Black Hearts in Battersea

Black Hearts in Battersea is the second book in Joan Aiken's beloved Wolves Chronicles, though it can be enjoyed as a standalone adventure. It follows Simon, a fifteen-year-old orphan, who travels to London with aspirations of becoming a painter. Instead, he finds himself entangled in a fiendish plot by a wicked crew aiming to depose King James and the Duke and Duchess of Battersea. The story is a whirlwind of madcap close calls, including encounters with wild wolves, poisoned pies, and a dramatic shipwreck, all navigated with the help of his resourceful friends, Sophie and Dido. Aiken masterfully blends historical fiction with a sense of whimsical peril, offering a richly detailed and suspenseful narrative that celebrates bravery, friendship, and quick thinking. It's an excellent choice for children who love historical settings, mysteries, and fast-paced adventure.

Simon, the foundling from *The Wolves of Willoughby Chase*, arrives in London to meet an old friend and pursue the study of painting. Instead he finds himself unwittingly in the middle of a wicked crew's fiendish caper to overthrow the good King James and the Duke and Duchess of Battersea. With the help of his friend Sophie and the resourceful waif Dido, Simon narrowly escapes a series of madcap close calls and dangerous run-ins. In a time and place where villains do nothing halfway, Simon is faced with wild wolves, poisoned pies, kidnapping, and a wrecked ship. This is a cleverly contrived tale of intrigue and misadventure.