If you like Sherlock, you’ll love Ellie Marney’s Every Breath!

Hi everyone!

Sam the intern here. I took over the blog again so that I could talk to you about two of my current obsessions: BBC’s Sherlock and Ellie Marney’s Every series. Conveniently enough, they complement each other perfectly.

For those of you who haven’t heard of Sherlock, it’s a modern retelling of some of Holmes’ famous cases, set in contemporary London. It stars:

    • Benedict Cumberbatch as the famous detective;

    • Martin Freeman (aka Bilbo Baggins from The Hobbit!) as the faithful Dr. John Watson;

    • Mark Gatiss as Mycroft Holmes, Sherlock’s older brother;

    • Una Stubbs as Mrs. Hudson, the landlady;

    • and an excellent Andrew Scott as Sherlock’s arch-nemesis, Moriarty.

If you haven’t already watched it, I highly recommend you give it a chance.

Meanwhile, if you’re looking for a Sherlock Holmes-esque book, then look no further than Every Breath, the first book in Ellie Marney’s Every series.

Every BreathWhen James Mycroft drags Rachel Watts off on a night mission to the Melbourne Zoo, the last thing she expects to find is the mutilated body of Homeless Dave, one of Mycroft’s numerous eccentric friends. But Mycroft’s passion for forensics leads him to realize that something about the scene isn’t right–and he wants Watts to help him investigate the murder.

While Watts battles her attraction to bad-boy Mycroft, he’s busy getting himself expelled and clashing with the police, becoming murder suspect number one. When Watts and Mycroft unknowingly reveal too much to the cold-blooded killer, they find themselves in the lion’s den–literally. A trip to the zoo will never have quite the same meaning to Rachel Watts again…

I picked this book up shortly after finishing the last episode of Sherlock, in an effort to tide me over until the next season (in 2016!). I finished it in a day. I was so hooked, I barely moved during the last quarter.

Like Sherlock, Marney’s novel is fast-paced and wonderfully detailed. The main mystery surrounding Homeless Dave is neatly wrapped up with no loose ends or random plot points thrown in at the last second. But there’s still enough of a mystery surrounding Mycroft himself that makes you – liEvery Wordke Rachel – want to know more.

Also like Sherlock, the characters are so well rounded, you almost believe they’re real (I, for one, wish I knew Mycroft in real life). You get into their heads and slowly start to see what makes them tick and that journey is almost as fascinating as the mystery itself. Plus, the chemistry between Mycroft and Watts – aka”Wattscroft” – is palpable.

Trust me when I say their relationship gets even more explosive in the sequel, Every Word (out September 2015) and I can’t wait to find out what happens to them next! If you’re going to BEA this year, make sure you pick up an ARC – this is a series you don’t want to miss!

#Wattscroft forever!

Can you feel the Wattscroft love tonight?

As I’m sure you know, Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. To celebrate, we’ve created e-cards using one of our favorite (fictional) couples: James Mycroft and Rachel Watts aka Wattscroft from Ellie Marney’s Every series.

First up, we have tall, dark and handsome Mycroft. He must be made of Fluorine, Iodine, and Neon because he’s F-I-Ne!

We can’t forget Mycroft’s better half, Rachel Watts. He’d offer her one of his cigarettes, but she’s already smokin’.

We had a lot of pun detecting pickup lines, and now it’s your turn! Comment below with the best pick up line you can think of; it doesn’t have to start with “hey girl/boy,” but bonus points if it has some sort of science/mystery-related pun. Our four favorites will win ARCs of Every Breath and Every Word, plus a bookmark featuring both covers (so you can carry Wattscroft with you everywhere!). You have until Thursday, February 19, 2015 to enter! That’s one week. Open to Canadian and US mailing addresses only – sorry international fans!

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You can even make your own e-cards using these templates!

Update: Congratulations to Kristen, Jay, Meg and Jenny! It was so hard to choose from all the punny comments, thanks to everyone who participated!

2014 Holiday Gift Guide: The Thinkers

Listed by age range:

Nancy KnowsNancy Knows
Written by Cybèle Young
Hardcover | 40 Pages | Ages 3-7
ISBN: 978-1-77049-482-4
Nancy knows she’s forgotten something. Something important. When she tries to remember, she thinks of all kinds of other things instead. She remembers things she knows and things she doesn’t quite know. She remembers things one way, then another. Sometimes she remembers with her ears or her stomach or even her heart. But Nancy knows she’s still forgetting something. It’s only when Nancy stops thinking altogether that she finally remembers the very important thing she’s forgotten. Nancy Knows is the charming story of an elephant who remember lots of things, except the very thing she is trying to remember.

Going Up - Elisha Otis Trip to the TopGoing Up!
Elisha Otis’s Trip to the Top

Written by Monica Kulling
Illustrated by David Parkins
Trade Paperback | 32 Pages | Ages 5-8
ISBN: 978-1-77049-516-6
In 1818, seven-year-old Elisha was fascinated by farm machinery. As a young man, he tried a variety of ways to make a living, but nothing fired his imagination more than the job he found in a bed-frame factory. Soon he invented a machine that made frames four times faster than ever before. In 1852, while overseeing the construction of a new factory, he had to find a way to move heavy machinery to the second floor. He didn’t trust the hoisting platform, so he invented a safety brake. It was so successful that rather than lift machine parts, Elisha decided to build “people-hoisting machines.” In 1857, Elisha Otis installed his first successful passenger elevator in a five-storey department store in New York City. Before Elisha’s invention, buildings were never higher than six stories. At last it was possible to build skyscrapers!

Spic-and-SpanSpic-and-Span!
Lillian Gilbreth’s Wonder Kitchen

Written by Monica Kulling
Illustrated by David Parkins
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 5-8
ISBN: 978-1-77049-380-3
Born into a life of privilege in 1878, Lillian Moller Gilbreth put her pampered life aside for one of adventure and challenge. She and her husband, Frank, became efficiency experts by studying the actions of factory workers. They ran their home efficiently, too. When Frank suddenly died, Lillian was left to her own devices to raise their eleven children. Eventually, she was hired by the Brooklyn Borough Gas Company to improve kitchen design, which was only the beginning. Lillian Gilbreth was the subject of two movies (Cheaper by the Dozen and Belles on Their Toes), the first woman elected to the National Academy of Engineering, and the first female psychologist to have a U.S. postage stamp issued in her honor. A leading efficiency expert, she was also an industrial engineer, a psycologist, an author, a professor, and an inventor.

Nine Words MaxNine Words Max
Written by Dan Bar-el
Illustrated by David Huyck
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 5-9
ISBN: 978-1-77049-562-3
Maximilian is a prince who loves to talk: No topic is too small, no story too boring. Max’s brothers are the opposite–the less said the better. When the king and queen go on a trip and leave the brothers alone, the three princes put a spell on Max that limits him to speaking only nine words at a time. The brothers are delighted: peace and quiet at last! But when a fearsome dignitary arrives, they realize the true value of their brother’s insatiable need for information.

Who Needs a DesertWho Needs a Desert?
A Desert Ecosystem

Written by Karen Patkau
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 7-10
ISBN: 978-1-77049-386-5
Although deserts are harsh, dry places, they teem with fascinating plants and wildlife. Author and illustrator Karen Patkau takes us on a magical journey through one of the earth’s most important ecosystems. In Who Needs a Desert? A Desert Ecosystem, we discover, in breathtaking art and lyrical text, the plants and animals that have adapted to its severe conditions – from grasses, cacti, shrubs, and trees to Gila monsters, roadrunners, scorpions, and kangaroo rats.

Who Needs a PrairieWho Needs a Prairie?
A Grassland Ecosystem

Written by Karen Patkau
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 7-10
ISBN: 978-1-77049-388-9
Prairies are wild and rugged grasslands, whose inhabitants depend on each other and their surroundings. Author and illustrator Karen Patkau takes us on a magical journey through one of the earth’s most important ecosystems. In Who Needs a Prairie? A Grassland Ecosystem, we discover, in breathtaking art and lyrical text, the plants and animals that thrive in its unique conditions – from buttercups, pincushion cacti, prairie crocuses, and sagebrush to burrowing owls, dung beetles, yellow-bellied racers, and voles.

Who Needs a ReefWho Needs a Reef?
A Coral Ecosystem

Written by Karen Patkau
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 7-10
ISBN: 978-1-77049-390-2
Colorful coral reefs, astonishing in their beauty, bustle and teem with life. Author and illustrator Karen Patkau takes us on a magical journey through one of the earth’s most important ecosystems. In Who Needs a Reef ? A Coral Reef Ecosystem, we discover, in breathtaking art and lyrical text, the plants and animals that flourish in its tropical conditions – from coralline algae, phytoplankton, and sea grasses to hermit crabs, moon jellies, whale sharks, and porcupinefish.

Every BreathEvery Breath
Written by Ellie Marney
Hardcover | 352 Pages | Ages 14 and up
ISBN: 978-1-77049-772-6
eBook: 978-1-77049-774-0
Rachel Watts has just moved to Melbourne from the country, but the city is the last place she wants to be. James Mycroft is her neighbor, an intriguing and troubled seventeen-year-old genius with a passion for forensics. When Mycroft asks Watts to help investigate a murder, she knows it’s probably a very bad idea. But Mycroft’s hard to resist when he’s up close and personal-and before she knows it, Watts has joined him on the hunt for a cold-blooded killer. But what happens when this brilliant bad boy becomes murder suspect number one?

Nancy Dreams

Put some BOO in your BOOkshelves

Happy Halloween! If you like to read while munching on all your treats, here are some great companions for your flashlight-under-the-blanket reads.

Bob's Hungry GhostBob’s Hungry Ghost
Written by Geneviève Côté
Hardcover| Ages 3-7 | 32 pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-713-9
eBook: 978-1-77049-714-6
“All ends well in a sweetly silly book about appreciating what you have. And everyone will want a ghost for their birthday after reading this book.” – Sharon the Librarian

Every BreathEvery Breath
Written by Ellie Marney
Hardcover | 352 Pages | Ages 14+
ISBN: 978-1-77049-772-6
eBook: 978-1-77049-774-0
“If you’re a fan of Sherlock Holmes and contemporary YA, read Every Breath. It’s smart, it’s clever – and Mycroft and Watts have stolen my heart.” – There were books involved . . .

The Green Man_paperbackThe Green Man
Written by Michael Bedard
Trade Paperback | Ages 10+ | 320 pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-511-1
eBook: 978-1-77049-293-6
“…Bedard takes full advantage of the genre’s atmospheric creepiness and sepia-toned timelessness…. For more plot-hungry Goosebumps graduates, there are dark strangers, abandoned mansions, ghostly glowing, chilling coincidences, and otherworldly portals galore.” – Starred Review, Quill & Quire

The SwallowThe Swallow: A Ghost Story
Written by Charis Cotter
Hardcover | Ages 9-12 | 320 pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-591-3
eBook: 978-1-77049-593-7
“Spooky tension, friendship and compassion permeate this exquisitely plotted middle-grade ghost story…. The protagonists are both spooky and delightfully down-to-earth, and readers will seesaw between chills and snorts of laughter. When Cotter delivers the final twist, it is a denouement that becomes a springboard for greater revelations that lead to even greater reader satisfaction. Middle-grade storytelling at its very best-extraordinary.” – Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews

Zombie ElementaryZombie Elementary: The Real Story
Written by Howard Whitehouse
Hardcover | Ages 9-12 | 256 Pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-608-8
eBook: 978-1-77049-610-1
Zombie Elementary: The Real Story is a great, action-packed read for kids and adults alike…. The text is broken up by cute ‘Zombie Tips’ and interjections by the person interviewing Larry.” – Mediatron

If you’re brave enough, visit our Pinterest board for more Halloween ideas!

Every Breath Blog Tour: Day 5

EveryBreathBannerNo way! The last day of the blog tour is here? But everyone wants more and they want the second book, Every Word, now! But good things take time to make. Every Word will be available in hardcover with jacket on September 8, 2015.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2014

  • Author to author, Ann invites Ellie Marney for an interview on her blog, Ann Towell.
  • Dani at Refracted Light has a chat with MYCROFT. Read more about everyone’s favorite sleuthing bad boy!!!
  • Danielle at Love at First Page has Ellie Marney stop by to talk about the research she did for her series on forensic pathology (read Danielle’s review too).
  • Yash at The Book Wars also invites Ellie Marney over for a chat about Sherlock adaptations.
  • Kat at Cuddlebuggery has a guest post and *drum roll* the cover reveal for EVERY WORD!

Click on the banner for the full tour schedule. You can also follow @TundraBooks, @EllieMarney, and the wonderful bloggers on twitter! We’re also on facebook if you prefer to chat there: Tundra Books and Ellie Marney.

It’s been a joy reading everyone’s post, along with Ellie Marney‘s guest posts! A huge THANK YOU to all of the bloggers and tweeters for their great support!

Tundra Book Group