The Case of the Dreaming Dragon (Elemental Detectives 3)

By Author / Illustrator

Patrice Lawrence

Genre

Fantasy

Age range(s)

Publisher

Scholastic

ISBN

9780702315657

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

09-10-2025

Synopsis

A stunningly imagined, action-packed fantasy adventure for fans of Nevermoor, Neverwhere and the Lizzie and Belle Mysteries, from bestselling and award-winning author Patrice Lawrence.

Step into a London lit up by the Elemental spirits: the fiery Dragons, the airy Fumis, the watery Chads and the earthbound Magogs. Marisee and Robert - the Elemental Detectives - are back to solve a third mystery on the streets of multi-cultural 18th century London. A dragon is dreaming of a time when plague blighted the city, when a mysterious cauldron was used for wicked magic and what this would mean if it fell into the wrong hands now . . .

On a mission from the shores of the Thames, to the ghost-filled gardens of Hyde Park and the forbidding Tower of London, Marisee and Robert must use every ounce of ingenuity they possess to defeat the most villainous foe yet... and find out some secrets about their own families.

Big, bold, future classic storytelling for a new generation. A London where magic sparks just beneath the surface - this book is set to ignite young imaginations. The third book in a captivating fantasy adventure series.

Also in the Elemental Detectives mystery series: The Elemental Detectives (Elemental Detectives 1); The Case of the Chaos Monster (Elemental Detectives 2)

"A beautifully written book, bristling with magic, set in an ancient London filled with dragons, ghosts, water spirits, and a mysterious, creeping sleeping-sickness that must be fought by the brave young heroes. I loved it." Cressida Cowell, Children's Laureate & author of How to Train Your Dragon.

MORE PRAISE FOR ELEMENTAL DETECTIVES: "I loved reading about a re-imagining of London with so much invention and energy. The world-building is well...out of this world. Patrice Lawrence is amongst the greatest voices for young people writing today. I'm honoured to be a peer of hers." - Alex Wheatle, author of Cane Warriors. "BRILLIANT... history and fantasy woven magnificently into a thrilling, magical adventure" - Sophie Anderson, author of The House with the Chicken Legs. "A fantastic adventure, packed with rich world building and stunning elemental magic." - Peter Bunzl, author of Cogheart. "Wow - The Elemental Detectives is a cracking fantasy. Clever, inventive, and pacy, with wonderfully drawn characters and a breathless plot. I want to read more!" - Bali Rai, author of Mohinder's War.

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Reviews

Beverley

In an alternative London, guarded by Elementals – airy Fumis, fiery Dragons, watery Chads and earthy Magogs – children are going missing. They are being lured away by red-eyed rat-children and locked away in the Tower of London. Marisee and Robert, the Elemental Detectives, know that they have to do something to stop the evil Goldmaster and his wicked plans to take over the city, especially when one of their friends is among those taken.

So, the reader is plunged into a thrilling adventure, full of magic and thrills. Marisee and Robert enter the dreams and memories of the Mary-le-Bow Dragon, and learn that the story started 100 years ago, at the time of the Plague and the Great Fire of London. They must find a missing ledger and destroy a mysterious cauldron that is an essential part of the Goldmaster's campaign for supremacy, and save the kidnapped children from a terrible fate. Along the way they will put themselves in terrible danger and must use every ounce of their bravery and skill to emerge unscathed.

The Case of the Dreaming Dragon is the third instalment in the Elemental Detectives series, and Patrice Lawrence does not disappoint. The book is beautifully written and the story flows effortlessly. We are reintroduced to Marisee, who is fearless, loyal, and whose friendship with Robert is all-important to her. Robert, who was raised on a slave plantation before being brought to London, is now technically free; however, his freedom relies on a letter from the Lord Mayor and, when he selflessly relinquishes this, we feel his vulnerability as he strives to help the missing children without its protection.

Family is an ongoing theme throughout the book; Marisee has grown up without her mother and misses her every day. She has a strong bond with Madam Blackwell, her grandmother, who has brought her up. Robert does not even know if his mother and sisters are still alive on the plantation, and longs for news of them. Although he lives with Marisee and her grandmother, he still feels himself to be an outsider in many ways.

The book is certainly action-packed and races along to a very satisfying conclusion. Teachers will find many other useful themes within the novel – pollution, the slave trade, plantation life, the Plague and the Fire of London are all important parts of the story and will lead to many interesting classroom discussions.

I loved this book and hope that we have not heard the last of the Elemental Detectives – I feel that there are many more adventures for them to have! Highly recommended.

384 pages / Reviewed by Beverley Somerset, school librarian