The Adventures of Mary Darling

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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.

“Outstanding characters, a deep understanding of her new fictional world, and clever storytelling round out a novel that’s as exciting as it is emotionally satisfying.” —Richard Kadrey, author of the Sandman Slim series

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.

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.

“Outstanding characters, a deep...


A Note From the Publisher

Pat Murphy is an acclaimed author of science fiction, fantasy, and science books for adults, teens, and children. She has received the Nebula Award for The Falling Woman; the World Fantasy Award for Bones; and the Christopher Award for The Wild Girls. Murphy has worked as a writer at the Exploratorium and Klutz Press (the Complete Klutz series). She was the Activity Guru for the ed-tech startup Mystery Science and the Marketing Director for the Crucible, a school of fire arts. Murphy lives in Boulder City, Nevada where she is frequently visited by rabbits, quail, and the occasional coyote.

Pat Murphy is an acclaimed author of science fiction, fantasy, and science books for adults, teens, and children. She has received the Nebula Award for The Falling Woman; the World Fantasy Award for...


Advance Praise

“Put the beloved characters of Peter Pan and Sherlock Holmes into the blender of Pat Murphy’s prodigious imagination and you have a book that upends, complicates, situates, and explicates the stories we have always known.” —Karen Joy Fowler, author of Booth

“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

“Pat Murphy rips off the cloak of 19th-century patriarchy that makes Peter Pan a difficult read in the 21st-century, and reveals the realities that the past held for feisty women, lusty pirates, and indigenous people living under the governance of the British Empire. If you think you have outgrown Neverland, maybe you have. But you don’t have to believe in Tinkerbelle to love this book.” —Eileen Gunn, author of Stable Strategies and Others

“A fresh new take on both Peter Pan and Sherlock Holmes that gives new depth and richness to each, unfolding a whole living, breathing world for readers to explore.” —A. C. Wise, author of Wendy, Darling

“Outstanding characters, a deep understanding of her new fictional world, and clever storytelling round out a novel that’s as exciting as it is emotionally satisfying.” —Richard Kadrey, author of the Sandman Slim series

“Pat Murphy has written a page-turner that is both a rousing adventure and an insightful critique of Victorian literary tropes. This is the real story of Neverland.” —Theodora Goss, author of the Extraordinary Adventures of the Athena Club trilogy

“A gem of a novel. I haven’t had this much reading fun in ages. A literary mashup that thrilled and tickled me to no end. More please.”—Joe R. Lansdale, author of The Thicket

“Murphy does a masterful job of subverting Victorian tropes while delivering all the fairies, mermaids, and pirates anyone could desire.” —Susan Palwick, author of The Fate of Mice

“A delightful mashup of familiar tales, written by an expert for the reader who hungers for something old, something new, justice borrowed and logical glue.” —Meg Elison, author of Number One Fan

“Full of mystery and fairy magic, grand adventure, and deft character revelations.” —Josh Rountree, author of The Legend of Charlie Fish

“In this wonderful mash-up of the worlds of Peter Pan and Sherlock Holmes, it’s the women who shine. Pages fly as the mystery unfolds and Pat Murphy gives girls and mothers the thrilling adventures they deserve. —Wendy N. Wagner, author of Girl in the Creek

 “Pat Murphy has done it again! A wild ride full of pirates and adventures that will keep you reading straight on till morning!” —Ellen Klages, author of Wicked Wonders


“A gem of a novel. I haven’t had this much reading fun in ages. A literary mashup that thrilled and tickled me to no end. More please.”—Joe R. Lansdale, author of The Thicket

“Murphy does a masterful job of subverting Victorian tropes while delivering all the fairies, mermaids, and pirates anyone could desire.” —Susan Palwick, author of The Fate of Mice

“A delightful mashup of familiar tales, written by an expert for the reader who hungers for something old, something new, justice borrowed and logical glue.” —Meg Elison, author of Number One Fan

“Full of mystery and fairy magic, grand adventure, and deft character revelations.” —Josh Rountree, author of The Legend of Charlie Fish

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

“Evokes a haunting vision of life after society’s collapse, as art becomes magic and combines with the power of love to defeat the engines of war. Highly recommended.” —Library Journal

“A lovely and literate exploration of the dark moment where myth and science meet.” —Samuel R. Delany

“Murphy’s convincing modern setting is a marvelous foil for her frighteningly alien Mayan ghost, and the archaeological material, besides being fascinating in its own right, is put to excellent use in the plot.” —Newsday

“Put the beloved characters of Peter Pan and Sherlock Holmes into the blender of Pat Murphy’s prodigious imagination and you have a book that upends, complicates, situates, and explicates the stories...


Marketing Plan

*Digital and print ARCs available
*NetGalley and Edelweiss+ newsletter advertisements [Nov/Dec 2024]
*Indie Next nomination campaign/White Box bookseller-mailing [Jan 2025]
*ABA Winter Institute table display and ARC distribution [Denver; Feb]
*Author event at SF in SF reading series [San Francisco; May]
*Author appearance at the World Science Fiction Convention [Seattle; Aug]
*National book club outreach with ARCs and author's discussion questions
*ABA regional association outreach and galley distribution
*Shelf Awareness website author feature
*Science Fiction Writers Association (SFWA) website feature
*Storygraph online sweepstakes giveaway [Spring 2025]


*Digital and print ARCs available
*NetGalley and Edelweiss+ newsletter advertisements [Nov/Dec 2024]
*Indie Next nomination campaign/White Box bookseller-mailing [Jan 2025]
*ABA Winter Institute table...


Available Editions

EDITION Paperback
ISBN 9781616964382
PRICE $18.95 (USD)
PAGES 320

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Average rating from 19 members


Featured Reviews

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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Excellent pastiche of the Peter Pan and Sherlock Holmes worlds by a fine Science Fiction/fantasy author, Pat Murphy. I thoroughly enjoyed this tale from the point of view of the Darling children’s mother, Mary Darling and as a reader of Sherlock Holmes stories of all kinds was amused by the less-than-flattering portrayal here. This novel had a very Victorian setting and style which was enjoyable to me also. I hope there will be more in this style and about these characters in the future.

Thanks to #netgalley and the publisher, #tachyonpublications for this ebook ARC to read. All opinions are my own.

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Adored! Such a fun reimagining. I was pulled in from the first page to the last. I love a historical mystery, and this did not disappoint. I especially liked reading a POV of an older woman and mother (being a mother myself). Completely refreshing.

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