Raising Arcadia

And now for something completely different… my first novel!

Arcadia Greentree knows she isn’t exactly normal. But then she discovers she isn’t Arcadia Greentree either.

Arcadia sees the world like no one else. Exceptionally observant, the sixteen-year-old is aware of her surroundings in a way that sometimes gets her into trouble — and out of it again. But when she seeks to unravel a mystery at school, a tragedy at home forces her to use her skills to catch a killer.

(If you don’t need to read any more and just want to buy the book right now from Amazon.com, click here.)

 

Advance Praise

“Raising Arcadia is a pacy mystery novel that has, at its centre, the irrepressible (and perhaps sociopathic) heroine Arcadia, a sixteen-year-old searching for her place in the adult world.  Stuffed with intrigue and mystery, it will be adored by young adults and by adults who prize curiosity and challenge.  Read it — and then read it again, to see if you noticed all the clues.”

— Adrian Tan, lawyer and author of The Teenage Textbook

 

 

 

“She’s Harry Potter without a wand; Katniss Everdeen without a quiver. It’s the world against Arcadia, armed only with her fabulous, prodigious, logical mind. A super impressive debut.”
— Tony Wilson, author of Players & Making News

 

 

 

 

“Chesterman’s compelling creation of Arcadia, a preternaturally precocious sleuth with an unsettlingly clear-sighted and plain-spoken manner, is matched by the twists and turns of a devious plot, making for a true page-turner.”
— Philip Jeyaretnam, S.C., lawyer and author of Abraham’s Promise

 

 

 

 

“In prose so still and measured, Chesterman methodically uncovers Arcadia’s world. Beneath this astonishing portrait of a family is an invisible intellectual machinery at work that will intrigue readers at every turn. I am already impatient for the next book.”
— Leeya Mehta, author of The Towers of Silence

 

 

 

“What a mind-racing read! Raising Arcadia is Fringe meets Perception, Hermione meets Sherlock… a wonderful exploration of destiny vs. potential.”
— Sharon Au, actress and founder of styleXstyle.com

Reviews

“A 16-year-old girl detective stars in a mystery paying tribute to Sherlock Holmes… This series opener is pleasurably packed with clever, solvable, well-explained puzzles; hits the spot for a mystery lover” — Kirkus Reviews

“Peppered with codes, puzzles and shocking twists” — The Straits Times

“First-time novelist Chesterman creates an engrossing story that keeps readers chasing the truth. … Fans of quirky protagonists, puzzling mysteries, and spy craft will enjoy this” – School Library Journal

“Easily my favourite novel of 2016, with my favourite heroine … It was intoxicating to have such a strong character use intellect rather than supernatural abilities or weaponry to solve the minor puzzles (where the reader is pitted against Arcadia) and the more sinister mystery twists that ultimately shake Arcadia’s trust in family and identity” – Glee Books

Buy the Book

Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

Amazon.ca | Amazon.de | Amazon.fr | Amazon.co.jp

Book Depository

Australia: Amazon.com.au | Abbey’s | Angus & Robertson | Booktopia | Fishpond | Glee Books | Readings

Singapore: Kinokuniya | Popular | Times

United Kingdom: Blackwell’s | Foyles | Waterstones

United States: Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million

Or I suppose you could always walk into a bookshop and buy it in person.

And now the audio book is available from Storytel!

Thank You!

Raising Arcadia is about a teenager but it is for everyone. Please tell your friends and relatives about it, share on your social media forum of choice — convenient buttons are found below — and leave comments here and elsewhere to tell me what you think of the book. (For some of my own thoughts about writing it, you can read my piece in Singapore’s Straits Times here. You might also enjoy the profile of the “Law dean turned novelist” here.)

I hope you have as much fun reading the novel as I had writing it!