The highly anticipated second novel from the author of acclaimed The Secret Starling - a spectacular adventure set through and under the streets of Paris. When Penelope Magnificent's awful parents tell her they're taking a trip to Paris, she surprises them by begging to go along. Nell is usually content to avoid her money-obsessed father and her fashion-focussed mother, but Paris holds something very dear to her . . . her old au pair Perrine - Pear - lives there. Pear used to write to Nell every week promising to come to her rescue but recently the letters have stopped . . . Arriving at her parent's posh hotel, Nell is determined to find Pear . . . but no one has seen her at her last known address, and no one seems to want to tell her anything about Pear's whereabouts. Luckily she befriends the hotel bellboy who introduces her to the world of tunnels underneath the city, and together they set out to find Pear, whilst uncovering an extraordinary mystery of their own . . . Gorgeous black and white illustrations by Kim Geyer bring this story to life. 'A rumbustious, rollicking adventure with a generous heart and a happy ending.' Books for Keeps 'FABULOUS!' Emma Carroll, author of Letters from the Lighthouse 'I loved The Pear Affair! If you liked Katherine Rundell you'll love this.' Lisa Thompson, author of The Boy Who Fooled the World

Penelope Magnificent's life doesn't live up to her name. Her dad only thinks about making money, and her mum loves her handbag more than her daughter. But she gets through the hard times remembering the lovely French woman Perrine - Pear - who looked after her when she was little. Even after Pear was sent away, she wrote to Nell every week, telling her about her new life, promising one day she'd come back.

But the letters stopped, suddenly. So when Nell gets the chance to go to Paris with her parents, she is determined to track down Pear. But the mystery gets deeper when Pear isn't where she told Nell she'd be - and never had been!