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of his home, Highbridge Manor, Martha is absorbed by her own grief, which is exacerbated by her father becoming withdrawn and her mother accusing her of ‘wallowing’ in her feelings.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

An evening with Firefly

Yesterday, I headed to Waterstones in Bath for a wonderful evening of book-ish delght with the lovely people from Firefly. Bath was just how I like it best- not too busy and looking beautiful in the winter sunshine before developing an air of mystery in the twilight.

A very warm welcome awaited as the Firefly team greeted everyone with enthusiasm and it was lovely to see so many familiar faces! There is nothing quite like being with other book lovers and indulging in a bit of book-babbling! Once we had settled, Penny introduced the evening before Karen guided us through the incredible selection of books Firefly have in store for 2023. Her enthusiasm was infectious and her genuine passion for the books just made me want to read each and every one of them! We were also treated to short videos from some of the authors, including Roderick O’Grady (Were there really sasquatch in those woods?!), Terrie Chilvers (accompanied by a gorgeous dog!) and Nicola Davies (always an inspiration!).

Three authors from the list- Jo Clarke, Sam Stewart and Cathy Faulkner- then spoke about their up-coming titles. We were given a sneak preview of the cover for Cathy’s book, ‘Digging for Victory’ and she told us how she had come to write this verse novel which is due out in May. Jo Clarke explained how she had come to create the travelling school in her ‘Libby’ stories, emphasising the importance of offering children stories that they want to read simply for pleasure. An incident with matches, the Clifton suspension bridge and a mysterious building were all elements which fulled Sam Stewart’s imagination and led to her writing ‘Fireblood’. Three very different stories from authors united in their desire to present children (and adults!) with the exceptional reads, offering them escape and adventure through a good book!

Sadly, the evening was over all too soon, but we were all delighted when we were presented with a goodie bag containing proof copies of ‘Fireblood’ and ‘Digging for Victory’ and other treats. I am proud to say that my copy of ‘Digging for Victory’ is the FIRST one which Cathy has ever signed! I feel very special!

Many thanks to the lovely team at Firefly for inviting me to come to this evening. It was a brilliant event- and their selection for 2023 is fabulous. So many treats to look forward to!