The influence of Charles Dickens on the development and achievements of detective fiction is unchallengeable

In The Mystery of Edwin Drood Dickens brooded on crime, opium and the darkness of the soul

Dickens's finest work in the genre of the detective story was his last ... Had Dickens lived to complete it, The Mystery of Edwin Drood would probably have challenged the supremacy of Wilkie Collins's The Moonstone...

That Khalifa has chosen to profile fanaticism from a feminine perspective, rather than the more predictable 'male martyr', is this book's great innovation ... courageous

Gloriously vivacious and nuanced

Michael Hofmann ... comes as close as possible to giving us Fallada's work in all its coarse, humorous, immediate, tragic glory

Not for the first time, all praise is due to Michael Hofmann's art and feel for nuance. His translation catches the many voices - some exasperated, others bewildered, a few downright angry - that make this bold, exuberant and candid narrative sizzle with life and the relentlessly shocking reality of it all

Fallada's own experiences as a regional journalist in north Germany underlie the action, and it is this sense of realism, combined with an ear for dialogue and an acute understanding of human frailty, that make the novel such an authentic portrayal of an imploding era

A major new voice in historical fiction

Wildly entertaining . . . One of the best historical novels I've read

The thrilling follow-up to Treasure Island, as told by one of England's greatest contemporary writers...Silver is a worthy sequel to Treasure Island and a work of extraordinary authenticity

Like Stevenson, Motion has achieved that very difficult thing: a children’s novel that works even better for adults. Look to your laurels, Rowling

A solid adventure yarn, full of ghostly echoes of Stevenson, with a denser tropical atmosphere and an even more palpable sense of evil

There are sequels and prequels aplenty, but this follow-up to Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure island by the former Poet Laureate reeks of authenticity, cunning, intrigue, suspense and adventure.It’s brilliant, and for all ages

He reinvents Stevenson’s world to reveal its dark underside, illuminating both its mysterious beauty and its grim immortality.Silver provides a fitting sequel to Treasure Island, certainly, but also stands in its own right as a companion volume to a literary classic.

Silver is a deeply pleasing and convivial book… As with Treasure Island, Silver is left open to the possibility of its own sequel, and surely no one would wish Motion to swallow the anchor. All aboard! All aboard! All aboard that's coming aboard.

Silver…captures something of the old magic. The thrilling flight across moor and heather that Henry James admired in Kidnapped.... finds expression in Silver’s action scenes set amid Caribbean waters.

Beautifully written and genuinely exciting... Motion’s novel stays true to Stevenson’s original... Outstanding.

Silver’s plot twists and turns and introduces elements beyond even Stevenson’s imagination. The result is a fascinating and richly coloured novel that can be read by children with an appetite for adventure and adults who will relish reliving the glory days of youth.

Elegant, affectionate homage to Robert Louis Stevenson is straight out of this classic adventure-story mould… A piece of writing born of genuine love and respect for the original.

A thrilling follow-up to Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island...Silver is a novel that will appeal to readers of all ages. Beautifully written and genuinely exciting...Best of all, Motion’s novel stays true to Stevenson’s original tale while adding an extra dimension.

Elegant, thrilling sequel...The plot is gripping, a mixture of high adventure, low cunning and desperation...Motion’s prose vivid and glowingly poetic, is a brilliant counterpoint to the fascinating action.

This is a pacey tale with an appropriately feisty young heroine for modern readers

Andrew Motion brings lyricism but, more importantly, rollicking adventure to this sequel to Treasure Island