Detective Nosegoode and the Music Box Mystery

Illustrated by Jerzy Flisak
Translated by Eliza Marciniak
$10.99 US
Steerforth Press | Pushkin Children's Books
On sale Feb 13, 2018 | 9781782691563
Age 8-12 years
Sales rights: US,CAN,OpnMkt(no EU)

The first in a series of irresistibly charming, beautifully illustrated children's classics - the adventures of Detective Nosegoode and his talking dog, Cody.

At first glance, Mr Ambrosius Nosegoode seems to be a perfectly ordinary older gentleman. After retiring, he has moved from the big city to a small town, where he spends his days growing radishes, playing the flute and taking walks with his dog, Cody.

But appearances can be deceiving: this unimposing man was once a famous detective, and his dog isn't an ordinary mutt either - he can talk! When a mysterious man with a fake black beard comes to town and a music box goes missing from the workshop of clockmaker Mr Ignatius Blossom, the two friends begin to investigate.
Ambrosius Nosegoode, Cody and Blackbeard

The clock on the tower struck six times, and Lower Limewood awoke from its
slumber. The smell of fresh baking filled the air, milk churns jangled, and vegetable
carts rolled out onto the streets. Caretakers opened doors and set about their morning
cleaning. Sleepy faces appeared in the windows. A new day had begun.
A few minutes after six o’clock, the inhabitants of a little house in Skylark
Lane, Mr Ambrosius Nosegoode and his friend Cody, woke up as well.
Ambrosius was a retired detective, the author of an outstanding book called
How to Unmask a Thief and, once upon a time, the bane of criminals everywhere.
Now he was a considerate, kind-hearted elderly gentleman.
Indeed, it was hard to believe that this chubby figure could once have caused
such panic in the criminal world. Or that his grey, balding head could once have
solved the toughest of cases. Or that the name of Ambrosius Nosegoode had been
well known not just in the big city, where he had lived and worked, but far and wide
beyond its borders. Yet it was all true. Those were wonderful times! Still, they were
gone. Old age came, and Ambrosius felt the need for peace. He returned to his native
Lower Limewood, bought a little house, and settled in it with Cody. He spent his time
relaxing, growing radishes and playing his flute in the evenings. He didn’t in the least
suspect that it would be here, in quiet Lower Limewood, that he would have one last
adventure.
Cody was a dog. He was an ordinary, shaggy mutt, but Ambrosius would
never consider swapping him for another dog of a more noble breed, even if such a
dog came with a gold collar studded with gems. Cody, in addition to all his virtues
(and a few minor flaws), possessed one extraordinary skill: he could converse with his
master! He learned this art from Ambrosius, and it happened very naturally. Like
many people who live alone, Ambrosius enjoyed talking to himself. Or rather, to
himself and to his dog. He spoke about his adventures, about hard times and about a
hundred other things. Cody listened. Listened and nothing more. Then one day, when
Ambrosius asked him how he was, Cody replied, as if it were the most natural thing in
the world, ‘I’m very well, thank you, except the fleas are bothering me.’
It’s not hard to imagine what a shock Ambrosius must have experienced when
he heard these words. He almost took ill. But after that, his conversations with his dog
were no longer one-sided.
And now, this morning, Ambrosius had jumped out of bed first and was
pulling on Cody’s ear.
‘Wakey-wakey, you sleepy head! Mrs Cracker’s cockerel is hoarse from
crowing and you still haven’t budged. Time to wake up!’
Cody blinked a few times and yawned.
‘I had a beautiful dream,’ he said sleepily. ‘I dreamt I was a butcher. I was
standing behind the counter, surrounded by sausages, hams and bones… What a sight
it was! The smells alone were making me dizzy… I was just about to take a bite out of
the tastiest-looking ham when suddenly I heard your voice.’
He yawned again and asked, ‘Ambrosius, don’t dreams come true
sometimes?’
Ambrosius looked pensive. ‘Yes, that’s what I’ve been told. My aunt once
dreamt that she had broken her leg. And imagine: the very next day, something did
break. Only it wasn’t anything of my aunt’s, and it wasn’t a leg – it was her
neighbour’s ladder. Even so, my aunt insisted that her dream had come true. Maybe
yours will too.’
‘Maybe. But before it does, could you make us something to eat? That dream
really gave me an appetite.’
‘In less than ten minutes, we’ll have a breakfast fit for a king!’
‘Well, all I need is one that’s fit for a dog,’ Cody replied humbly.
After breakfast, the two friends started getting ready to go out. Every morning,
they would walk together to the nearby newsagent’s to buy newspapers. As usual, the
detective picked up his small briefcase, which he always carried with him
everywhere, called Cody over, and the two of them went out into the street.
Skylark Lane was undoubtedly the quietest street in Lower Limewood. Singlestorey
houses with green gardens lined the pavements and cats slept peacefully next to
flowering geraniums in the windows.
But not in all windows. As they passed Mrs Hardtack’s house, Cody pulled on
Ambrosius’s trouser leg and whispered, ‘Look in that window! Blackbeard is at his
post!’
Ambrosius glanced discreetly to his right and noticed a silhouette behind the
net curtain. He had no doubt that it was Blackbeard. He also had no doubt that a
couple of watchful eyes were following him and Cody from behind the curtain.
The two friends had been intrigued by Blackbeard since the previous day.
That’s when the big sign that had been hanging on Mrs Hardtack’s front gate – ‘Room
for rent, full board and laundry services’ – had been taken down, and a mysterious
man with a bushy beard had moved in.
There would have been nothing extraordinary about this if it hadn’t been for
the fact that the stranger seemed excessively interested in Mr Nosegoode and his dog.
Right after his arrival, he had questioned Mrs Hardtack about them, and then over the
course of the day, Ambrosius and Cody bumped into him three times. It couldn’t have
been a coincidence. And here he was again…
‘I’m liking this less and less,’ said Cody. ‘And anyway, my left ear has been
itchy for the past three days, which is a sure sign that something unusual is going to
happen. I’m convinced that there’s a connection between this itch and that bearded
man. Listen, maybe he’s some kind of a criminal whom you sent to prison? Maybe he
got out and now he’s looking for revenge?’
‘I don’t think so. He doesn’t look like a criminal to me.’
‘Doesn’t look like a criminal? What do you mean?’
‘Have you looked closely at his beard?’ Ambrosius asked.
‘Of course. It’s black and thick.’
‘You haven’t noticed anything else?’
‘No.’
‘Then you’ve missed the most important thing: it’s fake! And not only that:
it’s badly attached.’
‘Fake?’ Cody repeated, surprised. He recovered a moment later. ‘You see! It’s
clear proof of his bad intentions. If he didn’t have bad intentions, he wouldn’t put on a
fake beard.’
‘But maybe this beard is precisely what proves his innocence?’ Ambrosius
replied mysteriously.
‘How so?!’ Cody said with indignation. ‘You’re joking, right?’
‘I’m not joking. I’m completely serious.’
Cody looked at his master doubtfully, as if to check that he really wasn’t
joking, and then decided to let it go. No, it was clear that they wouldn’t see eye on eye
on this topic. It was a good thing that he, Cody, didn’t allow himself to be deceived by
Blackbeard. After all, someone had to remain vigilant, he thought as he felt the weight
of responsibility settle on his shoulders.
Just at that moment, they reached the newsagent’s stand and their conversation
came to an end, since nobody except Ambrosius knew about Cody’s ability to speak.
‘Good morning, Mr Loop!’ Mr Nosegoode greeted the newsagent. ‘Do you
have anything for us today?’
‘Of course, of course!’ Mr Loop replied, passing Ambrosius the latest editions
of The Morning News and A Dog’s Friend, the two papers which the retired detective
liked to read regularly.
Accompanied by his dog, Mr Nosegoode headed for a bench in the nearby
square and opened the first newspaper. He started reading aloud in a lowered voice,
since Cody was also interested in politics – not to mention the fact that he eagerly
devoured all news from canine circles. But Cody couldn’t concentrate on what was
being read. His thoughts were occupied with Blackbeard.
​"The quality of the book's binding, cover, and design are uncommonly good for a paperback, and the high-quality pages show off Flisak's distinctive black-and-white drawings very well. Readers who enjoy the quirky characters and well-constructed mysteries can look forward to two more adventures featuring Detective Nosegoode in the coming months." — Booklist

"Recommended for independent readers who might enjoy this dip into another era, to children who like older stories, such as Lois Lenski's Eleanor Estes' Harriet the Spy, or Chitty Chitty Bang Bang." - Youth Services Book Review

"The classic Polish children's book series... It's all woofily exciting." — The Times, Children's Book of the Week

About

The first in a series of irresistibly charming, beautifully illustrated children's classics - the adventures of Detective Nosegoode and his talking dog, Cody.

At first glance, Mr Ambrosius Nosegoode seems to be a perfectly ordinary older gentleman. After retiring, he has moved from the big city to a small town, where he spends his days growing radishes, playing the flute and taking walks with his dog, Cody.

But appearances can be deceiving: this unimposing man was once a famous detective, and his dog isn't an ordinary mutt either - he can talk! When a mysterious man with a fake black beard comes to town and a music box goes missing from the workshop of clockmaker Mr Ignatius Blossom, the two friends begin to investigate.

Excerpt

Ambrosius Nosegoode, Cody and Blackbeard

The clock on the tower struck six times, and Lower Limewood awoke from its
slumber. The smell of fresh baking filled the air, milk churns jangled, and vegetable
carts rolled out onto the streets. Caretakers opened doors and set about their morning
cleaning. Sleepy faces appeared in the windows. A new day had begun.
A few minutes after six o’clock, the inhabitants of a little house in Skylark
Lane, Mr Ambrosius Nosegoode and his friend Cody, woke up as well.
Ambrosius was a retired detective, the author of an outstanding book called
How to Unmask a Thief and, once upon a time, the bane of criminals everywhere.
Now he was a considerate, kind-hearted elderly gentleman.
Indeed, it was hard to believe that this chubby figure could once have caused
such panic in the criminal world. Or that his grey, balding head could once have
solved the toughest of cases. Or that the name of Ambrosius Nosegoode had been
well known not just in the big city, where he had lived and worked, but far and wide
beyond its borders. Yet it was all true. Those were wonderful times! Still, they were
gone. Old age came, and Ambrosius felt the need for peace. He returned to his native
Lower Limewood, bought a little house, and settled in it with Cody. He spent his time
relaxing, growing radishes and playing his flute in the evenings. He didn’t in the least
suspect that it would be here, in quiet Lower Limewood, that he would have one last
adventure.
Cody was a dog. He was an ordinary, shaggy mutt, but Ambrosius would
never consider swapping him for another dog of a more noble breed, even if such a
dog came with a gold collar studded with gems. Cody, in addition to all his virtues
(and a few minor flaws), possessed one extraordinary skill: he could converse with his
master! He learned this art from Ambrosius, and it happened very naturally. Like
many people who live alone, Ambrosius enjoyed talking to himself. Or rather, to
himself and to his dog. He spoke about his adventures, about hard times and about a
hundred other things. Cody listened. Listened and nothing more. Then one day, when
Ambrosius asked him how he was, Cody replied, as if it were the most natural thing in
the world, ‘I’m very well, thank you, except the fleas are bothering me.’
It’s not hard to imagine what a shock Ambrosius must have experienced when
he heard these words. He almost took ill. But after that, his conversations with his dog
were no longer one-sided.
And now, this morning, Ambrosius had jumped out of bed first and was
pulling on Cody’s ear.
‘Wakey-wakey, you sleepy head! Mrs Cracker’s cockerel is hoarse from
crowing and you still haven’t budged. Time to wake up!’
Cody blinked a few times and yawned.
‘I had a beautiful dream,’ he said sleepily. ‘I dreamt I was a butcher. I was
standing behind the counter, surrounded by sausages, hams and bones… What a sight
it was! The smells alone were making me dizzy… I was just about to take a bite out of
the tastiest-looking ham when suddenly I heard your voice.’
He yawned again and asked, ‘Ambrosius, don’t dreams come true
sometimes?’
Ambrosius looked pensive. ‘Yes, that’s what I’ve been told. My aunt once
dreamt that she had broken her leg. And imagine: the very next day, something did
break. Only it wasn’t anything of my aunt’s, and it wasn’t a leg – it was her
neighbour’s ladder. Even so, my aunt insisted that her dream had come true. Maybe
yours will too.’
‘Maybe. But before it does, could you make us something to eat? That dream
really gave me an appetite.’
‘In less than ten minutes, we’ll have a breakfast fit for a king!’
‘Well, all I need is one that’s fit for a dog,’ Cody replied humbly.
After breakfast, the two friends started getting ready to go out. Every morning,
they would walk together to the nearby newsagent’s to buy newspapers. As usual, the
detective picked up his small briefcase, which he always carried with him
everywhere, called Cody over, and the two of them went out into the street.
Skylark Lane was undoubtedly the quietest street in Lower Limewood. Singlestorey
houses with green gardens lined the pavements and cats slept peacefully next to
flowering geraniums in the windows.
But not in all windows. As they passed Mrs Hardtack’s house, Cody pulled on
Ambrosius’s trouser leg and whispered, ‘Look in that window! Blackbeard is at his
post!’
Ambrosius glanced discreetly to his right and noticed a silhouette behind the
net curtain. He had no doubt that it was Blackbeard. He also had no doubt that a
couple of watchful eyes were following him and Cody from behind the curtain.
The two friends had been intrigued by Blackbeard since the previous day.
That’s when the big sign that had been hanging on Mrs Hardtack’s front gate – ‘Room
for rent, full board and laundry services’ – had been taken down, and a mysterious
man with a bushy beard had moved in.
There would have been nothing extraordinary about this if it hadn’t been for
the fact that the stranger seemed excessively interested in Mr Nosegoode and his dog.
Right after his arrival, he had questioned Mrs Hardtack about them, and then over the
course of the day, Ambrosius and Cody bumped into him three times. It couldn’t have
been a coincidence. And here he was again…
‘I’m liking this less and less,’ said Cody. ‘And anyway, my left ear has been
itchy for the past three days, which is a sure sign that something unusual is going to
happen. I’m convinced that there’s a connection between this itch and that bearded
man. Listen, maybe he’s some kind of a criminal whom you sent to prison? Maybe he
got out and now he’s looking for revenge?’
‘I don’t think so. He doesn’t look like a criminal to me.’
‘Doesn’t look like a criminal? What do you mean?’
‘Have you looked closely at his beard?’ Ambrosius asked.
‘Of course. It’s black and thick.’
‘You haven’t noticed anything else?’
‘No.’
‘Then you’ve missed the most important thing: it’s fake! And not only that:
it’s badly attached.’
‘Fake?’ Cody repeated, surprised. He recovered a moment later. ‘You see! It’s
clear proof of his bad intentions. If he didn’t have bad intentions, he wouldn’t put on a
fake beard.’
‘But maybe this beard is precisely what proves his innocence?’ Ambrosius
replied mysteriously.
‘How so?!’ Cody said with indignation. ‘You’re joking, right?’
‘I’m not joking. I’m completely serious.’
Cody looked at his master doubtfully, as if to check that he really wasn’t
joking, and then decided to let it go. No, it was clear that they wouldn’t see eye on eye
on this topic. It was a good thing that he, Cody, didn’t allow himself to be deceived by
Blackbeard. After all, someone had to remain vigilant, he thought as he felt the weight
of responsibility settle on his shoulders.
Just at that moment, they reached the newsagent’s stand and their conversation
came to an end, since nobody except Ambrosius knew about Cody’s ability to speak.
‘Good morning, Mr Loop!’ Mr Nosegoode greeted the newsagent. ‘Do you
have anything for us today?’
‘Of course, of course!’ Mr Loop replied, passing Ambrosius the latest editions
of The Morning News and A Dog’s Friend, the two papers which the retired detective
liked to read regularly.
Accompanied by his dog, Mr Nosegoode headed for a bench in the nearby
square and opened the first newspaper. He started reading aloud in a lowered voice,
since Cody was also interested in politics – not to mention the fact that he eagerly
devoured all news from canine circles. But Cody couldn’t concentrate on what was
being read. His thoughts were occupied with Blackbeard.

Praise

​"The quality of the book's binding, cover, and design are uncommonly good for a paperback, and the high-quality pages show off Flisak's distinctive black-and-white drawings very well. Readers who enjoy the quirky characters and well-constructed mysteries can look forward to two more adventures featuring Detective Nosegoode in the coming months." — Booklist

"Recommended for independent readers who might enjoy this dip into another era, to children who like older stories, such as Lois Lenski's Eleanor Estes' Harriet the Spy, or Chitty Chitty Bang Bang." - Youth Services Book Review

"The classic Polish children's book series... It's all woofily exciting." — The Times, Children's Book of the Week