What an amazing MG adventure this book is! It’s exciting, pacy and action packed. What more would you expect from the co-author of the Adventures on Trains series. Despite a very modern day setting, there was still a ‘Dickensian London’ feel to it with the rooftop scrambles and secret underground passageways. It’s a bit steampunk, a bit Famous Five, a bit Dr Who - all the good stuff.

The UK parliament is set to vote on whether to adopt New Time, a revolutionary new way of measuring time using a decimalised system. Many experts are worried about the repercussions and opposition is strong, but is it enough to stop the vote being passed. Over the last few weeks, several of the world’s leading scientists and horologists have mysteriously disappeared. Is this linked to the implementation of New Time? When Diggory Turner, the technician in charge of maintaining the clockwork inside Elizabeth Tower (Big Ben), goes missing, his son is determined to find out who is responsible and why.

The main characters, Isaac and Hattie, are ones which young readers will definitely warm to. Brave, slightly quirky and just that little bit rebellious. Hattie is bold, courageous and sharp-witted; Isaac is more introverted but determined, intelligent and a great problem solver. Together, they make perfect team to solve the mysterious disappearances.

As well as being thoroughly entertaining, this novel also included a lot of information: parliamentary process, longitude and latitude, time zones, atomic clocks… My mind was blown many times!

My younger self would have adored this book. And to be honest, the grown-up me was pretty impressed too!

A cute and well plotted adventure that talks a lot about friendship and community. A book that can be loved by adults and children.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This is truly a brilliant read, I massively enjoyed it. Sam Sedgman proves himself to be the Dan Brown for young people, he's brought a fast-pace adventure jam-packed full of action and end-of-your-seat moments as well as LOADS of interesting facts about clocks, time and time-keeping. I found the premise of the story very original and the short chapters made it nearly impossible to put the book down. Only reason I didn't finish in one sitting was the fact that I started reading this in the afternoon! Living in London myself and very close to all the landmarks mentioned, I was thrilled to gain so many exciting bits of knowledge and I felt like I was taking a virtual tour of the Elizabeth tower and the palace of Westminster alongside Isaac and Hattie. Who ever knew?! Finally, I don't know whether it was intentional or not, but I loved how we also got to learn a fair amount of parliamentary and law-making procedures, I think this will appeal greatly to young people.
Isaac's bond with his father came through beautifully and in Hattie he found a friend who is not afraid to take risks, questions authority and pushes him out of his comfort zone, exactly what he needs as he embarks on the adventure of finding out the answers behind his father's sudden disappearance. I think this books falls easily into the 'books young readers will love reading and adults will find themselves enjoying a bit too much themselves' category. Highly recommended.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my review copy, all opinions are my own.

I loved this fast-paced adventure, the wonderful friendship and all the clock information. Totally gripping.

I really enjoyed all the wonderful love for clocks and time in this middle grade adventure! I also thought that the way the author wove in elements of UK parliament, and the political system, was really clever and would make a great read for schools. I thought the characters were really well crafted and loved the friendship that formed between the two children on their mission, each bringing their own skills to follow the breadcrumbs! I found parts of this a little slower and I couldn’t quite match the nerd level love of clocks for some sections, and I really didn’t like the interior illustrations (which aren’t plot essential but I didn’t feel they matched the quality of the cover). However I will definitely be reading the next Issac Investigates!

The Clockwork Conspiracy is a fast-paced adventure full of thrills and surprisingly lots of education. Sam Sedgman weaves seamlessly the story together while giving a lot of information about time, the mechanics, and how the British Parliament works. I certainly learned a lot and had fun while doing so!

Isaac's father is responsible for maintaining the Big Ben but he mysteriously disappears one night. Isaac stays with his godfather who happens to be the Speaker of the Parliament and his daughter Hattie. Hattie's a real adventurer who likes to explore, and she helps Isaac to try and find his father. And what an adventure follows, when the children race against the time - the time, which the Parliament debates changing forever.

The story is gripping and kept me turning the page. Sedgman writes very engaging adventures that involve a lot of detailed information. It's a pleasure to read his stories.

I really wanted to like this because I'm a nerd at heart, and I loved the Adventures on Trains books. But this one is tough going. It's quite dull and the characters are at once experts on some things, and spectacularly dim on others. I didn't finish it.

We jumped at the chance to review this book. Firstly, because the author is Sam Sedgman, who penned the fantastic Adventures On Trains series with M.G Leonard, and, secondly, because of the fantastic title. The words 'Isaac Turner Investigates' also suggests that this is going to be a series and, after loving this first instalment, that makes us really happy.

Isaac Turner's dad is the horologist in charge of Big Ben. But when he mysteriously disappears, Isaac's world is thrown into utter confusion. How could his dad vanish from the belfry and why has he left behind a cryptic clue? With the help of a new friend, Isaac solves a series of puzzles which leads him across London in what is literally a race against time.

If you enjoyed Adventures on Trains, then you will absolutely not be disappointed by this new novel. It is seamlessly and smoothly written with a super-cool, sophisticated plot. On a personal note, I was slightly worried about being bamboozled by the concepts of science and time, and although I did struggle to keep up in places, it never interfered with my enjoyment of the novel because the plot is so fast-paced and engaging. Sam Sedgman's explanations are fascinating and his knowledge of the topic is superb - something which only enhances the delivery of the story.

If clocks are not of particular interest to you, don't worry. There are high stakes, a huge amount of peril and some very ruthless villains to contend with. The characters are big, bold and memorable and the ending is highly ingenious and tense. Sam Sedgman has made trains and now clocks exciting, dynamic and the backdrop for absolutely brilliant drama.

Oh this book is SO good. It's so well plotted and smart, with a genuine mystery at its core. The two main characters are so likeable and it builds to a really gripping, thrilling finale. It's a book for - and about - people with passions and niche, nerdy interests, and just how much they can contribute to our world. A wonderful book.

This was a brilliant scientific mystery that was a real page turner!

Isaac's Dad is responsible to keeping The Great Clock (the proper name for Big Ben) running to time but when he mysteriously disappears, Isaac and his new friend Hattie (the daughter of the Speaker of the House of Commons) are determined to find him and discover what is going on. All this is set against the backdrop of a 'New Time' law being put into place where time is being decimalised, changing it to 10 hours a day with 100 minutes in each hour and 100 seconds in each minute. Some are for this change and some are against it and Isaac and Hattie end up mixed up in all kinds of dangerous situations as they investigate.

It was really cleverly written with lots of meticulously researched detail - it would be great for any child who loves science and mechanics but is not a huge fiction reader. The characters were relatable and the settings in Parliament and across London were really exciting. It was a challenging read at times, with lots of detail included, but reached a satisfying conclusion and there was a good mix of

A great book!

Isaac Turner lives with his father Diggory. They like inventing things together. But his father's job is Horologist, in charge of Big Ben no less! Whilst inside Big Ben on the night the clocks go back, Isaac's father disappears. But there are guards everywhere and he hasn't fallen so how?

When the Speaker of the House is alerted, he is revealed to be a fiend of Diggory and as such Isaacs Godfather. His daughter Hattie is staying with him during the school holiday. Hattie it turns out has information and is able to move around the Palace of Westminster in quite unusual ways - unseen mostly!

The two of them set out to solve the mystery of Diggory's disappearance, finding out along the way that other horologists from around the world have also gone missing. A group of politicians are trying to get time changed, can Isaac and Hattie solve things before everything gets changed?

Loved the Adventures on Trains books and this pulls you in instantly just as they did. Fast paced with lots of twists along the way. Would love to get this for school.

Isaac likes to know how things work, he's a whizz at science and maths but less good at tree climbing. When his horologist father disappears while attending to Big Ben, he is plunged into a world of mystery and subterfuge. Together with his not-really-cousin Hattie (excellent at tree climbing, less good at rule following) he investigates the disappearance and finds much more than he bargained for,

From the co-author of the excellent "Adventure on Trains" series, "The Clockwork Conspiracy" is a locked-room mystery played out at breakneck speed. The characters are fleshed out well and the central premise is intriguing. A particular highlight of this book is the sheer amount of additional knowledge a child will gain from reading it without even realising. Covering topics from the British system of government to the nature of time, to how an atomic clock works without being dry or feeling forced is an impressive feat.

I thoroughly enjoyed this and expect it to fly off the library shelves in Key Stage 3.

Quite the engaging young thriller, although based on hooey and flim-flam. At its heart is the fact that Isaac's father goes upstairs from the chamber up a tower he and his son are in, and is never seen again – with no way down inside or out. Key to the premise too is that the father is the man in charge of the clock that uses Big Ben to chime – the most notable timepiece in London. Given a place to doss the night he falls in cahoots with the daughter of the only man living in the Palace of Westminster, the Commons Speaker – who just happens to be a marvel of tomboyish parkour, roof-climbing, escapology and so much more.

When mysterious messages and a nasty with a shock of white hair and a Swiss accent inspire the two to collaborate, they find a lot out about the world. But this is where the thing falls into an iffy spot for me – Isaac is boasting of being mature as a twelve year old, ripe enough to learn his father's trade, and yet doesn't know what an MP is. He has to sound full of doubt about the biggest London timekeeping landmark, in case he comes across as a swot (and yet later be an expert on fire extinguisher science). She – Hattie – too has to be ignorant of some things lest she sound perfect. Oh, and the narrator does too, when a new law is passed and everything has to clam up about us needing Royal Assent first. And heaven forfend someone has a fire alarm.

What I really liked about this is the London base – I don't know people do walk from Victoria to Chelsea in fifteen minutes, or whatever is said here, but the heart of the matter being the heart of the country is something so many thrillers refuse to allow themselves. It remains a locked room mystery of much intrigue. And the chapters are replaced in breathless fashion – one is along almost every five pages, and the pace is certainly not allowed to drop.

What I didn't like about it was the whole driving point behind the whole book – a switch for the UK from the 12-hour standard time to a decimal, 100-minute hour, 10-hour day idea. And this might be only an adult thing but boy this smacked of being the worst possible Brexit allegory to choose. "A new second will be different to an old second" – you can imagine that being on a calamitously-received red bus. Yes, in concept of what the baddy wants, this is not a stair but a whole stepladder below the Kingsman films, into Derisory Dungeon. The elevator pitch of this can only sound daft as a brush. But in a way, that is not allowed to be an issue – ignore the stupid plot holes, cancel out the silliness with the inventive drama, and hide from all that is bad about this behind all that stands out, and you have a commendable read. Four stars is probably too generous, but it's an above average rip-roarer – three and a half, then.

This is the book that I’ve been waiting for since finishing the Adventures on Trains series (one of my favourites) by Sam Sedgman and MG Leonard… and it was more than worth the wait - I absolutely LOVED it! Thank you @NetGalley and @Bloomsburypublishing for the ARC copy.

Isaac Turner loves science, maths and making things go. He likes nothing more than helping his dad - who just happens to be the horologist in charge of Big Ben. Times are uncertain as the concept of New Time is due to be debated in parliament. And things take a turn for the worst when Isaac’s dad mysteriously disappears from the belfry on the night the clocks go back, leaving behind a series of cryptic clues and a smashed pocket watch. Determined to find his father, Isaac (with the help of his new friend, Hattie) embarks of a chase across London, discovering a sinister plot to change things forever. All is not what it seems - but can Isaac save his father (and time itself) before it’s too late?

I couldn’t put it down, reading long past my bedtime (and sleeping through my alarm the next morning!). This is definitely one of those books where you promise yourself just one more chapter, but one chapter becomes ten! If you like captivating adventure stories full of twists, turns and peril, then this is definitely one for you!
And can I just say how much I learnt whilst reading this book? The mind-boggling scientific and mathematical concepts throughout the story is astounding - the amount of research that must have gone into this book is on another level! Not only will readers learn more about time and how it works, but also about UK democracy and how parliament works.

On a number of occasions whilst reading this book, I found myself wondering how much easier it would be to teach children to tell the time if it was measured in multiples of ten - because for anyone that has tried to teach a child to tell the time, it isn’t the easiest!

Will we see more of Isaac Turner (I really hope so!) and what will he investigate next?

THE CLOCKWORK CONSPIRACY was absolutely amazing. It's a thrilling adventure with lots of fun facts about clocks, puzzles, and also introduces readers to the important of international measurement standards. 

The story was so engaging - I sped through this on under an hour because I had to know what was happening next and how they were going to get out of the bind they were in. It's fast paced and keeps you on your toes as you try to solve the puzzles alongside Isaac and Harrie.

Also the settings were amazing - the Palace of Westminster (the Houses of Parliament) is the centre piece of the book, giving readers an insight into the heart of UK democracy, both the landmark people are so familiar woth and the system of government ticking away inside.

It's also jam packed with facts about clocks and how they work, both analogue and the cutting edge atomic clocks. I love books packed with science and technology.

Something I loved was how this book demonstrates the importance of standards and international measurement systems. It's not something many people know about (I certainly didn't appreciate how important it is and all the work that goes into maintaining standards and researching improvements until I started my PhD there!) so the fact this book introduces readers to it in such a fun and exciting story is amazing.

I am based at the National Physical Laboratory (the home of UK measurement standards, and as this book shows, the home of UK Time) so I was very excited to see it featured in this book. The book is absolutely spot on about the role the UK and NPL plays in world time, and also the importance of the French equivalent (though you may be glad to know there are a lot more back ups and safeguards than in the book so you physically couldn't override the international time systems as happens in this book!) The book is also spot on about atomic clocks. The one thing is was wrong about what how it looks - this version is far more swish and impressive looking. Also it has far fewer wires in the lab than there should be.

Thank you NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc for this eCopy to review

What a fantastic adventure The Clockwork Conspiracy is, I was hooked from the first page. I have been struggling for a book for science week this year (2024) and now have found my answer. The subject is time so this will be the perfect fit. I have never heard of decimal time and thought this was a great adventure following Isaac as he tries to rescue his Dad and stop the villains' plans to bring New Time (decimal time) to the world. With the help of his new friend Hattie Isaac learns he can do more than he thought and they work well together to try and save time and clocks as we know them.

I also enjoyed learning more about politics, the palace of Westminster, and various clocks in London it was a great read, with characters you can connect with and a well paced plot

This is such a clever book. In between reading sessions the grandchildren spent time trying to work out timings using the decimal system in this book. I didn't have the heart to tell them that they were doing maths. That aside, the book was complex and exciting and kept us up later each night (some books do get me into trouble with my children). A fantastic book, more please.

It was mesmerising, whip-smart + pacy, and should definitely be on your TBR in 2024. I was on the edge of my seat throughout.

The Clockwork Conspiracy is a gripping, enigmatic and fast-paced adventure brimming with danger, daring and deceit.

Twelve-year-old Isaac Turner is helping his father (who is a horologist) in his role as Keeper of the Great Clock (Big Ben) on the night the clocks go back. But, when his father goes to investigate a peculiar occurrence and does not return, Isaac goes to find him only to discover that his father, Diggory, has vanished, leaving only his broken pocket watch, and an enigmatic message, behind.

It is not long before Isaac meets Hattie, the daughter of his Godfather, Solomon Bassala, and Speaker of the House who lives in the Palace of Westminster as Solomon offers him a place to stay whilst a search ensues for his father.

Not willing to wait for the authorities to discover what has happened to Diggory, Isaac and Hattie, are determined to carry out their own investigation to find him and discover why he has been taken. And so begins an incredible, action-packed and intricate adventure as the two friends unravel cryptic clues and follow a twisty path, towards the discovery of a devious plot.

As they race through London landmarks, and over its rooftops, to save Diggory and time itself, they find themselves in increasing peril as someone will stop at nothing to implement a new law that will change the nature of time itself. Can these two children use their ingenuity to unmask the mastermind behind a dastardly play for power? Can they save those they love before time runs out for them?

I loved the political machinations, the secret society, the false trails, the code-breaking, the science of time through horology and chronometry and the many twists and turns that kept me on the edge-of-my-seat. I also loved learning more about the Palace of Westminster and thought this was perfectly weaved into the plot. Absolutely gripping and fascinating in equal measure.

An exhilarating, locked-room mystery, perfect for adventurers of 9+.

Isaac’s father is the horologist in charge of Big Ben. When he goes missing, Isaac sets out to find him with the help of Hattie, the daughter of his father’s best friend, Uncle Sol. She has a penchant for night time rooftop adventures, accompanied by flasks of hot squash and cheese and marmite sandwiches. Isaac finds his father’s pocket watch and finds clues to help find not only his father, but other scientists who have gone missing. There is a plan to change time to New Time, which would mean a metric system, and many people are against this happening. Who is behind the disappearances of The Timekeepers?
Written at a fast pace, this is a thrilling read. It’s full of twists and turns that will have you reading on way past your bedtime. I loved all the details about time keeping, and the new perspective of London from the rooftops. It will keep you on your toes, not knowing who to trust and who wants to change the world at any cost.
I really hope there is more to come, as Sam Sedgman has shown what a fabulous writer he is in this book.