The Clockwork Conspiracy is a gripping, enigmatic and fast-paced adventure brimming with danger, daring and deceit.

Twelve-year-old Isaac Turner is helping his father (who is a horologist) in his role as Keeper of the Great Clock (Big Ben) on the night the clocks go back. But, when his father goes to investigate a peculiar occurrence and does not return, Isaac goes to find him only to discover that his father, Diggory, has vanished, leaving only his broken pocket watch, and an enigmatic message, behind.

It is not long before Isaac meets Hattie, the daughter of his Godfather, Solomon Bassala, and Speaker of the House who lives in the Palace of Westminster as Solomon offers him a place to stay whilst a search ensues for his father.

Not willing to wait for the authorities to discover what has happened to Diggory, Isaac and Hattie, are determined to carry out their own investigation to find him and discover why he has been taken. And so begins an incredible, action-packed and intricate adventure as the two friends unravel cryptic clues and follow a twisty path, towards the discovery of a devious plot.

As they race through London landmarks, and over its rooftops, to save Diggory and time itself, they find themselves in increasing peril as someone will stop at nothing to implement a new law that will change the nature of time itself. Can these two children use their ingenuity to unmask the mastermind behind a dastardly play for power? Can they save those they love before time runs out for them?

I loved the political machinations, the secret society, the false trails, the code-breaking, the science of time through horology and chronometry and the many twists and turns that kept me on the edge-of-my-seat. I also loved learning more about the Palace of Westminster and thought this was perfectly weaved into the plot. Absolutely gripping and fascinating in equal measure.

An exhilarating, locked-room mystery, perfect for adventurers of 9+.

Isaac’s father is the horologist in charge of Big Ben. When he goes missing, Isaac sets out to find him with the help of Hattie, the daughter of his father’s best friend, Uncle Sol. She has a penchant for night time rooftop adventures, accompanied by flasks of hot squash and cheese and marmite sandwiches. Isaac finds his father’s pocket watch and finds clues to help find not only his father, but other scientists who have gone missing. There is a plan to change time to New Time, which would mean a metric system, and many people are against this happening. Who is behind the disappearances of The Timekeepers?
Written at a fast pace, this is a thrilling read. It’s full of twists and turns that will have you reading on way past your bedtime. I loved all the details about time keeping, and the new perspective of London from the rooftops. It will keep you on your toes, not knowing who to trust and who wants to change the world at any cost.
I really hope there is more to come, as Sam Sedgman has shown what a fabulous writer he is in this book.

I loved this! Full of action and adventure. My class are going to love it: friendship, taking risks and doing what you know is right! This would make a brilliant film.

Isaac Turner lives with his dad, who is in charge of looking after the clock in Big Ben tower. One night, when helping to change the clock, Isaac's dad disappears and it's left to Isaac to uncover what happened.
A good adventure and mystery story, although I did find all the information about time and different clocks a bit confusing.

This entertaining book has everything: A dastardly plot, a secret society and a treasure hunt (including a clue at a clock I walk past every day)!

A thrilling finale brings everything to a breathtaking conclusion. You’ll walk away from this book with detailed knowledge of the inner workings of clocks, but also of government too!

Without doubt, sitting down with a copy of this book will be time well spent.

Sam Sedgman has taken his plot, given it twists and turns with every tick-tocking second of this fast paced, captivating, brilliantly executed mystery, and in doing so, has written yet another ingenious novel.

The Clockwork Conspiracy is set in London, largely within the walls of the Palace of Westminster and follows Isaac Turner on a mission to find his father. An engineer in the making, Isaac has been going to the Elizabeth Tower at the Palace of Westminster to help his father for years. Diggory Turner is the Chief Horologist and in charge of the Great Clock, known as Big Ben. When he mysterious vanishes from the belfry on the night that time returns to Greenwich Mean Time, Isaac is determined to solve the cryptic clues that his father has left for him in order to save his Dad.

His new friend, Hattie, knows the Houses of Parliament like the back of her hand. She is daring and was born for adventure. She joins Isaac on his quest to find his father and between the two of them, they uncover so much more than they, or the rest of the world could have ever bargained for. As they race around London's landmarks, applying their brilliant brains to the enigma of the plot that they have stumbled head first into, they have to use their quick wit and knowledge of the inner workings of the government to stay alive and save the world.

Breathtakingly brilliant, this book is another sure fire hit for Sedgman. We felt as though we were reading a Dan Brown novel written perfectly for children age 9-14 as we read the fascinating facts woven through this fictional attempt to take down the infrastructure of civilisation . Once we started it, we lost all sense of time (pun intended) and immersed ourselves in the suspense of the story not pausing for breath until it was finished.

We are off to book ourselves a tour of the Palace of Westminster immediately and we can only hope that Hattie is our tour guide!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Children's Publishing for sending us this eBook for review consideration. All opinions are our own.

Isaac Turner's father is the Chief Horologist, and his responsibilities put him in charge of Big Ben. When his father mysteriously disappears on the eve of an enormous change in the way that timekeeping is handled, Isaac is left with only two important clues to guide him as he starts his search for his missing parent.

Meanwhile, Parliament is voting on introducing a decimal system known as "New Time" which will be based on measuring the passing of time in increments of 100 seconds, 100 minutes and so on, rather than 60 seconds/minutes as previously. But is this planned change as neutral as it is touted as being, or is there in fact a bigger conspiracy behind the proposed changes?

All too soon, Isaac is plunged into an adventure beyond his wildest imagination, where he is forced to question everything he thinks he knows about the very nature of time. With the help of his new friend Hattie, Isaac embarks on a madcap rush through London following a series of clues to unravel the mystery...

This is, to put it simply, an excellent adventure. Isaac and Hattie are delightful characters and Sedgeman's storytelling is very creative, incorporating maths and scientific ideas in a way that feels entirely natural. This book is great fun and gets 3.5 stars.

This story opens inside Big Ben with Isaac Turner and his Dad who is the chief horologist preparing to make adjustments to Big Ben and this leads to the discussions about how parliament is voting on introducing "New Time" which will be based on 100 seconds, 100 minutes etc rather than 60.
Mysteriously, Isaac's dad vanishes and it is up to Isaac and his new fearless friend to literally race against time through London and uncover and intercept a sinister plot to overthrow the government.
Absolutely loved this adventure thrill ride to solve the mystery and save the day and it got me thinking A LOT about time and what actually would happen in the world if we moved to "New Time".
Set up perfectly for more books to come in the Isaac Turner Investigates series too.

Sam Sedgman is the co-author of the 'Adventures on Trains' series, but her, he has gone solo and created an amazing story set around Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. The concept of creating a decimal based time system, is quite frightening, but can our heroes defeat the villains and keep the country running properly? Hope to see more adventures for this pair of heroes.

This is a clever mystery adventures with a brilliant concept that expertly uses science and maths to validate the idea of New Time. Sam Sedgeman skilfully creates an antagonist megalomaniac antagonist intent on dominating the whole world by manipulating time for their own devious ends. This exciting mystery adventure is well plotted and keeps a good steady pace. It had me turning the pages to find out the reasoning behind their terrible plans.

Issac Turner’s father is kidnapped on early hours of the morning on the day the clocks go back when they were resetting Big Ben. Issac and his new friend Hattie set off on a thrilling mystery adventure to discover why significant horologists from all over the world are going missing. The clues and their solutions are cleverly devised. Issac and Hattie are well rounded, likeable and believable characters.

I particularly enjoyed how the book is set in London around the British Parliamentary system and some of London’s most iconic landmarks. After reading The Clockwork Conspiracy by Sam Sedgman I made a visit to Little Ben to see the clock for myself.

Sam Sedgman has hit upon an amazing idea in this superbly written mystery story. The Clockwork Conspiracy is a fascinating dive into the mysteries of time and horology and poses lots of what if questions which do make you think. 'Time is like water ... it is everywhere and we all use it'. With engaging characters in the form of Isaac and Hattie, this is sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats as they get to grips with the idea of New Time Law. But, is everything as it seems?
I do hope there will be further books in a similar view to this one.

100% what I was hoping for - edge of my seat, didn’t want to put it down for a single minute. Pure brilliant Sam Sedgman genius. Love his style and just knew that this book would blow my socks off.

The Clockwork Conspiracy is an absolutely gripping thriller. I couldn't put it down! I was slightly concerned near the beginning that some of the technical bits about mind-boggling time sciencey stuff would go straight over my head. However, I found I just wanted to read more and it really got me thinking and questioning!

The Clockwork Conspiracy is great for fans of, erm, conspiracy stories and code-cracking adventures but it's so much more than that. I was on the edge of my seat so many times as Isaac follows a trail of clues across London trying to solve the mystery of his vanished horologist father. I also actually learnt quite a lot about the inner workings of Westminster too! The villains of the story are brilliant, and there are lots of twists and turns to keep you hooked. Loved it.

Isaac Turner likes clocks, maths puzzles and motorbikes. His dad, Diggory loves clocks, and has a very important job as the Chief Horologist at the Houses of Parliament, where he looks after Big Ben! Sometimes Isaac goes along to help his dad but when Diggory disappears without trace on the day the clocks go back at the end of October, Isaac doesn't know what to do next but luckily help is at hand.

Harriet Bassala usually lives in Hong Kong with her mum but right now she is staying with her dad who just happens to be the Speaker of the House of Commons and Isaac's godfather! Invited to stay at Uncle Sol's official residence it isn't long before the two children are left to their own devices and begin the search for Isaac's dad. With big changes proposed for how time is measured it soon becomes clear there is far more at stake than just a missing horologist. As the danger increases by the minute and not only for Isaac and Hattie will they work out what's happening and why or is everyone's time running out?

This is a brilliantly original middle grade novel that I enjoyed enormously. Isaac and Hattie are great main protagonists even if they do stretch belief a little at times. There are all sorts of facts and figures here to do with clocks and time management all of which I found fascinating.

*(There were no Author's notes with this arc which I hope will change in the final version as it's clear that a great amount of research has gone into this novel which definitely took it to the next level)*

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, but the opinions expressed are my own. This is brilliant and definitely highly recommended.

* Remove before publication date.

Sam Sedgman and MG Leonard introduced me to the science and excitement of trains and today Sam Sedgman took me on a new adventure with time as the main character.

Diggory Turner takes care of Big Ben alongside clever son, Isaac. One evening life turns upside down for them both, when Diggory disappears from the top of the tower. Isaac goes to stay with his dad’s friend Sol, who also happens to be speaker of the House of Commons. His daughter Hattie is staying while on holiday from boarding school.

Isaac is distraught and feels as though someone is following him and once he discovers a clue left behind, it becomes a race against time- quite literally as a new law is set to be passed, changing the measure of time from 60 minutes in one hour to 100 to match currency.

Isaac and Hattie make some incredible discoveries along their adventure of roof skipping, party crashing and security avoidance. People they thought were trustworthy are not and danger lurks silently around most corners.

This was an exciting story, one I read in one brilliant nail biting sitting. Isaac is brave, clever and knows to trust in his own abilities, skills and knowledge. Hattie is bold and likes to break rules. Together they are a dynamic duo and prove just how awesome children are at saving the world!

Hoping this is the start of a new series!

When Isaac's father mysteriously disappears inside Big Ben and all enquiries lead to a dead end, Isaac is forced to investigate this impossible case himself. Together with his new found friend Hattie they find themselves caught up between those who oppose and support the New Time Law. Time flew by as I got swept away by this story filled with the most unexpected twists and turns. The whole concept is highly original and the setting will be really intriguing for readers young and old. Sam's vivid descriptions really enhance the story and gives us a fascinating insight into the secretive world of the Houses of Parliament. Packed with high stakes and ever increasingly peril, this is a thrilling and explosive start to this brand new mystery series.

Sometimes I wonder how I managed to learn all I did as a child…and then I read a masterpiece of a book that not only tells a thrilling adventurous tale, but teaches me things…and I remember that the power of words and stories is greater than almost anything. Sam Sedgman has the power of storytelling, and through this tale of adventure with time we see how the idea of changing time to a metric system can entrance a whole country, but can also lead to debate, fear and trouble.
An horologist goes missing as the debate over the new Time law is about to go to parliament and his son, with the help of a new friend, tries to find him and save time as we know it. A fantastic story and I would thoroughly recommend this book to anyone who likes adventure of any sort

Isaac lives with his father Diggory (Chief Horologist in charge of Big Ben) in London and the book opens on the night the clocks go back, with the pair in the belfry of Big Ben where they are preparing to stop the clock so it can be reset to the correct time. Whilst there, they are discussing the controversial New Time Law that is due to be debated in Parliament, a law that will see time changed in a similar way to decimalisation (ten hours in the day, one hundred minutes in an hour, one hundred seconds in a minute). However, when Isaac's dad goes to investigate a problem with one of the quarter bells and doesn't return, Isaac becomes worried and informs a security guard who calls the Speaker of the House, Sol Bassala, known as Uncle Sol to Isaac. The police are called to investigate and Isaac goes to stay with Uncle Sol in his residence within the Palace of Westminster where he meets Sol's daughter, Hattie. Soon, Isaac confides to Hattie that he found a broken watch in the belfry which belongs to his father. When the pair realise that the watch holds a cryptic message, one that could help them find Diggory, they determine to find him. The clues take them on a race through London, one that becomes increasingly more dangerous the more they discover; in fact it's not just Diggory who is in danger, but time itself, but can Isaac and Hattie save the day before it's too late?
Isaac and his dad are close; that is evident from the very beginning of the book, so when Diggory goes missing, Isaac is understandably devastated but he certainly isn't about to just sit around and wait for the police to investigate. We see Isaac's logical mind spin into action and his years as a young inventor pay off. He and Hattie make a great pairing; where he is logical, she is not afraid to take risks. She is the one who loves to sneak out and uses these skills to help the pair ensure that their investigation continues. It isn't long before the pair become good friends, determined to look out for each other as well as ensure that the right thing is done.

One of the main themes in the book is time and, as the book progresses, there are some incredibly thought-provoking questions raised. We all know time as 60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour and 24 hours in a day; it's a universally known measure. But what if that changed? How would it alter things? I began wondering this as I read, but as the book soon shows, everything is linked to time and if you change that, everything falls apart. Reading the book made me realise just exactly how dependent on and ruled by time we are. It was a fascinating concept for a book and I can imagine it will provoke hugely interesting discussions in school.

At it's heart, The Clockwork Conspiracy is a whirlwind of an adventure that will sweep you up in its arms and will carry you away. It's a gripping page-turner of a book that will ensure you forget about what time it is as you race across London in the pursuit of saving time. I began reading this on Friday evening and devoured it in under a day (would that be just over 2 days under the New Time Law?!). I read part of it on Saturday morning whilst playing Mum-taxi and the hour has never gone quicker - I got quite the fright when my son opened the car door! I loved the Adventures on Trains series that Sam wrote with MG Leonard so I had high hopes for this - I can tell you now that the book far exceeded those hopes and now I'm just crossing everything that there will be more to come from Isaac and Hattie in the future. Publishing on the 1st February, The Clockwork Conspiracy is a book that needs to be pre-ordered.

What would happen if time changed? 10 hours in a day, 100 minutes in an hour etc. Isaac and Harriet don't want this to happen so they find a way to stop it. Along the way they uncover a secret organisation and people who are supposed to be responsible, but aren't. But who listens to children in Parliament matters? I love a good mystery and this kept me guessing all the way to the end. And then the last paragraph has me hoping that there will be a second book!

The 800th post on Scope for Imagination is a special one – The Clockwork Conspiracy by Sam Sedgman. After the brilliance of the Adventures on Trains series written in partnership with M.G. Leonard, The Clockwork Conspiracy promised to be fantastic – and it is! Combining mystery, adventure, peril and a unique take on STEM – the science of clocks – it is sure to captivate readers of all ages and interests across the middle grade range.

Set in October, the night the clocks go back, it was the perfect read for this weekend. Humans have created and controlled the concept of time or simply followed its demands for thousands of years. Now, the British government wants to take time into its own hands and change to “digital time”: 10 hours per day, 100 seconds in each minute. There are great debates in parliament. Some people believe the new time is dangerous. Others believe it’s the future with Britain leading the way.

Meet 13-year-old Isaac Turner, son of the Keeper of the Great Clock, Big Ben. They stop time and adjust the clock ready for the new season. But they aren’t alone in the tower. Someone is lurking in the shadows. Isaac’s father disappears leaving his pocket watch behind. Is it a clue or a message?

Isaac teams up with Hattie, the quick-witted, rebellious daughter of the Speaker of the House, to solve the mystery of the clock and his father’s disappearance. The duo charges across London to significant landmarks meeting important figures from the Palace of Westminster and around the world along the way.

The Clockwork Conspiracy engages readers with science, maths, geography, the value of democracy, and the history of time. Warnings of danger, real peril and heart-stopping excitement right to the final page make this an intensely thought-provoking read. Does the one who controls time have ultimate power?

A huge thank you to Bloomsbury and NetGalley UK for this thrilling book!