Review - The Time Thief by Linda Buckley-Archer

Second in the The Gideon Trilogy, The Time Thief also works well as a stand alone novel. As a fan of time travel books, I was eager to read this one and am glad that I did. Twelve year old Kate has just arrived back from 1763 England, where she and her friend Peter were trapped. Though happy to be home, she is torn by the fact she promised Peter she'd never leave him. But he was left behind when the evil Tar Man hitched a ride with her to the 21st century.

Determined to rescue her friend, she convinces his father to help her and together they journey to the 18th century. Unbeknownst the them, the settings have been changed and they end up in 1792, encountering a grown-up Peter, who hides his identity from them. Even worse, their time machine has been damaged and the one man who can help them is in Revolutionary France.

Adventure and intrigue abound as Kate, Peter and his father set out to find and ultimately rescue the scientist they believe capable of mending the machine even as the Tar Man adapts quickly to the 21st century and discovers the means of his transport from the past. Soon he schemes to use it to his advantage, putting into motion a series of events that threatens not only Kate and Peter, but their entire world.

Replete with historical detail and flavour, this book certainly does take the reader back in time. Kate is the heart of this story and will appeal to both girls and boys, while the plot twists and turns, keeping the pages turning at a remarkable pace. Readers young and old will thoroughly enjoy this rollicking tale of hide-and-seek through time.

© Teresa Eckford, 2008

---

This review first appeared in the May 2008 issue of The Historical Novels Review