2012 First Edition of Horten's Incredible Illusions by Lissa Evans – Hardcover with Dust Jacket

Title: Horten's Incredible Illusions
Author: Lissa Evans
Illustrator/Artist: Temujin Doran (Internal illustrations and dust jacket art)
Genre: Children's Fantasy / Mystery / Adventure Fiction
Edition: First American Edition, First Printing (July 2012)
Publisher: Sterling Children's Books

In Horten's Incredible Illusions, author Lissa Evans delivers an action-packed, laugh-out-loud sequel to Horten's Miraculous Mechanisms that raises the stakes for her height-challenged hero. Just when ten-year-old Stuart Horten thinks his big adventure has safely concluded, he uncovers a shocking development left behind by his enigmatic great-uncle. Tony has hidden his official final will, and his legendary collection of stage magic tricks serve as the direct, cryptic clues to its secret location. Stuart is thrust right back into a fast-paced investigation to safeguard his family’s magical inheritance.

The search grows dangerously complex when Great-Uncle Tony's illusion apparatuses suddenly activate, magically transporting Stuart far away from Beeton in the blink of an eye. Trapped in an unfamiliar landscape, he isn't alone; his fiercely loyal and delightfully nosy triplet neighbors—April, May, and June—are accidentally pulled into the teleportation vortex alongside him. Together, the mismatched foursome must pit their collective wits against increasingly tricky riddles, mechanical traps, and a nefarious newcomer who is hunting down the will for their own greedy ends. If they cannot decipher the grand illusion and find their way home, they risk losing Great-Uncle Tony's legacy forever.

Brimming with mid-century style, mechanical deduction, and sharp humor, this hardcover first printing is a great read for young puzzle lovers and a read-aloud story for families.

Author Lissa Evans (a.k.a. Felicity Evans): An acclaimed British novelist, children's author, and former television comedy producer. She initially trained and practiced as a medical doctor before her irresistible creative curiosity drew her into the entertainment industry. Evans spent several years directing and producing prominent British comedy programs for radio and television, including the cult-classic sitcom Father Ted. This rich background in comedic timing and structural pacing informs her transition into children's literature. Her Stuart Horten adventure series (published as Big Change for Stuart in Great Britain) achieved widespread critical success, earning prestigious shortlists for both the Carnegie Medal and the Costa Children's Book Award. Evans continues to write full-time from her residence in London.

Illustrator/Artist Temujin Doran: An accomplished British illustrator, writer, and independent filmmaker known for his intricate, fine-line ink artwork and nostalgic aesthetics. Doran once again brings Great-Uncle Tony's clockwork illusions to life in this sequel, providing stylized internal chapter headpieces, architectural diagrams, and atmospheric cover designs. His illustrations evoke a brass-and-gears world of stage magic, making the visual experience as immersive as the text. Outside of book publishing, Doran creates celebrated short films and multimedia art installations.

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Condition: Very Good/Near Fine. Dust jacket: Light shelf wear. Top corners of pages 117-120 are folded, by accident rather than dog-eared, else pages are clean, undamaged, and complete.