Hunt for the Golden Scarab

by M. G. Leonard

Published 30 January 2025

'A complete triumph of imagination . . . readers are going to fall in love with this brilliant new series.' A. F. Steadman, bestselling author of Skandar

'Classic and fresh - a breathtaking adventure.' Eoin Colfer, bestselling author of Artemis Fowl

'A spellbinding, seat-of-the-pants adventure . . . fabulous, fast-paced and thrilling.' Jonathan Stroud

'A note-perfect, time-travelling blockbuster.' Jack Meggitt-Phillips, bestselling author of The Beast and the Bethany


The action of Indiana Jones meets the time travel of Dr Who in Hunt for the Golden Scarab, the first title in the Time Keys series by bestselling award-winner M. G. Leonard. Perfect for children of 8 to 12 and fans of Adventures on Trains, Beetle Boy and Twitch. Illustrated in black and white throughout by Manuel Šumberac.

Sim and his mum never live anywhere long. When dangerous strangers appear one night, Sim discovers why. His mum has been keeping secrets: she has the power to open doors in time.

Running for their lives, Sim and his friends are determined to outwit the sinister Council of Keys and be the first to find Nefertiti’s lost tomb and a powerful door to Ancient Egypt. They must piece together long-hidden clues if they are to solve the mystery of her golden heart scarab. Can they find it before the Council finds them?