Unlikely Exploits Series by Philip Ardagh

The very last words young Fergal McNally heard in his life were: "Don't lean out of that window!" The very last sounds were probably the air whistling past his sticky-out ears as he fell the fourteen stories, the honk of traffic horns below (getting nearer and nearer, of course), and-possibly-the "SP" of the "SPLAT!" he himself made as he hit the pavement... moreThe very last words young Fergal McNally heard in his life were: "Don't lean out of that window!" The very last sounds were probably the air whistling past his sticky-out ears as he fell the fourteen stories, the honk of traffic horns below (getting nearer and nearer, of course), and-possibly-the "SP" of the "SPLAT!" he himself made as he hit the pavement. Fergal certainly wouldn't have heard more than the "SP," though, because by the time the "LAT!" part had followed, he would have been well and truly dead.The first in a darkly hilarious new series from the bestselling author of the Eddie Dickens TrilogyPhilip Ardagh's Unlikely Exploits series chart the extraordinary changes in fortune of the downtrodden McNally family, beginning with The Fall of Fergal. The setting is an unidentified country suffering from an unexpected breakout of large holes.The McNally children find themselves in the Dell Hotel, the venue for the final of the Tap 'n' Type typing competition, surrounded by a strange assortment of characters ranging from Twinkle-Toes Tweedy, the house detective, to Mr. Peach, a ventriloquist with a very large mustache.With young Fergal McNally falling to his death on page one, the only way for the McNallys is up . . . less

The second installment in the "completely off-the-wall" new trilogy from the author of A HOUSE CALLED AWFUL END is packed with humor and excitement.In this second Unlikely Exploit, Fergal McNally's brain--last seen in a pickling jar in the basement of Sacred Heart Hospital--is stolen, and the remaining McNally children find themselves mysteriously drawn to Fishbone Forest and the forgotten crumbling mansion that lies at its heart. There they meet the terrifying, teddy-bear-clutching Mr... moreThe second installment in the "completely off-the-wall" new trilogy from the author of A HOUSE CALLED AWFUL END is packed with humor and excitement.In this second Unlikely Exploit, Fergal McNally's brain--last seen in a pickling jar in the basement of Sacred Heart Hospital--is stolen, and the remaining McNally children find themselves mysteriously drawn to Fishbone Forest and the forgotten crumbling mansion that lies at its heart. There they meet the terrifying, teddy-bear-clutching Mr. Maggs, who has a fondness for riddles and is making big plans to change the world...which all sounds rather unlikely, doesn't it? less

A WORD TO THE WISE There are those of you who were saddened by Fergal's death in The Fall of Fergal. Now Fergal is back. There are those of you who recoiled at yet more death in Heir of Mystery. This should cheer you up. There are those of you frustrated by not knowing what was causing the terrible outbreak of holes across the land. Your frustration will soon be at an end. There are those of you eager to find out the secret of Mr. Maggs's teddy bear. The wait is over... moreA WORD TO THE WISE There are those of you who were saddened by Fergal's death in The Fall of Fergal. Now Fergal is back. There are those of you who recoiled at yet more death in Heir of Mystery. This should cheer you up. There are those of you frustrated by not knowing what was causing the terrible outbreak of holes across the land. Your frustration will soon be at an end. There are those of you eager to find out the secret of Mr. Maggs's teddy bear. The wait is over. And as for LeFay, Albie, and Josh's particular powers? Just give me time.--PHILIP ARDAGHThe third and final Unlikely Exploit!In this, the third and final Unlikely Exploit, the reader is taken on a journey through time in all directions, even revisiting some events from the previous Exploits and traveling back further still to a time before the McNally family's extraordinary adventures began. And as if that wasn't ridiculous enough, there's also a glimpse of the shape of things to come. This is the Exploit where the McNallys' powers are finally revealed and everything falls into place. Whether it makes sense or not is another matter. It's all so unlikely! less