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Meticulous Jones and the Skull Tattoo
(2025)(The first book in the Inkbound series)
A novel by Philippa Leathley
Enter an extraordinary magical adventure about family, fate, and finding the courage to be yourself. A remarkable debut!
‘One of my favorite middle grade books from recent years.’ —Jordan Lees, author of The Whisperwicks
‘An adventure overflowing with magic, brought to life with wit and charm.’ —Beth Lincoln, author of The Swifts
On her tenth birthday, Meticulous Jones—known to her friends as Metty—receives her fate, as all children do, in the form of a magical tattoo on her hand. She hopes that her ink will reveal something exciting: a tattoo that will symbolize travel, or discovery, or adventure. What appears is a skull, balanced in the palm of a violet glove.
Metty’s fate is to become a murderer.
Metty is swiftly hidden away by her father, Moral Jones, in a remote Welsh farmhouse, with only a miserable housekeeper (who’s terrified she’ll become Metty’s first victim) for company. But when Moral goes missing, his sister, Aunt Magnificent, arrives to sweep Metty off to the glittering city of New London. Metty is mesmerized by the magic and enchantment she discovers there. But when she starts to hear rumors of a mysterious and dangerous organization known as the Black Moths, she wonders if they might be connected to her father’s disappearance—and to her own fate. . . .
‘One of my favorite middle grade books from recent years.’ —Jordan Lees, author of The Whisperwicks
‘An adventure overflowing with magic, brought to life with wit and charm.’ —Beth Lincoln, author of The Swifts
On her tenth birthday, Meticulous Jones—known to her friends as Metty—receives her fate, as all children do, in the form of a magical tattoo on her hand. She hopes that her ink will reveal something exciting: a tattoo that will symbolize travel, or discovery, or adventure. What appears is a skull, balanced in the palm of a violet glove.
Metty’s fate is to become a murderer.
Metty is swiftly hidden away by her father, Moral Jones, in a remote Welsh farmhouse, with only a miserable housekeeper (who’s terrified she’ll become Metty’s first victim) for company. But when Moral goes missing, his sister, Aunt Magnificent, arrives to sweep Metty off to the glittering city of New London. Metty is mesmerized by the magic and enchantment she discovers there. But when she starts to hear rumors of a mysterious and dangerous organization known as the Black Moths, she wonders if they might be connected to her father’s disappearance—and to her own fate. . . .
- Fizzing with atmosphere, danger, magic, and mystery, this fantasy will keep kids hooked from the start.
A bold heroine and a darkly comic voice make this debut perfect for fans of Nevermoorandthe Swifts.
Inkbound’s world of magical ink and fate tattoos is utterly unique, yet the writing feels classic.
Genre: Children's Fiction
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