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The Spiderwick Chronicles meets Indiana Jones in this irresistible and adventurous tale of time travel, exotic globe-trotting, mysterious and secret worlds, and a diabolical villain — all amidst the intrepid Tom Scatterhorn's race against time to save his loved ones before it's too late.

Tom Scatterhorn is back at Scatterhorn Museum, and it is only moments before he is swept into another adventure! Pearl Smoot, a mysterious visitor to the museum, comes to Tom with news about his nemesis, Don Gervase Askary: that the villain has kidnapped Pearl's family members and possibly Tom's parents too. Suddenly, Tom's hopes for a fun holiday are dashed and he finds himself on a dangerous adventure that will take him to the heart of the beetles' kingdom in the future, and beyond. . . .

528 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

6 people are currently reading
135 people want to read

About the author

Henry Chancellor

22 books12 followers
Henry Chancellor is the author of the highly acclaimed Colditz: The Definetive History and James Bond - The Man and His World: The Official Companion To Ian Flemming's Creation. His remarkable television series, Escape From Colditz, won sweeping praise and has been shown all over the world. His documentaries for television include The Great Belzoni, Millenium and Commando.

The Museum's Secret was the first installment in Henry's trilogy of young adult books in THE REMARKABLE ADVENTURES OF TOM SCATTERHORN series and has since been followed by The Hidden World & The Forgotten Echo. It has been sold in translation in France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Russia, Korea, China and the Czech Republic.

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5 stars
44 (31%)
4 stars
55 (39%)
3 stars
30 (21%)
2 stars
8 (5%)
1 star
3 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
Profile Image for Steven Medina.
295 reviews1,377 followers
August 23, 2019
Quizás un poco predecible a medida que avanzaban las páginas, pero un buen libro lleno de aventuras y muchos riesgos como al estilo Indiana Jones; solo que sin armas y vez de ellas con escarabajos y muchos insectos.
Profile Image for Leo Margetts.
314 reviews1 follower
May 4, 2020
My favourite part of this book was when Tom finds the plane that rescues him. My favourite character is tom.
Profile Image for Raven and Beez.
172 reviews53 followers
October 24, 2013
Read on blog!!

Now now everyone. Let's just take a moment to SCREAAAAM!! I CAN'T BELIEVE I FINALLY FOUND THIS BOOK! I HAVE BEEN SEARCHING ALL OVER THE GLOBE FOR THE OTHER TWO BOOKS IN THIS SERIES AND WHEN I FOUND THIS? AH! BLISS!

For the full account of what happened go check out our other blog where I have posted "The Library incident"

So I start this book expecting sooo much more and I was not disappointed. From the first chapter itself you are plunged into a roller coaster ride with unimaginable creatures and a plot that will make your head spin.

There are some bugs that are mentioned in this book which I hope do not exist. EVER.

Pearl is a great girl. I love her character just as much as I love Tom. They are the best pair ever. I love them both so much.
Sir Henry Scatterhorn and August Catcher are also beautiful characters. I really wish I had the brains to make something like what August made. Then I too would stuff taxidermy of birds with the encyclopedia. Who would need the internet right? You got a doubt? Just ask the talking bird with the encyclopedia in her head!
And of course I can' t forget the evil Don Gervase Askary and his daughter Lotus Askary. They are wicked! And the creatures that they harbour, their plans for the future... GAH! This book makes me wanna take entomology as a subject!

I am starting to love bugs. I know it sounds disgusting but I just want to study them, know more about them. There is a whole world out there filled with thousands of species of bugs! Who knows when they might take over the world.

There is the Elixir of Life and why Don Gervase Askary really wants to use it. I kind of felt sad for the bugs for their short life and all that but hey! bugs give thousands of eggs! If they lived longer they will totally populate the earth and rule over us! Eugh! They already have a higher population than ours.

Also this book reveals a lot more of the mystery that began in the first book (The Museum's Secret, a review which I have already done)

Trust me. You want to read this book. I know you do. This book will get you thinking things that you never thought were possible. And also this book will make you laugh a lot. Books rarely make me laugh so it is a big deal.

I have loved those funny scenes soo much that I want to share one with you. I will make sure that I don't give away the plot.

The hyena's eyes stared at them menacingly.
AAHHH!
Pearl screamed, Tom screamed, the driver screamed and all the monkeys screamed together. The driver slammed his foot on the brake, sending them all thudding against the windscreen, and the next moment the hyena bounced off the bonnet and tumbled down into the road. Struggling to its feet it stared at them angrily, then loped off into the shadows. For a moment the driver sat still, too stunned to speak. The two monkeys clinging to his steering wheel started to scream.

XD I laughed so hard at this moment. Chancellor has taken a classic scene and put into a situation that makes it hilarious!

I rate it a 5 for drama, comedy, adventure and mystery put all into one 500 pages book. Please read it! I promise you. You won't regret it. My friend loved it too! But if you like the kind of books that Beez reads (Teen fiction) then I doubt you would like it. But if you prefer mystery, adventure and the kind of thrill that makes you want to rip your hair off! Then go ahead and read it.

Lots of love & Beetles
Raven
(It's so ironic that Ravens eat beetles and I love them... but not enough to eat them)
Profile Image for Stefano Amadei.
Author 14 books14 followers
March 1, 2017
avvincente anche se l'ultima parte del libro è stata un po' noiosa bello il finale
Profile Image for Callum H.
4 reviews
May 9, 2010
This book is the second of the series and is even more exciting than the last! Tom Scatterhron realises his enemy from the past has his own world in a secret place. He goes out on an exilerating adventure to find his and his friend Pearl's parents. This is a very exciting, adrenalin pumping book with lots of twists and is very suprising. Henry Chancellor uses a lot of descriptive words that make you feel as if you are there. I would recommend this book to people of ages 9-14, who love a good cliffhanger.
Profile Image for Jo Bennie.
489 reviews30 followers
December 1, 2014
A great sequel to The Museum's Secret, with The Hidden World Chancellor takes the reader on another great roller coaster ride when Tom battles once again with the evil Don Askary after Pearl Smoot falls through space clutching to a weather ballon after her father and brother are attacked on her tropical island home and has to take a perilous journey through time to the beetle kingdom under a volcano that is due to explode at any moment. A fantastic ride of a book, can't wait for the next one
Profile Image for Anna-Sofie.
762 reviews21 followers
June 30, 2013
The sequel of the trilogy - and I think I enjoyed it even more than the first one! The pace was faster from page one, and it was a pleasure to meet Tom Scatterhorn and his magic, quirky world again :)
Profile Image for mac ireland .
58 reviews
July 23, 2012
I am not really sure but this book is amazing just like the last one!!!!:)
Profile Image for Yami.
864 reviews49 followers
October 24, 2011
the 2nd book turned to be more adventurous than the first, and the last few pages made me reading with anticipation, liked it very much and waiting for more.
Profile Image for Akahayla.
334 reviews45 followers
April 7, 2017
Beautiful! Soo many unanswered questions were answered. There was drama, adventure and humor! Just loved it! Can't wait to get my hands on the third book.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews

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