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Inkbound

Meticulous Jones and the Skull Tattoo

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About this listen

A TOP 10 CHILDREN’S FICTION BESTSELLER

Enter an extraordinary magical adventure about family, fate and finding the courage to be truly yourself – perfect for fans of Nevermoor, Lemony Snicket and The Swifts.

‘An adventure overflowing with magic’ Beth Lincoln, author of The Swifts

‘A fantastic adventure’ The Times, Children’s Book of the Week

‘A wild feat of extraordinary imagination, fizzing with mystery, magic and humour’ Aisling Fowler, author of Fireborn

On her tenth birthday, Meticulous ‘Metty’ Jones receives her fate, as all children do, in the form of a magical tattoo on her hand. She hopes that her tattoo will reveal an exciting destiny: travel, discovery or adventure. What appears is a skull in the palm of a violet glove – Metty’s fate is to be a murderer.

When Metty’s father disappears in mysterious circumstances, Aunt Magnificent takes her to the glittering city of New London, filled with magic, wonder and enchantment. But when Metty hears rumours of a shadowy organisation known as the Black Moths, she begins to suspect they are connected to her own dark fate …

©2025 Philippa Leathley (P)2025 HarperCollins Publishers Action & Adventure Destiny Growing Up & Facts of Life Literature & Fiction Mysteries Mystery & Suspense Adventure Magic Fiction
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I absolutely adored this book and can't wait for the next in the series!! ........................

Favourite story since Morrigan Crow

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A rip roaring adventure through an alternate London alive with magic, wonder and a fantastic protagonist. Beautifully written, Inkbound works really well as an audio book and the narration suits the story. Definitely a brilliant listen!

A brilliant listen!

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As a fan of Phillip Pullman’s His Dark Materials I was hooked by the premise of this book and excited to listen! And what a magical adventure it was! I loved following Metty and meeting her various (eccentric) family members! The story was compelling and I was eager to keep on listening. Highly recommend!

Magical adventure!

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Great story plot, imaginative world of magic and good characters. I enjoyed listening with my 9 year old. We wait for book 2!

We enjoyed the world created in the story, especially the fates

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