ABOUT Kieran Crowley

Kieran Crowley
Writer of 'Colm & the Lazarus Key'

Description

Colm thinks that spending a fortnight with his cousin - The Brute - is the worst thing that can happen him this summer. He's about to find out he's wrong. Very wrong!

While driving The Brute to his home in the country, Colm and his parents stop for the night at a quiet, old hotel. When strange things begin to happen, Colm finds himself stuck right in the middle of an adventure, whether he likes it or not:
                                        
                                         5.15pm
             He accidentally sets an ancient curse in motion

                                         5.16pm
                            The Brute falls in love

                                         8.39pm
                            Colm's parents disappear

                                         10.27pm
          He overhears whispers about the powerful Lazarus Key

The Brute is strong and Colm is clever, but will that be enough to save Colm's parents and solve the mystery of the Lazarus Key?

I've been writing on and off for a few years, mainly screenplays, but despite a few close calls, nothing really came of it. I'd always loved children's books and had made a promise to myself that I was going to write one for my niece before she was too cool and grown-up to be interested in a children's book that her nerdy uncle wrote. I began writing 'Colm & the Lazarus Key' in the summer of 2008 and thanks to some good fortune and an excellent publishing team, it hit the shops this summer.

Colm & the Lazarus Key has been named one of the top reads of 2009 for 9-11 year olds by Children's Books Ireland.

"..a lively fantasy adventure....a name to watch out for in the future."  
                              Irish Independent

                      ".....a cracking debut novel.."  
                                Books Ireland

  "unputdownable...laugh out loud comedy...hide behind the sofa scariness.."  
                                 Inis Magazine

  "....a rip-roaring adventure story...an exciting new voice in Irish children's fiction" 
                                Verbal Magazine

                  "...excellent and thrilling....brilliant..."  
                                 David Maybury