Montmorency (novel) facts for kids
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| Author | Eleanor Updale |
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| Country | United Kingdom |
| Series | Montmorency series |
| Genre | Crime fiction, historical fiction, thriller; children's literature |
| Publisher | Scholastic |
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Publication date
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2003 (hardcover) |
| Media type | Print (hard, softcover), Audio |
| Pages | 176 to 240 pp. |
| ISBN | 0-439-97815-7 |
| OCLC | 52621230 |
| LC Class | PZ7.U4447 Mo 2004 |
| Followed by | Montmorency on the Rocks |
Montmorency is an exciting crime novel and thriller. It takes place in Victorian era London. Eleanor Updale wrote the book, and Scholastic published it in 2003. This book is the first in the Montmorency series. It tells the story of a small-time thief who changes his life. He becomes a gentleman and a spy. The main character is known as Montmorency and also by his secret identity, Scarper.
In the United States, the book came out in 2004. It was called Montmorency: thief, liar, gentleman? The publisher was Orchard Books, a part of Scholastic.
Contents
The Story of Montmorency
A Thief's New Beginning
The story begins in London, England, in 1875. The main character, a thief, is running from the police. He falls through a glass roof and lands on a machine. Doctor Robert Farcett saves the thief's life. He performs a difficult surgery on him. Doctor Farcett wants to show he is a skilled doctor.
The thief is then sent to prison. He is called "Prisoner 493" because he has no name. The only name found was "Montmorency" on a bag he carried. He decides to use this name. Slowly, he starts to create a new identity for himself.
Life in Prison and a Big Idea
While in prison, Montmorency becomes a special guest. He is shown at meetings of the Scientific Society. At one of these meetings, he meets Sir Joseph Bazalgette. Sir Joseph is in charge of building London's new sewer system. Montmorency realizes something important. The sewers could be a perfect secret path for daring robberies.
He dreams of living like a rich gentleman. He plans to sell expensive items he could steal through the sewers. But he knows rich people do not smell like sewers. They also do not wear old, dirty clothes. So, he needs a helper. He needs another thief who is smart, capable, and can keep secrets. This helper would do the actual robberies.
Montmorency creates a second identity for himself. He calls this new identity Scarper. Scarper is the thief. He pretends to be a servant to the rich and fancy Montmorency. This way, no one will suspect Montmorency.
Freedom and Double Lives
After three years, Montmorency is released from prison. At this point, Doctor Farcett and Montmorency stop talking to each other.
Scarper carries out many robberies. He even steals from Doctor Farcett's home. Scarper is never caught. During this time, Scarper rents a room in a poor part of town. He uses it to hide the most valuable stolen goods. The room is run by a woman named Vi Evans. She later becomes a good friend to Montmorency. Meanwhile, Montmorency lives in a fancy room at the Marimion Hotel.
Trouble and a New Path
The newspapers report on Scarper's many robberies. Eventually, the police arrest a man named "Freakshow." He was a friend of Montmorency's from prison. The police wrongly blame Freakshow for Scarper's crimes. He faces a severe punishment for crimes he did not commit. This event causes Montmorency a lot of guilt.
One day, outside the Marimion Hotel, Montmorency saves George Fox-Selwyn. Fox-Selwyn was in a carriage accident. Montmorency and Fox-Selwyn quickly become friends. After a challenge, Montmorency uses his skills to break into the Mauramanian Embassy. He spies for important information there. Because of this, Fox-Selwyn offers Montmorency a job. He becomes a spy for the British government. His first mission is to gather information to help prevent a war in Europe. This work earns him a permanent job with the British government.
In the end, Montmorency stops being Scarper. He returns all the stolen goods he still has. He decides to live an honest life from then on.
Audiobook Version
An audiobook of Montmorency was released in the UK. It came out in July 2004. The famous actor Stephen Fry read the story.
Stage Play Adaptation
A professional theater group called FreeRange Productions turned the novel into a play. This happened in 2012. They performed the play at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August of that year. Critics and audiences really liked the show. Eleanor Updale, the author, said it was "a nerve-wracking, but exciting experience."
