Thomas Creeper and the Gloomsbury Secret

-Phillip Kennedy Johnson, comic book writer of Batman, Superman, Aquaman, and Captain America

“The sun rarely shines in Gloomsbury, a dismal town as uninspiring as its motto, “Live here. Work here. Die here.” Thirteen-year-old Thomas navigates the gloom as son of the resident mortician, death permeating his dreary life: his family barely functions after the shocking demise of his older brother, a ghostly girl appears to be haunting his house, and a disquieting supernatural stranger is lurking about town. There’s also the matter of the local priest’s untimely death, which finally sets Thomas and his best friend, Jeni, off on a quest to unravel the mysterious goings-on and save their town—and themselves—from destruction. It’s a delightfully dark story, hilariously and matter-of-factly morbid, that evokes a modern setting with a decidedly old-fashioned feel, mixing iPhones and email with Victorian turrets and disused dumbwaiters. There are umpteen plot points to follow (Garrulous ghosts! Steampunk submarines! Blossoming romance!), making it difficult to give all the wild turns their due. Still, it’s great fun, especially combined with the slightly sinister illustrations, and readers will eagerly follow the marvelously macabre adventure.”

“A delightful steampunk, spy tale, ghost story, mystery mash-up with genuinely spooky moments. Through wonderfully gloomy illustrations and a plot that twists and turns like fog, J.R. Potter keeps the reader engaged and guessing. Expect just the right amount of the macabre, a host of fun, eccentric characters, and a gangly thirteen-year-old mortician’s assistant who discovers he’s a swashbuckler at heart.”

-Rebecca Baum, author of Lifelike Creatures

“Plunge into Thomas Creeper and the Gloomsbury Secret if you’re looking to be charmed and delighted. In this captivating fantasy, J.R. Potter provides an accelerating plot, filled with characters either creepy or lovable, or sometimes both! They inhabit a fully rendered setting, the macabre town of Gloomsbury, Mass, which you won’t find on any map…except that of the Imagination! Potter has fashioned a world with its own original elements, including the Knutson Ocular-Occult Goggles (a wondrous ghost-detecting artifact); the Narwhall Needle (a deep-sea relic of uncanny power); a one-armed ghost named Silvie; and a curious personage named Mouth who “embodies” his name in more ways than one. Follow the adventures of Thomas and his friend Jeni through this dark, delicious tale, and just hope the author will be kind enough to give us a sequel.”

– Gary Pedler, author of Amy McDougall, Master Matchmaker and Couchsurfing: the Musical

“A gothic novel for kids! With names, places and characters right out of Dickens! For fans of Harry Potter, run, don’t walk to your nearest bookstore and buy Thomas Creeper and the Gloomsbury Secret. This certain Potter raises the stakes of fantasy in this sprawling tale. With thudding heart and trembling fingers, you will be unable to put this spooky treasure down, believe me! An added pleasure are the shadowy, mysterious, magnificent illustrations, penned by the author himself. A ghoulish treat. Enjoy!”

-Janet Graber, author of numerous children’s tales including Malcom Mouse, Explorer and The Secret Chamber of Gwendoline Riston

“This book was hard to put down as one page pulled you forward to the next.”

-Diana Perry, Midwest Book Review