Mark Anchovy: Pizza Detective

Mark Anchovy #1

by William Goldsmith

Colin Kingsley is a pizza delivery boy with a twist. He's actually an aspiring detective. But in sleepy Rufflington-on-Sea, there are no cases to solve - until the Golden Spatula League come calling. The world's premier agency for 'caterer-detectives', run by children, the G.S.L. have been dazzled by Colin's freakish memory skills. To join their ranks, Colin - codenamed 'Mark Anchovy' - must fly to Rome to track down a valuable stolen painting, titled, 'Girl With A Squirrel'. The chief suspect: Big Alan Fresco, notorious art thief and pizza addict. It's the toughest, most pizza-ry mystery the G.S.L. have ever encountered. The first book in a trilogy that readers will gobble up! Written and illustrated by William Goldsmith - with hilarious black and white artwork from start to finish.

Genres: Childrens

312 pages, Paperback

First published April 9, 2020

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this with my two kids (9 and 6) and we all really enjoyed it. It's a really fun mix of outlandish adventure, silly puns and imagination. Looking forward to the next one.

[I _teach_muggles · Rating 5 out of 5]

William Goldsmith is onto a winner with his debut children’s book. A theft of a valuable piece of art, secret messages, attempted murder, and child detectives who pose as ice-cream vendors, kebab makers and pizza deliverers…

Meet Colin Kingsley, wanna-be detective. School child by day, pizza delivery boy by night, and latest recruit to the Golden Spatula League. The GSL are a secret organisation of child detectives who use their part-time catering jobs as their cover. GSL recruits live a life of luxury, thrills, international travel and danger, and earn a cool salary which means they can retire at sixteen. Colin has attracted their attention due to his amazing photographic memory powers. His first mission…under the alias Mark Anchovy, Colin must head to Italy and track down Big Alan Fresco and find a stolen painting worth a cool 20 million.

Mark Anchovy: Pizza Detective is a cracking mystery read where the action is non-stop. Readers will quickly find themselves swept into a world of James Bond gadgets, stowaways, kidnappings, burning buildings, explosions and assassins. There is plenty of humour, largely thanks to the abundance of pizza-themed puns - have you read the Dough Vinci Code or heard of the art thief Al Fresco?

It is an easy read with relatively short chapters and the text is supported by black and white illustrations. I particularly like the pizza slices at the start of each chapter. Readers will have great fun trying to solve parts of the mystery along with Colin (aka Mark Anchovy) as he and his GSL pals race their way around the streets and underground sewers of Rome.

If you like your pizzas with a big dollop of mystery and topped with crime, gangsters and extra anchovies then you’ll love Mark Anchovy: Pizza Detective. I am very much looking forward to the next delivery - Mark Anchovy: War & Pizza is out next year.

Recommend for 7+.

[Eve Copeland · Rating 4 out of 5]

We enjoyed this book on two long car journeys.
It kept my boys (6&8) entertained for both of these.
Easy listening and although a complex storyline for a six-year old, he enjoyed it!
The only thing we weren’t a fan of was ‘Princess Skewer’ using the phrases ‘what the fluff’ and ‘fluffing hell’… not so keen on mine repeating that!

[Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly it was good…slow at the start but it picked up!

- That reader

[Phil Nicholls · Rating 3 out of 5]

The plot had a good pace with a light-hearted style. Colin Kingsley works for his parents delivering pizzas. However, as detective Mark Anchovy, Colin finds adventure as the newest recruit to the Golden Spatula League. Colin juggles a school trip to Rome with life as a secret agent investigating an art theft.

The action is fast and furious, reminding me of a cartoon. Goldsmith has a whimsical sense of humour and the characters are fun to read.

[Abby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. The plot and characters have been really well thought out; it's very original in its material. I can't wait to read this book with my class, I was laughing all the way through and am sure they will too. A really clever and humourous read with great action and a fun storyline.
I can't wait to see what happens next in the adventures.