The Invisible Detective facts for kids

The Invisible Detective is an exciting series of adventure books for young readers. Written by Justin Richards, these books were first published in the United Kingdom between 2003 and 2005. They were also released in the United States.

The stories are a mix of detective fiction, science fiction, and fantasy. They take place in London during the 1930s. The series follows the adventures of four clever children: Art, Jonny, Meg, and Flinch. They pretend to work for a famous detective named Brandon Lake. He is called "the Invisible Detective" because no one has ever seen him clearly. People only see his shadow in a dark room.

Here's the secret: Brandon Lake isn't real! The four children made him up. They solve all the mysteries themselves. Art pretends to be the Invisible Detective in weekly meetings. He sits in a dark room and listens to people's problems. Then, he helps them solve their cases for a small fee.

Each book also has a second story happening in the 2000s. In these parts, Art's grandson, also named Art, and his friend Sarah solve related mysteries.

Meet the Books in the Series

Here are the titles in The Invisible Detective series:

Meet the Characters

The stories are all about the cases solved by the "Invisible Detective," Brandon Lake. But the real heroes are the Cannoniers. This is a group of four children in 1930s London who solve mysteries. They are called the Cannoniers because they work from Cannon Street. They created Brandon Lake and pretend to be him during their weekly meetings.

The Cannoniers: Our Young Detectives

• Arthur "Art" Drake: Art is the leader of the Cannoniers. He is good at planning and often comes up with ideas for the group. He is tall for a 14-year-old and has dark brown hair. Art is the voice of Brandon Lake. He sits in the armchair and provides the shadow figure during meetings.
• Flinch: Flinch is the youngest Cannonier, only 9 or 10 years old. She is small and has long, messy hair. Flinch lives on the streets and knows a lot about the city. She can also squeeze through small spaces by moving her joints easily.
• Jonny Levin: Jonny is a thin 13-year-old with short black hair. During Lake's meetings, he uses a fishing rod to send secret messages to Art. The fishing line is hard to see in the dark room. Jonny is a very fast runner. He learned this skill because older boys at school often bullied him. He also manages the Cannoniers' money because he is good with numbers.
• Margaret "Meg" Wallace: Meg is almost as tall and old as Art. She likes to wear clothes that cover her body, like long-sleeved shirts. She has long, reddish-brown hair and rarely smiles. Meg can tell when someone is lying. She learned this from being around her family.

Characters from the Future

• Arthur Drake II: Art's grandson, also named Arthur, lives in the present day. In The Paranormal Puppet Show, Arthur finds an old casebook that belonged to his grandfather. He also buys a special stone that was used to control puppets in 1936. As the books go on, he learns about the Cannoniers' cases. In Stage Fright, the special stone switches him and his grandfather. Arthur goes to 1937 London, and his grandfather Art comes to the present day.

Other Important Characters

• Sarah Bustle: Sarah goes to the same school as Arthur, but she is a year older. She has long black hair, often worn in a ponytail. She lives with her mother, Linda, and her younger brother, Paul. Sarah is very determined, much like Meg. In Ghost Soldiers, we find out that Sarah created many websites about the Invisible Detective.
• Detective Sergeant Peter Drake: Peter Drake works for Scotland Yard, the police force. He is the father of Art Drake (the leader of the Cannoniers) and the great-grandfather of Arthur Drake. He often works on the same cases as the Cannoniers. This helps Art get clues sometimes.
• Charles "Charlie" Etherbridge, Earl of Fotherington: Charlie is an older man with a kind face and voice. He becomes a friend to the Cannoniers. He helps them by representing the Invisible Detective. He doesn't learn the truth about "Brandon Lake" until Faces of Evil. Charlie can speak Latin.
• Harry Jerrickson: Harry Jerrickson owns the antique shop where Arthur finds his grandfather's casebook. He is a friend of Art Drake, Arthur's grandfather.
• Albert Norris: Albert Norris is the owner of the Dog and Goose pub. He and his customers often bring new cases to the Invisible Detective. Norris is described as a very large man.