet the Quarks, help the Brigadier save the universe, visit Fang Rock, and even witness Lucy’s birth. But now Lucy and Hobo are taking on their greatest challenge – and this time they need help!”

Enter Joshua Benton, Reisha Travers and many more – the Children of January!

Tim Gambrell, the author of The Children of January, is thrilled to be kicking off this new phase of the Lucy Wilson saga. He says:

“For one reason or another, I seem to have spent a lot of time with Lucy Wilson and Hobo over the past two years! It wasn’t planned that way, that’s just how it’s worked out. For me, at least, it’s been a joy. Lucy and Hobo are great characters to write for and build stories around. But since The Brigadier and the Bledoe Cadets was published, the next planned step for me was always The Children of January.”

The book is set in January 2020 (hence the title), before the impact of COVID-19. Lucy and Hobo are sent off to Dartmoor to represent their school, alongside various other pupils from schools nationwide. This adventure ties up a few loose ends from the previous books, and establishes a brand new mystery for our heroes.

Tim continues:

“The Children of January was never going to be just another Lucy Wilson Mysteries book. Shaun gave me the title and a shopping list of things he wanted the book to contain. This included quite a large cast of characters. In fact, there’s even a guest appearance from a certain well-known warrant officer! Shaun then left me to turn his shopping list into an engaging Lucy Wilson Mysteries book. It was a challenge, for sure, but hopefully I’ve succeeded.”

Blurb of The Lucy Wilson Mysteries: The Children of January:

A new calendar year. A new term. A new set of challenges for Lucy Wilson and Hobo Kostinen.

 The two of them discover they’ve been selected to represent their school at a national team event, that weekend.

 But why such short notice? Who are the other seven children making up their team? And why are none of them bothered by the prospect of searching out concealed aliens on the frozen wastes of Dartmoor in January 2020?

 Pretty soon, Lucy and Hobo realise that no one is quite what they seem on this particular weekend away.

The Lucy Wilson Mysteries is a Lethbridge-Stewart spin-off adventure inspired by characters created for Doctor Who by Mervyn Haisman and Henry Lincoln. It also features Sergeant Benton, created by Derek Sherwin.

The Lucy Wilson Mysteries: The Serpent’s Tongue

The Lucy Wilson Mysteries: The Serpent’s Tongue

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Candy Jar Books is pleased to announce that the latest The Lucy Wilson Mysteries novel, The Serpent’s Tongue is now up for pre-order, exclusively from the Candy Jar and Lethbridge-Stewart websites.

This information is being released to coincide with Shakespeare Week, an annual celebration giving primary school children opportunities for enriching and enjoyable early experiences of Shakespeare. Written by Jonathan Macho The Serpent’s Tongue finds Lucy and Hobo time travelling back to Stratford-upon-Avon during the Shakespeare Jubilee celebrations of 1769.”

Shaun Russell, head of publishing at Candy Jar, says:

“Jonathan is an exciting new talent from Cardiff. In 2014, at the age of 19, he was a runner-up in our second South Wales Short Story competition and was featured in the accompanying book Breaking the Surface. After that, in 2016, Jonathan wrote the Lethbridge-Stewart short story The Two Brigadiers. This was well-received by our fans, so I contacted him immediately and asked him to write for the Lucy Wilson series.”

Jonathan, who is currently doing a Creative Writing MA at Cardiff University, says:

“When I first submitted work to the South Wales Short Story Competition back in 2014, which feels like forever ago, I had no idea all the brilliant opportunities that would follow. Telling a story in Lucy’s world is a privilege I’ve been working towards for a while and it’s thrilling to see the book, my first published novel, come together. The whole thing is surreal in the best possible way. The Serpent’s Tongue is special to me for a lot of reasons. I was given plenty of free reign and support from Shaun and everyone at Candy Jar, so I used the world of Doctor Who to give a platform to that most underrepresented of writers: William Shakespeare.”

The Serpent’s Tongue is a Shakespearean tour-de-force and a must for fans of the Bard. However, some children (and adults) find Shakespeare difficult to get into. Jonathan feels that Shakespeare should be fun. He continues:

“School kids can struggle with Shakespeare because of the way he’s often dropped on them without context, humour or fun, and that means they miss out on some wonderful worlds. I still remember the first Shakespeare I saw, a brilliant production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream my parents dragged me to that changed my life, no doubt about it. Lucy herself isn’t the Bard’s biggest fan, so this book is me trying to get her on board, and hopefully some of the readers too.”

Blurb for The Serpent’s Tongue:

Lucy Wilson is really getting the hang of being a hero. She’s faced alien monsters, travelled through time and saved the world more than once! So when a school trip to Stratford-upon-Avon takes a turn for the weird, throwing her and Hobo back in time hundreds of years, she’s more than ready for another adventure.

That is, until the adventure follows her home…

With alien bears on the hunt, something massive lurking in the canals and two mysterious figures watching her every move from between the curtains, Lucy needs to face up to her responsibilities and make an impossible choice.

Take your seats. The show’s about to begin.

The Lucy Wilson Mysteries is a Lethbridge-Stewart spin-off adventure inspired by characters created for Doctor Who by Mervyn Haisman and Henry Lincoln.

The Serpent’s Tongue is available from this link.

THE BANDRILS ARE BACK! AND THIS TIME THEY MEAN BUSINESS… SHOW BUSINESS!

THE BANDRILS ARE BACK! AND THIS TIME THEY MEAN BUSINESS… SHOW BUSINESS!

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Candy Jar Books is pleased to announce that the latest The Lucy Wilson Mysteries novel, The Bandril Invasion, is now up for pre-order, exclusively from the Candy Jar and Lethbridge-Stewart websites.

The latest instalment is penned by Wink Taylor, one of the writers behind Sooty, the beloved children’s TV character, as well as the acerbic kid’s favourite Basil Brush. Wink is also behind the successful Theo the Mouse Show which tours the country and is a real family favourite.

This background informs The Bandril Invasion, in which a maverick children’s TV character becomes an overnight sensation. Unlike Sooty and Basil, however, Billy Bandril’s antics are not all in good fun. 

Wink Taylor explains:

“I spent a lot of happy years writing for children’s television and theatre, the bond that kids form with the characters is one of the most rewarding aspects. I was always determined to honour that bond, and make certain that the magic was never broken. It was a privilege to write for such household names and it always fascinated me that the puppeteers at all times remained firmly hidden. This got me thinking: what if the motivations behind this were not benign and were in fact … thoroughly evil!!”

Sooty and Basil Brush are not the only children’s entertainment icons that influence The Bandril Invasion. Popular Beano artist Steve Beckett continues at the helm of the series’ artwork, providing a front cover both classic and fresh in style. 

In Steve’s words:

“This bold, bright cover was a blast to do. Developing a Doctor Who monster, a Bandril, into children’s TV’s hottest new star was great fun. It still has a slight air of menace about it though – poor Hobo!”  

Then, of course, there is the series’ relation to Doctor Who. Lucy Wilson is the granddaughter of the beloved Doctor Who character Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, who features in Candy Jar Books’ fully licensed Lethbridge-Stewart series. Now in its fifth year, this series explores the further adventures of multiple characters from the classic era of Doctor Who, including the iconic baddie The Great Intelligence.

Fans of the classic series of Doctor Who may remember that the Bandrils made a brief appearance in the Colin Baker story Timelash. Range Editor of The Lucy Wilson Mysteries, Shaun Russell, says:

“Timelash is probably one of the most Marmite Doctor Who stories ever made, either you love or hate it! In my opinion it does have some of best and worst monsters ever featured in the series. The Borad, for example, is wonderful. Others are not so good. The Bandrils, however, are quite puppet-like, and this was my inspiration for this Lucy Wilson story. And that’s when we thought of Wink Taylor. His television and theatre background really helped in creating this slightly oddball Bandril story, which draws upon Doctor Who’s past in many exciting ways.”

A chip off the old block, Lucy picks up the Lethbridge-Stewart mantle in the modern day. Lucy and her family have already featured in three recent Lethbridge-Stewart short stories – Lucy Wilson by Sue Hampton (The HAVOC Files 3), The Two Brigadiers by Jonathan Macho (The HAVOC Files 4), and The Arcade of Doom by Chris Lynch (Lineage) – and in classic Doctor Who fashion, soon the timelines will overlap with the crossover title Lethbridge-Stewart: Lucy Wilson and the Bledoe Cadets. 

At the crossroads of old Who and new, with the heart of Jacqueline Wilson, the comedy of David Walliams and drawing on the creativity behind some of children’s entertainment’s most enduring hits, there’s something for readers of all ages in The Lucy Wilson Mysteries: The Bandril Invasion.

Blurb for The Bandril Invasion: 

Billy Bandril is the TV sensation sweeping the nation! The hilarious antics of this anarchic puppet have kids and their parents waiting all week for another episode of mayhem.

Fresh from her latest adventure, Lucy Wilson could use some time relaxing in front of the box. But Hobo isn’t too sure… There’s something sinister about Billy and his influence over the viewing public. 

When Lucy finds herself live on air with Billy, it’s up to Hobo to interrupt the broadcast, before the curtains close… forever. 

The Bandril Invasion by Wink Taylor is available from: