What do you think?
Rate this book
Win a free print copy of this book!
6 days and 00:42:22
5 copies available
U.S. only
Inkbound #2
Inkbound: Meticulous Jones and the Shadow Compass
Not yet published
Expected 29 Jan 26Win a free print copy of this book!
6 days and 00:42:22
5 copies available
U.S. only
The next extraordinary magical adventure about family, fate and finding the courage to be truly yourself – perfect for fans of Nevermoor, Lemony Snicket and The Swifts.
At the Founders’ Day Parade in the magical city of New London, a tombstone engraved with Metty’s name mysteriously appears and leads her to an eerie underground cathedral. It’s home to the League of Shadows – a secret society who promise power and protection. But joining their ranks means going against Aunt Mag’s wishes and completing a set of dangerous, magical challenges.
When an inspector threatens to expose the Joneses’ darkest secret, Metty has no choice. The only way to protect her family is to join the League before the next full moon. Racing against time with the help of a magic thief and a sarcastic fire demon, she must find her way back to the cathedral. But will she be too late to save those she loves?
At the Founders’ Day Parade in the magical city of New London, a tombstone engraved with Metty’s name mysteriously appears and leads her to an eerie underground cathedral. It’s home to the League of Shadows – a secret society who promise power and protection. But joining their ranks means going against Aunt Mag’s wishes and completing a set of dangerous, magical challenges.
When an inspector threatens to expose the Joneses’ darkest secret, Metty has no choice. The only way to protect her family is to join the League before the next full moon. Racing against time with the help of a magic thief and a sarcastic fire demon, she must find her way back to the cathedral. But will she be too late to save those she loves?
Audible Audio
Expected publication January 29, 2026
2 people are currently reading
1840 people want to read
About the author
Philippa Leathley
5 books36 followersPhilippa Leathley grew up in East Yorkshire, spending summers near London with her eccentric grandparents and writing feverishly as soon as she could hold a pen. When not writing, she enjoys learning new languages, studying anything from historical fashion to shipwrecks, and is passionate about protecting the environment. She currently lives just outside Hull with her family and three weird and wonderful rescue cats, Bram, Lyra and Theo the Brave.
Her debut children’s book, INKBOUND: METICULOUS JONES AND THE SKULL TATTOO, is due to be published by HarperCollins 30th January 2025 in the UK and 28th January in the US. She’s represented by Hannah Sheppard at HS-LA.
Her debut children’s book, INKBOUND: METICULOUS JONES AND THE SKULL TATTOO, is due to be published by HarperCollins 30th January 2025 in the UK and 28th January in the US. She’s represented by Hannah Sheppard at HS-LA.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 18, 2025
YAY! We’re back off to New London! If you think I didn’t audibly cheer when I received this proof, you’d be mistaken because I have been desperate to leap back into this world and see where Metty’s journey takes her next after the adventures of Inkbound: Meticulous Jones and the Skull Tattoo. One of my absolute favourite releases of the year, I was in such anticipation of what the sequel might deliver and it’s safe to say it delivered everything I needed it to… AND MORE!
Metty, Sundar, Faith, and all our favourite Jones family are back for the sequel, though with the deepening of the family history and their ties to the magical foundations of New London, we’re introduced to new members and family friends that make this ever-growing cast feel evermore so complete. Naturally as we grow up, our worlds expand and this is definitely what’s happening to Metty in this book, and her reactions to this are exactly what we need from a protagonist; cautious, protective, caring, and most importantly, fuelled by wanting to do the right thing.
With twists and turns that cover a whole host of emotions, The Shadow Compass is certainly another shining star of a middle-grade novel. Side note: I cried at SEVERAL points in the book – though I won’t let you know if those tears were happy, angry, or sad. With large cinematic moments contrasted with those finer, human moments, Philippa Leathley has continued to give us a masterclass in world-building whilst keeping a story character focused. Even in those larger, big scale moments, we’re still adamant why Metty’s there and, whilst we may not agree that it’s the best cause of action, it allows us to continue to root for her throughout!
There’s one character arc that I’m incredibly fascinated by in this novel, and it’s not necessarily someone who plays a large role in the alpha plot, but I wouldn’t want to give too much away so it is something I may come back to after release. That being said, the subplots of this novel are as fruitful as their leader, with me oftentimes wondering where those characters might go off in their own worlds and what they do in their spare time in New London. Yet another sign of genius storytelling from Philippa Leathley.
Without going into spoiler territory, it’s hard to give the detail I would love to give, so I will end this review on this note. YOU MUST READ THIS SERIES. Every now and again a series comes along that is so special, so packed with possibilities, that I want to buy everyone I know a copy and demand they read it. Inkbound is one of those series and I truly do hope it continues because I have so many more questions, and I’m nowhere near ready to contemplate a world where I don’t get to return to New London.
A PHENOMENAL read for anyone aged 9+, and especially any lovers of Inkbound: Meticulous Jones and the Skull Tattoo (which is Waterstones’ Children’s Book of the Month at time of posting), I insist you go and preorder a copy asap, and if you haven’t, get your hands on the first book. Now, while you head off to do that, I’m off to check the sky for any floating cities…
Metty, Sundar, Faith, and all our favourite Jones family are back for the sequel, though with the deepening of the family history and their ties to the magical foundations of New London, we’re introduced to new members and family friends that make this ever-growing cast feel evermore so complete. Naturally as we grow up, our worlds expand and this is definitely what’s happening to Metty in this book, and her reactions to this are exactly what we need from a protagonist; cautious, protective, caring, and most importantly, fuelled by wanting to do the right thing.
With twists and turns that cover a whole host of emotions, The Shadow Compass is certainly another shining star of a middle-grade novel. Side note: I cried at SEVERAL points in the book – though I won’t let you know if those tears were happy, angry, or sad. With large cinematic moments contrasted with those finer, human moments, Philippa Leathley has continued to give us a masterclass in world-building whilst keeping a story character focused. Even in those larger, big scale moments, we’re still adamant why Metty’s there and, whilst we may not agree that it’s the best cause of action, it allows us to continue to root for her throughout!
There’s one character arc that I’m incredibly fascinated by in this novel, and it’s not necessarily someone who plays a large role in the alpha plot, but I wouldn’t want to give too much away so it is something I may come back to after release. That being said, the subplots of this novel are as fruitful as their leader, with me oftentimes wondering where those characters might go off in their own worlds and what they do in their spare time in New London. Yet another sign of genius storytelling from Philippa Leathley.
Without going into spoiler territory, it’s hard to give the detail I would love to give, so I will end this review on this note. YOU MUST READ THIS SERIES. Every now and again a series comes along that is so special, so packed with possibilities, that I want to buy everyone I know a copy and demand they read it. Inkbound is one of those series and I truly do hope it continues because I have so many more questions, and I’m nowhere near ready to contemplate a world where I don’t get to return to New London.
A PHENOMENAL read for anyone aged 9+, and especially any lovers of Inkbound: Meticulous Jones and the Skull Tattoo (which is Waterstones’ Children’s Book of the Month at time of posting), I insist you go and preorder a copy asap, and if you haven’t, get your hands on the first book. Now, while you head off to do that, I’m off to check the sky for any floating cities…
October 18, 2025
Inkbound: Meticulous Jones and the Shadow Compass
Content Guide:
🤬No foul language.
🌶️ No sexual content.
🗡️ Some magical violence. No blood or serious injuries.
🍺 No substance use.
I read the first book in this series and loved it, so I was so excited to get a digital copy of the sequel!
Meticulous Jones, a.k.a. Metty, is determined, stubborn, and not at all meticulous. I enjoyed her growth throughout the book, especially that she learns not to trust everyone.
I didn’t want to put this book down! It was funny, interesting, magical, and a bit suspenseful. The pacing was great. This book is awesome and if you liked the first one, then you should definitely read this one!
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the free ebook in exchange for my honest review.
-Eden, 8 years old.
Content Guide:
🤬No foul language.
🌶️ No sexual content.
🗡️ Some magical violence. No blood or serious injuries.
🍺 No substance use.
I read the first book in this series and loved it, so I was so excited to get a digital copy of the sequel!
Meticulous Jones, a.k.a. Metty, is determined, stubborn, and not at all meticulous. I enjoyed her growth throughout the book, especially that she learns not to trust everyone.
I didn’t want to put this book down! It was funny, interesting, magical, and a bit suspenseful. The pacing was great. This book is awesome and if you liked the first one, then you should definitely read this one!
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the free ebook in exchange for my honest review.
-Eden, 8 years old.
December 30, 2025
Thank you HarperAudio Children’s, Storytide, and NetGalley for the advanced electronic audio review copy of this book. This is the next instalment of the Meticulous Jones series and it is just as wonderful as the previous volume has been. Here, Metty and friends are on yet another adventure to save New London. Great pacing, world building, and character development. It was an interesting, funny, and magical read and I’m looking forward to the next instalment.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews