Book excerpt: Book V in the Jack Mason Adventures. As the dark clouds of another war loom, Jack, Scarlet and Mr Doyle travel from grimy streets of London to neon-bright metropolis of Tokyo. They're on a mission for the British government: to locate the Kusanagi sword, an ancient relic believed to have magical powers. If they can find the sword, the Emperor of Japan promises to keep the peace between his nation and the allies. But in Tokyo, they soon discover that the Nazis are after the sword, too. And they will stop at nothing for world domination—putting the team's lives in terrible danger. Darrell Pitt began his lifelong appreciation of Victorian literature when he read the Sherlock Holmes stories as a child, quickly moving on to H.G. Wells and Jules Verne. This early reading led to a love of comics, science fiction and all things geeky. Darrell is now married with one daughter, and he lives in Melbourne. The complete Jack Mason Adventures—The Firebird Mystery (a Notable Book in the 2015 CBCA awards), The Secret Abyss, The Broken Sun, The Monster Within and, finally, The Lost Sword—are available now. Praise for Pitt and the Jack Mason Adventures 'A headlong thrill ride.’ Kirkus Reviews 'The fast pace and twists in the plot will keep [readers] hanging on the edge of their seat...The Lost Sword is an enjoyable read.' New Zealand Book Council 'Charming, witty...this series no doubt will be a huge hit for early teens, the writing is intelligent and Darrell Pitt has created characters that challenge and provoke readers to invest in the storyline.' Diva Booknerd on The Firebird Mystery. 'A fun story, easy to read and full of action. The action, by the way, is excellently written...Bonus points for being the first kids' book of its kind I've come across that gives mention to the suffragettes!' Books+Publishing on The Firebird Mystery. 'Darrell Pitt's second novel is another exciting, fast-paced adventure filled with heroes and villains, steam-driven transport, inventors and inventions, near drownings, rescues and cataclysmic events.' ReadPlus on The Secret Abyss. 'This third instalment of the Jack Mason Adventures is jam-packed with everything I've come to love about the series. There's a fantastic mix of mystery, eccentricity, and lint covered pocket cheese...my favourite book of the series so far.' Fictional Thoughts on The Broken Sun. 'Non-stop action, non-stop adventure, non-stop fun!' Richard Harland. ‘Packed with action and narrow escapes, never dull or predictable.’ CBCA Reading Time