A Perilous Journey of Danger and Mayhem #1: A Dastardly Plot

A rip-roaring, hilarious alternate-history adventure starring the world’s most famous inventors—and its most forgotten. From the author of the beloved Hero’s Guide series, Christopher Healy.

It's 1883—the Age of Invention! A time when great men like Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, Nicola Tesla, and George Eastman work to turn the country into a land of limitless opportunity.

And it all happens at the world famous Inventor’s Guild headquarters in New York City—a place where a great idea, a lot of hard work, and a little bit of luck can find you rubbing elbows with these gods of industry who will usher humanity into the future.

Unless, of course, you’re a woman.

Molly Pepper, daughter of brilliant but unknown inventor Cassandra Pepper, lives with her mother in New York. By day, they make ends meet running a pickle shop; but by night, they toil and dream of Cassandra taking her place among the most famous inventors in America.

In an attempt to find a way to exhibit Cass’s work at the World’s Fair, they break into the Inventor's Guild, where they discover a mysterious plot to destroy New York.

The evidence points to the involvement of one of the world’s most famous inventors, and now it’s up to Molly, Cassandra, and a shop hand named Emmett Lee to uncover the truth—even if no one will ever know it was they who did it.

“Christopher Healy, author of the Hero’s Guide series, knows how to tell a good story. He’s done it again with the adventures of a determined girl named Molly Pepper.”—Brightly, Best Middle Grade Books of Fall 2018

What happens when a pickle shop is the only thing standing between New York City and total mayhem?

• STEM for Girls: Meet Molly Pepper, who runs a pickle shop by day and helps her mother build flying machines by night, proving that great ideas don’t care if you’re a woman.
• Historical Figures Like You've Never Seen Them: Rub elbows with real-life inventors like Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, and Nikola Tesla in a version of 1883 New York where anything can happen.
• An Age of Invention Mystery: When Molly and her mother break into the exclusive, men-only Inventor’s Guild, they uncover a dastardly plot to destroy the city during the 1883 World’s Fair.
• Laugh-Out-Loud Funny: Perfect for kids ages 8-12 who love a fast-paced story packed with wit, hilarious dialogue, and page-turning action from the beloved author of the Hero’s Guide series.