“Passed down like songs of old
Like treasure maps and tales of gold,
From child to child, from me to yew
‘Til worthy heart, both brave and true
Finds the answer, takes the key
And from then on, forever free”
Lara Liddell is unwell, struggling for money, and terrified about her father’s health as he lies in hospital following an accident. While clearing out some old boxes in her home, she doesn’t expect to stumble across a yellowing scroll of parchment depicting a mysterious rhyme and what looks like a treasure map. It leads her to a spot under Boltons Bench in Lyndhurst where she finds a rusty old key that has been buried for hundreds of years.
She thinks no more of it until one day, she begins to receive strange letters from somebody signing themselves as ‘The White Rabbit’. She soon realises that they are a series of cryptic clues leading her to a discovery beyond her wildest dreams. Lara’s story becomes entangled with that of Lewis Carroll and Alice Liddell, the girl who inspired his Alice in Wonderland stories.
With the help of a roaming woodcarver who has greater importance than she first realises, Lara continues on the trail. But soon it becomes apparent that their quest is more dangerous than they expected, putting them in the crosshairs of someone who will stop at nothing to get the treasure.
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Suitable for readers of about 11 and upwards, but would also appeal to anyone who enjoys a light-hearted modern mystery story which revisits the past and is set in Lyndhurst in the New Forest, featuring several well-known locations which are all accurately described. There is some mild ‘adventure’ violence, and no strong swearing.
It is just under 43,000 words long and is split into 24 chapters so if you’re after an engaging, fast-paced historical mystery which doesn’t take itself too seriously, then this book is for you.
