The Dawn of Adonis

by Phil Earle

Published 5 June 2025
A tale of loyalty, loss, betrayal, and rebirth.

It is 1911 and London’s docks thrum with underhand deals, none so great as the arrival of a valuable, rare and exotic animal, smuggled from the depths of the Congolese rainforest. The baby gorilla stands to make one man, the shady Goliath Deeds, very, very rich: he and his right-hand man, juvenile pickpocket, Toff Squabble. Heaven help anyone who dares stand in their way, not least the brave and innocent twelve-year-old Nettie Beecroft, who finds herself embroiled in a dangerous rescue attempt where she encounters toshers, bone grubbers and gangsters.
Whom can Nellie trust? And can she save the life this very special creature?

Praise for When the Sky Falls:
‘A magnificent story’ Philip Pullman
‘Deeply felt, movingly written, a remarkable achievement’ Michael Morpurgo