The Talismiths (Paperback)

Have you ever wondered who creates all the magical objects in your favorite stories?

Twelve-year-old Charlie Crumple is about to find out.

When a mysterious voice and a last-minute summer job drop him inside Talisman, Incorporated—the secretive factory where his late father once worked—Charlie discovers enchanted objects are not only real, they are designed, crafted, and tested: flying carpets, talking mastheads, enchanted wands… and a thousand other magical necessities story heroes rely on.

But magic isn’t the only thing brewing inside the factory.

Machines are breaking down. A key Talismith vanishes. A rival corporation is circling like a hangry dragon. And someone—hidden deep within the twisting halls of Talisman, Incorporated—seems determined to tear everything apart from the inside.

Then come the clues… coded notes, dire warnings… that all point back to Charlie’s father, a brilliant Talismith whose death has never quite made sense. The more Charlie investigates, the more questions he uncovers, and the more dangerous the mystery becomes.

To uncover the truth, Charlie and his new friend Tess must team up with the factory’s designers, crack his father’s puzzles, finish a dangerous invention, and expose a traitor before it’s too late.

The clock is ticking… and if Charlie Crumple fails, happily-ever-after may vanish for good.

Perfect for fans of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Nevermoor, and Percy Jackson. The Talismiths: The Secret Saboteur is a fast-paced, mystery-filled middle-grade fantasy packed with humor, magical inventions, clever puzzles, found family, and the kind of wild i-MAGI-nation kids love.

"I didn't want to leave the incredibly imagined world of The Talismiths, where humor and high stakes kept me turning pages. It is cinematic in scope, populated with likeable (and wonderfully unlikeable) characters, grounded by redemption and hope, and imbued with a mystery that kept me guessing to the final, satisfying end. It's a perfect, can't-put-it-down adventure."
—Award-winning children's author Meredith Davis, The Minor Miracle and The Minor Rescue