The Mystery of Ireland's Eye

The Dylan Maples Adventures #1

by Shane Peacock

The adventure of a twelve year's first ocean kayaking trip with his parents to Ireland's Eye. The small island off the coast of Newfoundland is the eastern-most settlement in Canada. Or it was. It is now hauntingly empty, a ghost town hanging onto the edge of the unforgiving Atlantic.

Genres: Mystery, Adventure, Canada, Young Adult, Childrens

179 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Shane Peacock was born in 1957 in Thunder Bay, Ontario, one of four brothers. He attended school in the northern town of Kapuskasing, Ontario, before attending university, where he studied History and English literature. A biographer, journalist, and screenwriter, he is also the author of eighteen novels, a picture book and three plays, and has been won and/or been nominated for numerous awards including two Arthur Ellis Awards for crime fiction, the Geoffrey Bilson Award for historical fiction, the Violet Downey Award, the Libris Award, seven times honored with Junior Library Guild of America selections, and has been on three shortlists for the Canadian Children's Literature Award, and one for the Governor-General's Award. His books have been published in 20 languages in 18 countries. He and his wife, journalist Sophie Kneisel live in Cobourg, Ontario and have two daughters and a son.

Series:
* The Dylan Maples Adventures
* The Boy Sherlock Holmes
The Dark Missions of Edgar Brim
The Seven Series

Awards:
Arthur Ellis Award
◊ Best Juvenile (2008): Eye of the Crow
The Arthur Ellis (2013)
The Violet Downey Award
The Libris Award
The Geoffrey Bilson Award
The Ruth & Sylvia Schwartz Award
Anne Izard Storyteller Choice Award
Junior Library Guild of America Selection (7 times)
Governor-General's Award (shortlist)
TD Canadian Children's Literature Award (shortlist)

Reviews

[C. (Comment, never msg). · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love literature at home. It’s a treat to see runners instead of “sneakers”, grade 6 instead of “sixth grade”, icing instead of “frosting”, university instead of “college”! Shane Peacock compounds the anticipation with a treatise upon a little-known piece of Canada. Ireland’s Eye is veritably our easternmost point, its residents ousted after Newfoundland modernized. I know least about this province and love acquainting more of our great white north.

We have an author with whom we automatically resonate and an eyebrow-raising region that his story will explore. Better still, Shane has given us two adventures! The looks of that ghost town; with church, school, and even homes intact is innately enticing but getting there borders on dangerous. The hero, Dylan Maples, works at his school performance, swimming, kayaking, and sports for a year to ensure inclusion on his parents’ trip because there is no easy route. You hug the shore of the nearest island when the weather is good.... and paddle as a speck in the Atlantic ocean until you land! There is nowhere to stop and the imagery of gentle whales, who might crumple your craft by accident because they are so immense, was heart-stopping. However Dylan felt geared up to see Ireland’s Eye since his Dad considered the journey; a feeling this fictional boy has transferred to me!

The parents are likeable: worry warts the same as any but forward-thinking. Their son is as loyal as he is intelligent and I enjoyed following him. The action on the island snaps into high gear, if close whale encounters weren’t enough and keeps us jumping until the concluding page! Dylan surpasses the “Hardy Boys” as our updated adventurer. A desperate scenario, a surreal legend about the eye, and a bit of the paranormal make this energetic book wonderfully memorable.

[Siusan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Mystery of Ireland's Eye by Shane Peacock was an outstanding read. I was completely captivated by the opening scene of Dylan and his parents kayaking in open waters. I loved the flashbacks of how Dylan won his parents over and convinced them to let him join them on their holiday. It really came through how much hard work pays. Shane Peacock’s descriptions of the landscapes was wonderful. I can imagine kayaking the waters between islands or running through the woods or peering into the abandoned buildings. The build up of Dylan’s questionable experiences on Ireland’s Eye made me turn every page with trepidation, waiting for the big reveal. I really enjoyed this dramatic tale of one young man’s summer adventure and was excited to learn there are other stories in this series.

[Digitally Lit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ariela-
Review: The Mystery of Ireland’s Eye is a middle-grade adventure story following the adventure of Dylan Maples. Dylan has heard about Ireland’s Eye in the stories that his dad tells him. Irelands Eye is a ghost town—in more ways than one. Some say that it’s haunted and filled with ghosts, and the town there is abandoned with not a soul living there—or going there, actually. Dylan has only heard stories of this place, but he feels like he has to go there. So he devises a plan to make his parents let him go. Ireland’s Eye is surrounded by rough waters, and for some reason his parents want to kayak there?? I dunno, but if I was an adventurer of sorts, I wouldn’t want to put all of my family in kayaks for them to paddle in rough and deadly waters that are also full of whales who could very well overturn your kayak… yeah. That sounds a little Also the waters are icy cold because they decide to go in the winter. Smartness. Dylan and his parents are kayaking and navigating the freezing waters, when gUeSs WhAt a whale almost overturns Dylan’s kayak. So Dylan gets a nice close-up of his new whale friend, while his parents are scared half to death because it’s like “Oh my gosh my child almost died”…. So that’s fun. I probably should have mentioned this earlier, but Ireland’s Eye is a small island located off the coast of Newfoundland, so my guy Dylan over here is from Toronto so they have to take a long and perilous… er… road trip? Ah, yes, the road trip. The best beginning to any adventure. Hehe. So they go to Newfoundland and they are just about to head off to Ireland’s Eye when they meet a fisherman who’s all like “DoN’t Go To ThE eYe yOu hAvE aLl bEeN WARNed”. So of course they go anyway, because *adventure*.

But what happens on the Eye? Well, if you want to find that out for yourself, then you can! Just go to nimbus.ca and search up The Mystery of Ireland’s Eye.
________
Savannah:
Let me start off with saying how incredible this whole series has been so far! I’m on book 4 of 5 and I’m loving it. These books are so intriguing and have just the right amount of plot twists to keep me entertained throughout the whole thing. Even though this is a middle grade series it is so amazing and a great series!

The first book start off with Dylan going to Newfoundland’s Ireland Eye in search of the ghost on the island. They have to venture out through the rough waters for several days to arrive at the island. They almost end up going over board and Dylan see a whale a little too close for comfort. When they get to the island they find out their « ghost town » might be taking the term a little too literally. Weird unexplainable things keep happening and it’s enough to almost drive Dylan and is parents off the island.

I think book was very well written with lots of details that kept me engaged and a great plot. I loved the mystery aspect of this novel and how you really don’t expect what happens next. This was a great read that I highly recommend to everyone as it’s a quick fun read that I’m sure everyone will enjoy! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Merrilyn Tucker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Toronto middle-schooler Dylan is the only child of parents who lovingly support him in anything he wants to do, but the kayak trip to Ireland's Eye, the abandoned island off the coast of Newfoundland, is off-limits. Dylan knows it's too dangerous and that his parents will deny him the adventure. So, he spends a year working out, excelling at his schoolwork, swimming, and taking kayaking lessons. When they see that he's worked so hard to prepare himself, they give in and say yes to him accompanying them. The wild adventure starts there. The kayak journey is filled with whales breaching, jellyfish, swarming, and a fierce storm almost swamping them. Once on the island, Dylan is beset with dreams and ghosts. As it turns out, the ghosts are really bad guys on the island who are looking for buried loot. This mystery is good, but a little uneven. Much talk about the history of hockey and hockey plays left me somewhat lost. The grief of the death of Dylan's beloved grandpa woven into the tale was sad but rang true. The dream sequences were a bit much. Overall, I liked the book and will suggest it to readers who seek adventure tales. This is the first in a series.

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Middle Grade Adventure. Dylan lives in Canada with his parents. His dad is an adventure-seeker, and when Dylan hears him talking about a trip to the mysterious abandoned island off the coast of Newfoundland he wants to take part. Over the next year Dylan proves himself responsible in any way he can, working on his grades, his hockey performance, his upper body strength. He successfully convinces his parents that he is up for the physical toll of a long kayak trip. But as they get closer to Ireland's Eye, Dylan gets spooked-- why does he see faces in an abandoned town? Soon Dylan realizes that getting to the island was nowhere near the most treacherous part of the trip.

This story had several things going for it-- a male main character (unfortunately uncommon in middle grade and YA literature), parents that were very much present, and a high-stakes adventure. I enjoyed the story, switching back and forth between the audio version and the print version. This is first in a series.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book did not go the way I thought it would. It seemed like a great adventure story about going to Ireland's Eye and figuring out the mystery surrounding it. Clearly, my thoughts were heavily influenced by the title. I did not expect the suspense that was created when the island is seen through Dylan's eyes.

I will admit, even as an adult, I was kept on the edge of my seat wondering how everything would end.

I'm not sure if I will read the other books in the series, but this was a good read.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Author: Shane Peacock
Publisher: Viking
Publication Date: 1999

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good mystery adventure book for pre-teens. Good story line, great characters, good mystery and just the right amount of ghosts!

[Collin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Battle of the books book. Enjoyed it. Quick suspense and action book about Newfoundland and adventures the main characters have. Ready to quiz the Ss.

[Jessica Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

First book of this series and the first I read. I really liked the kayaking part. I won't say more because it needs to be a surprise when you get there. I felt like I was actually there.

[Joyi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Only read this for B.O.B.

[Nikki in Niagara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reason for Reading: I was visiting the author's website and looking for news on his Boy Sherlock series when I took a look at his list of books written and saw that he had a short but interesting backlist of titles. One being this four book mystery series that sounded very Canadian and very interesting so I immediately decided to read it.

Dylan Maples is twelve. His dad is what one would call an extreme outdoors man or adventurer. He's always off somewhere mountain climbing or kayaking across some lake "in the Yukon or Alaska or Timbuktu". If he's not doing it, he's either immersed in reading or planning it. In real life he's lawyer. At this point in time Dylan's dad (and mum, as where he goes she goes) is planning to kayak across to a tiny island called Ireland's Eye, which is off the coast of Newfoundland and Canada's most eastern point. This Island is actually a ghost town that once industrialization hit the mainland in the fifties the government basically forced the inhabitants off the island and the population went from 200 to 16 in a few short years; and then there were none... The trip is planned for next summer and Dylan intends to go with them but doesn't say anything. Instead he spends the whole year 100% committed to swimming lessons, the swim team at school, running, working out, kayaking with his dad in a pool *and* studying hard to get the best grades he's ever had. His parents realize how mature he's grown and OK the idea when Dylan finally broaches the subject of coming with them when the time for the trip nears.

What follows is an adventure story taking place over several days of kayaking along the coast of Newfoundland to a certain point. Then kayaking across the Atlantic Ocean on what starts off as a beautiful sunny day but turns into a heavy rain storm. Once finally on the Island, as they explore the ruins Dylan feels something is not quite right. There is a small element of the supernatural involved as Dylan has dreams that he sees his grandfather who recently died and wonders if the eerie feeling he has about the Island is connected to him in anyway. And why did the old fisherman on the mainland warn him not to go to Ireland's Eye.

This is a fast-paced adventure with plot running the story from the opening chapter which foreshadows events to come. It's a good kid's adventure with all the ingredients of a "Scooby-Doo" mystery. The mystery is summed up quite interestingly but there is still a tickle in the air about what exactly can be explained away. I really enjoyed that Dylan's partners in this mystery were his parents. Dylan has a typical tween's feelings about his parents, which he expresses in his thoughts but he has a good relationship with them and respect is shown by all towards each other while the parents remain in the parental role.

Finally, this book had me so curious about Ireland's Eye. There is a map of the Island at the front of the book and for some reason that made me think it was a fictional place. I read too much fantasy I guess, they often have maps at the front. Obviously, I'd never heard of the island before but I hadn't been reading long before I had to stop and find out the truth about Ireland's Eye and see it for myself. Indeed, it really is a true ghost town island and you can visit a great site about it at the Maritime History Archive. If I ever make it to Newfoundland for a trip, I know I must plan a trip out to this island. I'd love to read a book that took place in the heyday of the island's history.

[Emilee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very good book and I would recommend. I thought it was a good mystery and it leaves you thinking right up to the end.

[Mills College Library]

Fiction P356m 2018