I was really excited to receive this as an ARC. I’ve read all of MG Leonard’s books and she just has a way with words and storytelling.
Sim lives with his mum who has a great power. She can open doors in time. Sim and his mum are being trailed by the Council who govern the doors. They are in a mission to solve the mystery of the missing scarab and end up transporting back to ancient Egypt and searching through tombs. Piecing together clues along the way, can they solve the mystery without being caught?
So much research must have been carried out when writing this story and so much imagination is on display. Perfect for fans of mystery and adventure. Can’t wait for the next in the series!

An absolute brilliant read. This has everything you'd expect from an MG Leonard book; mystery, adventure, suspense and facts. I loved the historical element of this story. Who wouldn't want to be whisked off to ancient Egypt? Vivid story telling makes this a pure immersive joy of a read and I cannot wait for the next exciting instalment.
A perfect addition to any reading shelf but also a great way to enrich the KS2 history curriculum.

A few weeks ago, I travelled down to London for a bookish event with a friend and fellow blogger. Our conversation on the train was, of course, dominated by talk of children’s books and it rapidly turned to what we were looking forward to in 2025, with this title very firmly on both of our lists. Very envious when a proof found its way to her, I was delighted when I saw it added to the virtual shelves of NetGalley and immediately requested it.

Usually a reasonably patient person, I think it’s fair to say that I *might* have checked my emails a little more regularly than I usually do while I was waiting for approval and when the message came it was heralded by much excitement, much to Mr S’s bemusement. A thrilling adventure, this is different in its premise from the author’s other reads but is – as you would expect if you have read her other books – gripping, entertaining and full of rich details that will have you hooked from the very beginning as we enter a world in which a secret group of individuals exists who have the ability to open doors in time.

Many of us might be displeased at having time spent enjoying our hobby interrupted by an attack from a parent but for budding pianist Sim, intercepting the wooden staff that his mother Callidora has thrown at him from the doorway is all part and parcel of the regular martial arts practice she plans for him. Telling him that it is time that they started to clean the London museum in which their accommodation is located, Sim wonders what has made his mother insist on his training when their lives are so mundane and safe but follows her downstairs nonetheless. When the pair of them hear the voices of visitors that should not be there after closing time, Sim’s mum looks concerned and tells him that they need to head to the Picture Room straight away.

Hiding themselves there until the visitors have gone Sim is at a loss to explain what is going on, but the following day Callidora tells her son that she has taken some time off and that they need to leave because they are no longer safe at the museum. When they are followed, Callidora manages to give their pursuers the slip on the underground and takes Sim to a place of safety where she explains to him that she has the ability to open doors that lead to another time and tells him about the mysterious Council of Keys – a secret organisation of people in possession of that power.

When it becomes clear that the Council are searching for the golden heart scarab buried with long-dead pharaoh Nefertiti, Sim and Callidora decide that they must put a stop to the organisation’s plans. But the two of them will need the help of others to travel back in time to discover the artefact first and not everyone that they meet will be on their side. Can the two of them locate a door that will allow them to travel back to Ancient Egypt to find the precious scarab and prevent the Council’s sinister operatives gaining hold of it? And even if they can, will they be able to find their way back again?

I love a time travel adventure and here the device is used to great effect because, unlike in most stories, it is individuals who have been born with the power to travel through the doors, rather than any Tom, Dick or Harry who has invented – or has access to – some sort of device such as the TARDIS in Doctor Who. Not only this, but there is no concurrent travel through space, as is often the way, making Sim and his companions’ story all the more exciting because for Callidora’s plans to work, they have first of all to find the correct door. By imposing strict limits on how the doors work, the author has made her story all the more credible and I am really excited to see how this will develop as we move through the series.

It’s so lovely to see that this will be illustrated – something that is very slowly becoming more common in middle grade reads. The advance copy I read didn’t have Manuel Šumberac’s final artwork in it, but having seen his sketches there and a select few finished pictures on Twitter/X that the author shared, I know that they will be stunning and only serve to add to readers’ pleasure, making this a fabulous treat for those picking it up.

Perfect for confident readers in Year 4 upwards as a solo read, this would make a great shared story too, at home or in class, and I know that there will be many who race through this, as I did, and will then be in desperate need for Book 2, The Legend of Viking Thunder, for which publication is scheduled for 11th September 2025.

Before then, my enormous thanks go to publisher Macmillan Children’s Books and to NetGalley for my advance, virtual read. Hunt for the Golden Scarab publishes 30th January.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillian for giving me an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review.

This novel was sold as a fun time-hopping an adventure through Ancient Egypt and yeah- it is that but not at the same time.

The story follows Sim as after one fateful day, he realises his mum is not who she says she is but in fact, can travel through time thanks to a special ability where music can be used to open doors in time. So far; so standard. The plot isn't very original and fails to strike a balance between taking itself far too seriously and no seriously at all. The characters save the piece, being fun, distinct, and really the only reason to keep with this book.

A large issue I had, also, was that the pacing is completely off the mark. The author seems to interested in their own lore that it takes 100+ pages for us to even get into Ancient Egypt. And for a book about Ancient Egypt, that's not great. A lot could have been shaved off and would have greatly benefited from doing so.

Was I disappointed? Yes. This book had a great concept and a great writer behind it but overall, failed to hit the mark. I'd only pick this up if you're desperate for more books about Ancient Egypt.