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Bloomsbury/Allen & Unwin, This edition March 2007
Reviewed by Sally Roddom
Dirk Dilly runs the Dragon Detective Agency, which is an appropriate name
because Dirk is a Dragon. He works as a private detective in London.
London is full of people with problems, so there is plenty of work for
him. Dirk remains undiscovered because Londoners don’t look up as he flies
from building to building during his investigations. Up until Holly hires
him to find her missing cat, he has mostly trailed cheating husbands,
found missing runaways, or reported on insurance frauds. He reluctantly
takes on Holly’s case, but finds that there is more at stake than just a
missing cat – Dirk and Holly are launched into a life or death struggle to
save the human race.
There is a whole hidden dragon world co-existing with humans. The reader
quickly learns that dragons are actually vegetarians - meat can kill them.
The patron Saint of England is called “George the Cold-Blooded Murderer”
by the dragons because he killed a defenceless dragon. There are a lot of
laughs and some great characters, from the bumbling baddies Reg and
Arthur, to the blind-as-a-bat landlady Mrs Klingerflim. There is even an
ancient dragon called Mandy. This is a wonderful story full of unexpected
twists and turns. Dirk and Holly make a great team. THE CASE OF THE
MISSING CATS is Gareth Jones first book, followed by CASE OF THE WAYWARD
PROFESSOR. The books are aimed at the 7 to 9 age group, but can be enjoyed
by adults as well. THE CASE OF THE MISSING CATS made the 2007 shortlist
for the Waterstone's Children's Book Prize.
http://www.thedragondetectiveagency.com/
May 2007 review originally published on Murder & Mayhem
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