The Dawn of Adonis

By: Phil Earle

Narrated by: Phil Earle

It is 1911 and London's docks thrum with underhand deals, none so great as the arrival of a valuable, rare and exotic animal, smuggled from the depths of the Congolese rainforest. The baby gorilla stands to make one man, the shady Goliath Deeds, very, very rich – he and his right-hand man, juvenile pickpocket Toff Squabble. Heaven help anyone who dares stand in their way, not least the brave and innocent 12-year-old Nettie Beecroft, who finds herself embroiled in a dangerous rescue attempt where she encounters toshers, bone-grubbers and gangsters.

Whom can Nettie trust? And can she save the life this very special creature?

©2025 Phil Earle (P)2025 Bolinda Publishing

Critic reviews

'Nobody writes striking, heartfelt adventure like Phil Earle. The Dawn of Adonis is a showcase of everything he does best: humour and peril and towering stakes all wrapped up in stark, spare, powerful prose. I loved it!' (Ross Montgomery, award-winning author of I Am Rebel)

'I absolutely raced through The Dawn of Adonis! It’s a tremendous nail-biting read, tender and terrifying in equal measure. Both Toff and Nettie are fantastic characters, and little Adonis is the most endearing little creature ever.' (Jacqueline Wilson, award-winning author of The Story of Tracy Beaker and Hetty Feather)

'Pacy, poetic, heartfelt and with a fantastically Dickensian authorial voice, this book deserves every rave review & prize shortlisting that’s sure to follow … a standing ovation for Phil Earle.' (Emma Carroll, bestselling, award-winning author of Letters to the Lighthouse)

'An utter triumph ... Phil is one of the best writers I know and he just gets better and better ... A stunning book that deserves to win all the awards.' (Lisa Thompson, author of The Goldfish Boy)