The Accidental Highwayman: Being the Tale of Kit Bristol, His Horse Midnight, a Mysterious Princess, and Sundry Magical Persons Besides

Adult author Tripp (the Rise Again books) makes a memorable YA debut with a fanciful historical adventure set in 18th-century England, first in a trilogy. Sixteen-year-old former horse-trick rider Kit Bristol is shocked to learn that his playboy master is secretly the infamous masked highwayman Whistling Jack, whom Kit discovers dying after being double-crossed. When Kit attempts to go for help, he’s mistaken for Whistling Jack and forced to flee from authorities and rivals alike. As Kit undertakes his master’s mandate to free the faerie Princess Morgana before she’s forced into an unwelcome marriage, he and the princess are bound together by fate and circumstance. Accumulating a motley assemblage of allies, including a senile ringmaster and an amiable baboon, Kit and friends attempt to make their way to safety in Ireland. While the journey isn’t quick, it never grows tedious—danger, magic, and intrigue wait at every turn. Tripp infuses his story with whimsy, humor, and derring-do, and his miniature spot illustrations and handful of lovely full-page pieces add to the overall charm. Ages 12–up. Agent: Kirby Kim, William Morris Endeavor. (Oct.)