The Curious League of Detectives and Thieves #1: Egypt’s Fire

By: Jamie Steinberg

Life hasn’t been easy for twelve-year-old John Boarhog. After his mother passes away, he’s so concerned about being shipped off to a home for boys that he hides in a ceiling panel at the New York Museum of Natural History. Sure, his quarters are cramped, but he gets to explore the museum at night and snag food from the breakroom when he gets hungry. An issue arises though when a rare Egyptian ruby goes missing and John is accused of being the thief. Author Tom Phillips weaves an epic tale of action and adventure with The Curious League of Detectives and Thieves #1: Egypt’s Fire that this read is fit for a movie screen.

Thanks to a breakroom sandwich John finds himself in the middle of a police investigation. Post dinner he wakes to find himself in front of the museum’s new exhibit and accused of having stolen the rare Egyptian ruby (a/k/a “Egypt’s Fire”) that was in it. Frightened of being sent to the Jersey Home for Boys, the kind and unique Inspector Toadius McGee steps in on the case and also becomes John’s guardian and mentor. Along the way John meets incredibly intriguing characters that shed some light on his past, some that lend a with the investigation and others looking to get their own hands on that sparkling gem.

Phillips does an incredible job of weaving the tale of John’s life as an orphan and the absolutely extravagant adventure that he and Toadius take to solve this crime. From start to finish you are hopeful this intrepid investigator can clear John’s name and keep him from a life of misery. John has had it rougher than I can go into with this review, but just know that having Toadius look after him means almost as much to the readers as it does to John himself.

I truly hope that Disney+ has an eye out for The Curious League of Detectives and Thieves #1: Egypt’s Fire because it would make an absolutely smashing TV series or film for young adults – whether they are a fan of pancakes or not (inside joke). Snag a copy of this exceptional read for your voracious reader, and be ready for them to tell you that book one of this story is number one to them.