Ten year old Arthur Ness is scared of everything. Being evacuated from World War 2 London to live in the village of Waterwhistle doesn't help things. Even when you're escaping enemy bombs, the countryside is a strange place to get used to. But as Arthur explores his new home, he realises the village's strangeness is not all in his mind. He discovers that his host, the terrifying Lady Eris, has something dark and dangerous planned for Waterwhistle and everyone in it. In a flash, Arthur finds himself catapulted into a desperate race against time alongside an enigmatic talking cat, twin knights, a cranky pirate and a brave Waterwhistle girl named Teresa. Amid flying pirate ships, floating islands, dangerous creatures and one very dangerous Queen, Waterwhistle's survival depends on the discovery of a secret hidden at its very heart. And Arthur has to find the one thing that has always eluded him - courage. Arthur Ness and the Secret of Waterwhistle, Part 1 is an exciting adventure novel (for readers 8-12 years approx).