The Return of the Key
16 year old Eliza Aurelio grapples with her mixed race identity amid rising racial tensions on her little island. For their safety, Eliza’s grandfather sends her and her grandmother to a quiet town in Southwest England to stay with a relative.
But this otherwise quiet town has been turned upside down by people mysteriously disappearing.
Eliza eventually encounters a magical but dangerous realm accessible through a doorway in the town, and sees its connection to the abductions.
She intends to put things right, only wanting to protect her family. To do this, she must return a stolen key to lock the open doorway. But Eliza has to overcome her own inner conflicts if she is to stand any chance of being successful and leaving the other realm alive.
Suspenseful and enchanting, The Return of the Key explores the power of love, sacrifice and the journey to self acceptance.
‘…a thrilling plunge into a fantasy world filled with magic and adventure, yet it’s uncannily real. An incredible voyage of an unassuming girl has the ‘Alice at the other side of the mirror effect’, in which the quirky and surreal realm is the reflection of the earthly trials and tribulations’ – Elena Krovvidi, Journalist, Russia Beyond The Headlines
‘An imaginative and engaging story of mystical places and heroic characters’ – Lynda Anning, Author, Dreams of Death
'The Return of the Key is about more than a fantasy storyline. There is heartache, friendship, love, trust, and racial discussions all within this story. The author weaves a story full of depth and warmth – something that is not easy to find in a YA book' – Kim Talks Tomes, Crystal's Many Reviewers
'The Return of the Key is a beautiful, heartwrenching story that takes you on an amazing adventure ! I simply adore Eliza, who is quite the enchanting character. You can tell that the author put a lot of time and thought into her. The plot is very adventurous and intriguing. It will have you reading the whole thing in one sitting ! Alisha Nurse belongs on every YA lovers bookshelf !'– Lady A of Literature Junkie Extraordinaire
'...a short and unique read. If you like fairy tales and fantasy, this is a great read. It’s short but it’s only by the last page, do you begin to realise how much you’ve attached to the story and characters' – Fangirl World
'...Filled with lush detail, inventive creatures, scenarios, and schemes. This book is great for young fantasy readers.Themes of identity, self-confidence, and loyalty will resonate with readers. A great fantasy adventure novel for teens grades five and up' – Erin Cataldi, Blogger, Barbarianlibrarian
'I’ve got to say, I do love the names in this book, but mostly, I love the moral…I believe this is not a stand-alone novel and will be part of a series as Alisha has confirmed! Whoop whoop! I absolutely cannot wait!'– Shaiyra, Gotta read that book!
For more reviews of The Return of the Key see the Reviews section. Available now in paperback and e-book from:
