The Treasure Seekers

Martha is grieving after the death of her beloved grandfather. She blames the villagers for his death, believing they abandoned him and treated him unfairly. So when Stanley, a local lad, comes to appeal to her for help finding the stained-glass window which her grandfather had removed from the church to ensure its preservation, Martha refuses. Stanley is sure that the window will help the village to recover from the wounds of war and the deadly flu which is spreading from house to house. Wrapped in her own grief, Martha knows nothing of this, but when Stanley becomes ill, she knows she must act to help him.

Set in the aftermath of WWI, ‘The Treasure Seekers’ is a beautifully told verse novel. Perfect for history lovers, it offers a glimpse of life after this devastating conflict at a time of great social change and uncertainty.

Devastated by the death of her grandfather and the destruction of his home, Highbridge Manor, Martha is absorbed by her own grief, which is exacerbated by her father becoming withdrawn and her mother accusing her of ‘wallowing’ in her feelings. Approached by Stanley for help, she is immediately hostile. Through showing how little she knows about the lives of those in the village, about the losses they have suffered and the dangers they are now facing from the Spanish lady, the flu epidemic, the reader learns much about the hardships encountered by people following the Great War and the changes in attitudes to class and social ‘positions’. As the story progresses, Martha becomes a far more likeable, far more interesting character as she comes to see the world differently, empathising with and understanding others.

The use of verse for telling this story is really powerful, framing waves of emotion and heightening their impact and creating very unique voices for Martha and Stanley as the narrative moves from one to the other. Although each is struggling with grief which they deal with in a very different ways, each shows bravery and determination, learning to put aside their differences and work together.

Perfect for enriching the curriculum and broadening understanding of this period of history, ‘The Treasure Seekers’ is a must have for classrooms and homes alike.

The Treasure Seekers

Cathy Faulkner

Firefly ISBN: 978-1915444929

Publishing 5th February 2026