When Nicky spots a glint of gold down in the murky depths of Bacon Pond, he can't ignore it. It could mean money for his family, and money helps patch things up when you haven't got any.
But sometimes it's better not to look too deep. Not when there are local gangsters involved and tough questions about your family's past.
Nicky knows it's a bad idea to go back – it could ruin everything. But if he can't leave it alone, will the secrets of Bacon Pond drag them all down?
Particularly suitable for readers aged 11+ with a reading age of 9.
Anthony McGowan is one of the most widely acclaimed YA and children's authors in the UK, with novels including The Knife that Killed Me and The Dogs of the Deadlands, an FT and Guardian Book of the Year. His Barrington Stoke titles include the Carnegie Medal shortlisted Rook and the 2020 Carnegie Medal winner Lark, which the judges described as "a standalone masterpiece”.