Inkbound cover art

Inkbound

Meticulous Jones and the Skull Tattoo

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Inkbound

By: Philippa Leathley
Narrated by: Sarah Ovens
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About this listen

A TOP 10 CHILDREN’S FICTION BESTSELLER

Enter an extraordinary magical adventure about family, fate and finding the courage to be truly yourself – perfect for fans of Nevermoor, Lemony Snicket and The Swifts.

‘An adventure overflowing with magic’ Beth Lincoln, author of The Swifts

‘A fantastic adventure’ The Times, Children’s Book of the Week

‘A wild feat of extraordinary imagination, fizzing with mystery, magic and humour’ Aisling Fowler, author of Fireborn

On her tenth birthday, Meticulous ‘Metty’ Jones receives her fate, as all children do, in the form of a magical tattoo on her hand. She hopes that her tattoo will reveal an exciting destiny: travel, discovery or adventure. What appears is a skull in the palm of a violet glove – Metty’s fate is to be a murderer.

When Metty’s father disappears in mysterious circumstances, Aunt Magnificent takes her to the glittering city of New London, filled with magic, wonder and enchantment. But when Metty hears rumours of a shadowy organisation known as the Black Moths, she begins to suspect they are connected to her own dark fate …

©2025 Philippa Leathley (P)2025 HarperCollins Publishers
Action & Adventure Growing Up & Facts of Life Literature & Fiction Mysteries Mystery & Suspense Science Fiction & Fantasy

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Critic reviews

‘Immersive, imaginative and immense. Destined to enchant its readers’ Hannah Gold, author of The Last Bear

‘Utterly dazzling! Leathley has woven together the perfect fantasy adventure. Anyone who reads this book is fated to find their new favourite author’ Siobhan McDermott, author of Paper Dragons

‘A twisty Gothic adventure full of magic, mystery, secrets and soaring cities!’ Rashmi Sirdeshpande, author of Never Show a T-Rex a Book

‘Deliciously dark and utterly compelling, I fell completely in love with the world of New London’ Zohra Nabi, author of The Kingdom Over the Sea

‘A richly imagined, unique story with all the hallmarks of a future classic. Just like the most stubborn of tattoos, Inkbound will leave its mark on you’ Clare Povey, author of the Bastien Bonlivre Adventures

‘I absolutely loved Inkbound. Incredibly imaginative, brilliant fun and enchanting in every way possible’ Jordan Lees, author of The Whisperwicks

‘Had me starstruck from the very first page. An extraordinary debut full of everything I love in middle grade: magic, mystery and a heroine with an inability to follow rules’ Laura Noakes, author of Cosima Unfortunate Steals a Star

‘This brilliant adventure sparkles with charm and imagination. My fate is to be bewitched, enchanted and obsessed with Inkbound Megan Hopkins, author of Starminster

All stars
Most relevant  
As a fan of Phillip Pullman’s His Dark Materials I was hooked by the premise of this book and excited to listen! And what a magical adventure it was! I loved following Metty and meeting her various (eccentric) family members! The story was compelling and I was eager to keep on listening. Highly recommend!

Magical adventure!

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A rip roaring adventure through an alternate London alive with magic, wonder and a fantastic protagonist. Beautifully written, Inkbound works really well as an audio book and the narration suits the story. Definitely a brilliant listen!

A brilliant listen!

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