The Adventures of Mary Darling
by Pat Murphy
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Pub Date May 06 2025 | Archive Date Not set
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Description
Who is Mary Darling? In this subversive take on both Peter Pan and Sherlock Holmes, a daring mother is the populist hero the Victorian era never knew it needed.
“Pat Murphy illuminates the heroes we think we know and the stories we’re ready to swallow whole. She reveals powerful characters who’ve had to hide in plain sight while saving their world. The result is a rip-roaring tale of magic and mystery!”
—Andrea Hairston, author of Archangels of Funk
Mary Darling is a pretty wife whose boring husband is befuddled by her independent ways. But one fateful night, Mary becomes the distraught mother whose three children have gone missing from their beds.
After her well-meaning uncle John Watson contacts the greatest detective of his era (but perhaps not that great), Mary is Sherlock Holmes’s prime suspect in her children’s disappearance. To save her family, Mary must escape London—and an attempt to have her locked away as mad—to travel halfway around the world.
Despite the interference of Holmes, Mary gathers allies in her quest: Sam, a Solomon Islander whose village was destroyed by contact with Western civilization; Ruby, a Malagasy woman on an island that everyone thinks is run by pirates (though it’s actually run by women); Captain Hook and the crew of the Jolly Roger; and of course, Nana, the faithful dog and nursemaid.
In a witty and adventurous romp, The Adventures of Mary Darling draws on the histories of women and people indigenous to lands that Britain claimed, telling the stories of those who were ignored or misrepresented along the way.
A Note From the Publisher
Advance Praise
“I loved The Adventures of Mary Darling. I didn’t want it to end. And now that I’ve read the final page, I want The Further Adventures of Mary Darling! The bounty and wit of Pat Murphy’s generous imagination kept me reading through the night—just one more page, one more delightful reversal, revelation, surprise. Pat Murphy illuminates the heroes we think we know and the stories we’re ready to swallow whole. She reveals powerful characters who’ve had to hide in plain sight while saving their world. The result is a rip-roaring tale of magic and mystery!”
—Andrea Hairston, author of Archangels of Funk
Praise for Pat Murphy
“Murphy’s [blend] of fantasy and reality honorably recalls the novels of Margaret Atwood.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Murphy manages to instill a real sense of wonder into her consideration of the many ways in which we consider both the reality of our world and the nature of fiction itself.”
—Strange Horizons
“Murphy has a flair for description that brings every aspect of the setting vividly into focus.”
—SF Site
“Murphy's convincing modern setting is a marvelous foil for her frighteningly alien Mayan ghost, and the archeological material, besides being fascinating in its own right, is put to excellent use in the plot.”
—Newsday
“I loved Pat Murphy’s novel The Falling Woman. It’s a good story with a beautifully realized background and strong characters. What more can anyone want?”
—Kate Wilhelm
“Pat Murphy establishes herself as one of the field’s most accomplished practitioners.”
—Lucius Shepard
“A lovely and literate exploration of the dark moment where myth and science meet.”
—Samuel R. Delany
Marketing Plan
- Promotion targeting reviews and interviews in leading media venues
- Author tour to include national appearances and events
Print and digital ARC distribution via Goodreads, NetGalley, and Edelweiss+Planned book giveaways to include Goodreads and Storygraph - Outreach to librarians and independent booksellers via regional and national trade shows and mailings
- Online promotion to include Instagram/book blog tour, cover reveal, launch event, Reddit AMA, and social media campaigns via X, Instagram, BlueSky, Facebook, and other outlets
Available Editions
| EDITION | Paperback |
| ISBN | 9781616964382 |
| PRICE | $18.95 (USD) |
| PAGES | 320 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Kathryn M, Reviewer
I loved the idea of combining Peter Pan and Sherlock Holmes in this world. It was everything that I wanted and was hooked from the first page. I loved that Mary Darling was able to take the spotlight in this story and was glad I got to read this. Pat Murphy wrote this so well and was glad I got to read this.
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