Curse of the Scarab
by H.Y.Hanna
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
Missing puppies. Deadly secrets. Serious slobber.
Honey the Great Dane enjoyed a pretty peaceful life: walking her human, checking Peemail at the park… until the arrival of a puppy named Bean turns her life upside down. But when Bean goes missing – together with other neighbourhood pups – Honey sets out on a dangerous quest to find them. Joined by her canine friends, Honey tackles mysterious paw prints and sinister hieroglyphics as clues lead them to a deserted cemetery. But an ancient Egyptian curse has awakened and time is running out. Can Honey solve a cryptic riddle in time to save the puppies? And should she trust Max, a Pit Bull with a murky past, who is hiding secrets of his own?
Middle-grade readers and young teens will love this thrilling tale filled with suspense and humour - and adult dog lovers are sure to enjoy it to. An exciting new mystery series full of action and adventure, for dog lovers of all ages!
Excerpt
“Shh!” said Biscuit suddenly, up ahead. He was standing with one paw raised, sniffing the air uneasily.
An old house stood on the far side of the clearing, surrounded by weeds and overgrown bushes. Barbed wire snaked along the ground around it and an old sign hung from a rope across the front door. Its surface was scratched and faded, but Honey could just make out the words: DANGER! KEEP OUT!
“It’s a human place,” said Suka in a hushed voice. “Though it looks like nobody’s been here for a long time.”
Honey followed her gaze up to the darkened windows, many smashed and gaping open, the glass shards forming jagged rows along the window frames. It gave the disturbing illusion of many mouths with rows of teeth, all open towards them. Honey shivered.
They went forwards slowly across the clearing, their paws sinking in the damp grass. Despite the brightness of the moon above, the night seemed to close around them like a thick glove. Honey felt the hairs along her back stand up, and she could see both Tyson’s and Ruffster’s hackles bristling too.
They paused just outside the front door and pricked their ears, listening. There was nothing except the faint chirp of crickets in the woods behind them and somewhere closer, the tup-tup-tup of water dripping.
“I don’t like this place.” Biscuit shivered.
“It’s just a stupid old house,” said Ruffster. He raised his nose to sniff the air. “Don’t smell anythin’.”
“The wind’s in the wrong direction,” said Biscuit, looking around uneasily. “It’s blowing our scent towards the house but we can’t smell anything from inside.”
Ruffster gave an impatient growl. He looked up at the house again, then let out a couple of loud barks.
“Ruffster!” hissed Suka. “What are you doing?”
He turned to Suka in disgust. “There’s no one here,” he said. “Reckon it’s just some dumb story after all. There’s this old house sittin’ here, so they start makin’ up stuff about a feral cat colony.”
“No,” said Suka, looking around nervously. “It’s not just a made-up story.”
“Well, where are all the cats, then?” said Ruffster. “There’s not so much as a sniff o’ a hairball. I can’t believe we’re standin’ here scared—for kibble’s sake, we’re dogs, remember? Cats run from us!”
Biscuit made a funny sound, his nose quivering, and looked up. The others all raised their heads as well. On the roof above them, several dark shapes appeared. They stood like statues, silhouetted against the night sky, long tails flicking. Then, one by one, they dropped like plummeting shadows to the ground and encircled the dogs, their eyes glittering.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
H.Y. Hanna is Taiwanese by birth, British by education, pseudo-American by accent and currently Australian by residence! After graduating from Oxford University, she tried a variety of jobs, from advertising in London to English Language teaching in Sydney, before returning to her first love: writing. Always fascinated by dogs, she specialised as a pet writer for magazines in the UK, Australia and NZ, and has been heavily involved in training, behaviour, dog sports and photography. When she's not working on her next novel, she's usually found watching repeats of her favourite TV show, Fringe or wiping Dane slobber off the walls.
You can find out more about her (and the 'real-life Honey' who inspired the series) at: www.bighoneydogmysteries.com, where you'll also find book discussion questions and other parent/teacher resources, plus fun activity sheets and interactive puzzles.
If you'd like to be notified when the next book is released and get sneak previews, please visit www.bighoneydogmysteries.com to sign up for the Big Honey Dog Mysteries newsletter. Your email address will never be shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.
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EDITORITAL REVIEWS:
I just adored this mystery. Ms. Hanna did a remarkable job describing every dog to perfection and I loved all their individual personalities. Although this is labeled as a children's book, rest assured even adults will enjoy going on Honey's spine tingling adventure. Well done, Ms. Hanna! Please, please, please keep writing more books. You have a huge fan following you now!" - Night Owl Reviews (Top Pick)
"I've read a few books marketed for middle-grades or younger this year and I have to say that this is hands down the best suited for those ages. It has a great plot, some truly well-rounded characters (with more depth than what I find in most adult novels these days), a fantastic storyline and a climax that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Not only was this book highly entertaining but there are some great messages in it. I could easily see this transitioning to the big screen and that's not something I say very often."- Cory Balboni for LitChick Hit List
"H.Y. Hanna has delivered an animal story, an otherworldly fantasy, and a mystery, all wrapped in one, that is sure to please young readers. There is a magic to speaking to children and H.Y. Hanna has completely captured it."- Patricia Reding for Readers' Favorite
My Review: January 2014 ~ Review Copies ~
Curse of the Scarab by H.Y. HannaMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
First, I would like to thank the author H.Y. Hanna for giving me this book for an honest review. This was a fun read, I read it to my grandson and he loved it. The storyline is fun and the characters are well written. I would like to read more from this author.
View all my reviews
The author will be awarding a $20 Amazon Gift Card and a signed copy of Curse of the Scarab to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. (US ONLY) Comment often for a better chance at winning, you can follow the tour here.
Christmas intrigue. Daring rescue. Serious slobber.
When Honey the Great Dane finds a hidden note inside a strange Christmas bauble, the festive season takes a sinister turn. Was the note from a trapped child? Join Honey and her canine friends as they set off on a Search & Rescue–from snowy playgrounds to eerie libraries–while they race to solve the mystery of the message in the bauble. Kids and adults alike will love this action-packed Christmas mystery filled with suspense and humour – not to mention candy canes, gingerbread cookies and lots of mince pies!
This short novella is part of the Big Honey Dog Mysteries – a fun, action-packed, mystery adventure series for kids and dogs lovers of all ages. So if you’re looking for a little mystery and adventure this holiday season and some fun & laughs with a cast of adorable canines (and maybe even a feline or two! ) – then don’t miss this heart-warming Christmas “tail”.
Tell your friends & hurry to grab your FREE copy today from:
What readers are saying:
“This was an adorable Christmas story! I loved the first Big Honey Dog Mysteries book and couldn’t wait to get my hands on this one! I’m impressed by the amazing character development; even in a short story like this one, the author gives the dogs in the book such big personalities. I look forward to many more titles in this series.”
“There are some genuine laugh out loud moments, as well as a message about the true meaning of Christmas. Just as enjoyable for adults as it is for kids!”
“Ms. Hanna knows how to hook her readers in, both young and old. The cast of characters are great and I love each dog’s personality. If you love canine stories, you must look into this story!”
“An entertaining holiday story for kids of ANY age (even adults)! Don’t be deceived by thinking this is a ‘kids only’ book”
“Recommend this book to teachers and parents, especially now during the holiday season. Great read!”
“Read it aloud with your kids during holiday break, or savor it yourself with a hot mug of cocoa and a plate of Christmas cookies. It’s just the thing for a chilly winter’s eve and will leave a smile on your face!”
Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteNice excerpt.
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to say a belated thank you for hosting my book on your blog and I'm really pleased that you & your grandson enjoyed it! :-)
ReplyDeleteBest wishes,
Hsin-Yi