February 21, 2017 - Anastasia Suen

3 of a Kind
by Rohan Gavin (Author)

Booktalk: Darkus Knightley is used to expecting the unexpected. An extraordinary crimesolver, with immense powers of deduction, and regularly found bedecked in tweed, Darkus is anything but the average 13 year old.

Despite trying to leave his detective ways behind and wanting to lead a normal life, when his father’s loyal housekeeper, Bogna, goes missing, Darkus must return to the family fold to solve the mystery. Alongside his father, Alan, and his stepsister Tilly, Darkus follows the trail to America and the bright lights of Las Vegas where they must once again face the deadly criminal organization the Combination — and this time, all bets are off. With danger at every turn, Knightley and Son will need an ace or two up their sleeves in order to win this game.

Snippet: Darkus and Tilly stood on tiptoe to peer inside. Darkus leafed through the files until he reached “Theo K.”

“Bingo,” he muttered, removing the file and confirming the image of a handsone, mustachioed man in the profile picture.

Darkus began speed-reading the contents while Tilly photographed them with her smartphone. Then Darkus stopped.

“The suspect’s name is Theodore Kojak,” he whispered into his earpiece.

“What?” Knightly crackled back.

“Who’s that?” asked Tilly.

“It’s clearly an assumed name,” Darkus explained. “Theodore Kojak is the name of a fictional TV detective with a penchant for lollipops, made famous by the actor Telly Savalas.”