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The Barnaby Grimes series is written by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell, and follows the title character of Grimes the "Tic-tock lad" (a young courier messenger specialising on very fast deliveries, as he takes the most direct route over the rooftops) and his various adventures - mostly with a supernatural spin to them.
The fictional city in which the action takes place is never mentioned by name, but it appears to be rather large, with several named neighborhoods and areas;
The series seems to take place in England during the late Georgian era, with much use of historical slang and reference to various fashions and conventions of the time. This time period is further confirmed in Phantom of Blood Alley with the advent of early experiments in photography being central to the plot. The city has a clearly defined rich/poor divide, with opulent town-houses and offices to the East, and factories and poor slums to the West of the city.
The story is narrated by the hero, with a spin to it that suggests he is telling the tale from the perspective of a long while afterward. The reader gets the sense that Grimes is a very busy character, as he refers to separate adventures happening during lulls in the current escapade, where other writers might simply use phrases like "two weeks later..." etc.
The series mainly follows the formula of a mystery, leading to a supernatural horror twist when the hero discovers the evil behind the mystery. Supernatural elements seem to be common in Barnaby's fictional world, although they are rarely referred to by other characters, suggesting that this is not common knowledge.
The púca, pooka, phouka is primarily a creature of Celtic folklore. Considered to be bringers both of good and bad fortune, they could help or hinder rural and marine communities. Púcaí can have dark or white fur or hair. The creatures were said to be shape-changers, which could take the appearance of horses, goats, cats, dogs, and hares. They may also take a human form, which includes various animal features, such as ears or a tail.
Werewolf fiction denotes the portrayal of werewolves and other shapeshifting man/woman-beasts, in the media of literature, drama, film, games and music. Werewolf literature includes folklore, legend, saga, fairy tales, Gothic and horror fiction, fantasy fiction and poetry. Such stories may be supernatural, symbolic or allegorical. A classic American cinematic example of the theme is The Wolf Man (1941) which in later films joins with the Frankenstein Monster and Count Dracula as one of the three famous icons of modern day horror. However, werewolf fiction is an exceptionally diverse genre, with ancient folkloric roots and manifold modern re-interpretations.
The Nestlé Children's Book Prize, and Nestlé Smarties Book Prize for a time, was a set of annual awards for British children's books that ran from 1985 to 2007. It was administered by Booktrust, an independent charity that promotes books and reading in the United Kingdom, and sponsored by Nestlé, the manufacturer of Smarties candy. It was one of the most respected and prestigious prizes for children's literature.
The Edge Chronicles is a children's fantasy novel series by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell. It consists of four trilogies, plus four additional books, and other books related to the universe. The series was originally published by Doubleday, a subsidiary of Penguin Random House, and has sold more than three million copies, according to its publisher.
Midsomer Murders is a British crime drama television series, adapted by Anthony Horowitz and Douglas Watkinson from the novels in the Chief Inspector Barnaby book series, and broadcast on two channels of ITV since its premiere on 23 March 1997. The series focuses on various murder cases that take place within small country villages across the fictional English county of Midsomer, and the efforts of the senior police detective and his partner within the fictional Midsomer Constabulary to solve the crime by determining who the culprit is and the motive for their actions. It identifies itself differently from other detective dramas often by featuring a mixture of lighthearted whimsy and dark humour, as well as a notable soundtrack that includes the use of the theremin instrument for the show's theme tune.
The Werewolf by Night is the name applied to two fictional characters who are werewolves appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Werewolf by Night first appeared in Marvel Spotlight #2.
Tyroc is a fictional character in the DC Universe, a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th and 31st centuries. Created by writer Cary Bates and artist Mike Grell, he first appeared in Superboy #216, a year before Black Lightning, making him one of DC's first black costumed superheroes.
Paul Stewart is a writer of children's books, best known for three series written in collaboration with the illustrator Chris Riddell: The Edge Chronicles, the Free Lance novels, and the Far Flung Adventures series. Stewart lives in the British seaside city of Brighton with his wife and children.
Occult detective fiction is a subgenre of detective fiction that combines the tropes of the main genre with those of supernatural, fantasy and/or horror fiction. Unlike the traditional detective who investigates murder and other common crimes, the occult detective is employed in cases involving ghosts, demons, curses, magic, vampires, undead, monsters and other supernatural elements. Some occult detectives are portrayed as being psychic or in possession of other paranormal or magical powers.
She-Wolf of London is a television series produced by the Finnegan/Pinchuk Company, HTV and MCA Television Entertainment that aired in first-run syndication in the USA from October 1990 to April 1991. The first 14 episodes were filmed in England and aired under the She-Wolf title, and a second season of six episodes was filmed in Los Angeles and aired under the title Love and Curses, with a drastically reduced cast.
Chris Riddell is a South African-born English illustrator and occasional writer of children's books and a political cartoonist for the Observer. He has won three Kate Greenaway Medals - the British librarians' annual award for the best-illustrated children's book, and two of his works were commended runners-up, a distinction dropped after 2002.
The Vampire by Night is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. She is the niece to Jack Russell and has the ability to shapeshift into either a werewolf or a vampiress between dusk and dawn.
The Rangers are a fictional superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #265 and was created by writer Bill Mantlo and penciller Sal Buscema. The title page of The Incredible Hulk #265 also credits Mark Gruenwald with co-creation of The Rangers.
Ryōgo Narita is a Japanese light novelist and manga writer. He won the Gold Prize in the 9th Dengeki Novel Prize for Baccano!, which was made into an anime television series in 2007. His series Durarara!! was also made into two anime television series, one airing January 2010 and the second in January 2015.
Lawrence Stewart "Larry" Talbot, also known as The Wolf Man, is a title character of the 1941 Universal film The Wolf Man and its sequels, created by Curt Siodmak. He was portrayed by Lon Chaney Jr. In the 2010 remake of the film, he is portrayed by Academy Award-winner Benicio del Toro. The Wolf Man was part of the Universal Classic Monsters ensemble.
Supernatural horror film is a film genre that combines aspects of horror film and supernatural film. Supernatural occurrences in such films often include ghosts and demons, and many supernatural horror films have elements of religion. Common themes in the genre are the afterlife, the Devil, and demonic possession. Not all supernatural horror films focus on religion, and they can have "more vivid and gruesome violence".
Lad: A Dog is a 1919 American novel written by Albert Payson Terhune and published by E. P. Dutton. Composed of twelve short stories first published in magazines, the novel is based on the life of Terhune's real-life Rough Collie, Lad. Born in 1902, the real-life Lad was an unregistered collie of unknown lineage originally owned by Terhune's father. Lad's death in 1918 was mourned by many of the story's fans, particularly children.
Barnaby is an Old English surname composed of the Saxon element beorn 'young warrior' and the Danish suffix by meaning 'settlement'. As a given name, it means "son of consolation" and is etymologically linked with the New Testament name Barnabas.
Werewolves have played a prominent role in popular culture. They have been featured in various forms of media that include literature, film, television, games, and music. These roles may be supernatural, symbolic, or allegorical and appearances in literature includes folklore, legend, saga, fairy tales, Gothic and horror fiction, fantasy fiction and poetry.
