Shadow Thieves: Island of Skulls: The second book in the prize-winning middle-grade action adventure thriller series from a New York Times best-selling ... new for 2026 and perfect for kids aged 10+!

by Peter Burns

SKANDAR MEETS OLIVER TWIST IN THIS BLOCKBUSTING MIDDLE-GRADE ADVENTURE SERIES – PERFECT FOR FANS OF PERCY JACKSON!Dare you step into the shadows once again?Tom and his new friends from Beaufort’s School for Deceptive Arts are taken on a treasure-hunting trip to a private island in the Mediterranean once owned by the great villain himself, the Duke of Nimes. The Duke is said to have hidden a spectacular treasure in the warrens, tunnels and caves that pepper the island – as well as a terrifying weapon.

Will Tom’s street-smarts keep him and his friends alive as they chase down the treasure? And who are the deadly double agents that are sabotaging everything?

Trust no one. This is not a game.

⚡️⛵️⚡️⚜️⚡️🧨⚡️

“Top marks” Observer

"Utterly fabulous” ALEXANDER ARMSTRONG

“Shadow Thieves is the real thing” MICHAEL GRANT

“A thrilling read!” JONATHAN STROUD

“Propulsive pacing and action packed plotting” Publishers’ Weekly starred review

Genres: Middle Grade

352 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 4, 2026

Reviews

[Farah G · Rating 5 out of 5]

After a period of confinement following the Crimson Flu crisis, groups of students from Beaufort’s School for Deceptive Arts are given the opportunity to visit a variety of locations for a break from the monotony. But there is a hidden agenda behind at least one of these trips, and the group that includes Tom and his friends Maxine, Enzo, Jericho and others are taken by their professor, the Corsair, to an island once owned by the Duke of Nimes, where hidden treasure and a fabled weapon are said to have been secreted away.

The Duke had dreams of world domination which he did not live to see through, but Tom is horrified to discover that the Corsair has secret plans for one element of the Duke's hidden hoard. Unfortunately, others also have their designs on the Duke's legacy, and are not about to allow the Corsair to proceed with his plans uninterrupted...

This adventure gets 10 out of 10 for the swashbuckle factor, and allows the reader to get to know Tom and his friends (and detractors) much better, with more than a few twists thrown in for good measure. Great entertainment! Looking forward to the next installment.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

[Nicola Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book filled with action and adventure! It’s one of those books where you feel the stakes are high and you’re launched on a journey with our characters as they navigate life and death situations. It’s such a fun read and you’ll be tearing through those pages with excited anticipation!

I read this through train journeys (those hours on the train really flew by), outside in the sun with a cup of tea and on snatched moments in the mornings to sneak a few chapters in. I really loved my few chapters with the day and always looked forward to spending some time with Tom to see how he was going to get out of scrapes.

The writing is fab and the book was really well paced. It’s a great story to sink into and this one has set itself up really well into book 3 which I will be eagerly keeping an eye out for! The race is on for Tom and his Shadow League friends to get to the bottom of another mystery!

Thank you to the author and publisher for this book on NetGalley in return for my honest thoughts and review.

[Vonprice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Literary treasure for middle grade readers! My full review is here: https://vsviewfromthebookshelves.home...