The Black Guandao

By Doug Merlin

Mary sits in yet another boring detention. But this one turns out to be a bit more interesting. She spots one the boys, who is never in trouble, steeling something from the fume cupboard and is determined to get to the bottom of what is going on. Her invetigations lead her and her friends into an action packed adventure where both her Kung Fu expertise and detective skills are put to the test.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Doug Merlin
• Release date: Jan 10, 2023
• ISBN: 9781739696108

Book preview

To Rimee

The Black Guandao

By

Doug Merlin

CHAPTER ONE

Unlikely Criminals

The science lab where Mary sat for detention always smelt like rotten eggs and lemons. She stared at the clock on the wall above the whiteboard, tapped her pencil on the Bunsen burner tap, and thought about how she couldn’t wait to leave.

Today was her Shaolin kung fu lesson, her favourite thing to do of all time. Tonight was important as it was her final qualifying fight.

I only need one more win, and I can go to the graduation ceremony! she thought with excitement.

People never believed Mary when she told them she was almost a black belt in kung fu, but she knew why. She was one of the smallest people in her year, and everyone thought she was eight, not twelve. Her school uniform was on the baggier side, which made her look even tinier.

Mary sniffed and frowned at the worksheet in front of her. She’d already completed it.

The clock ticked.

Slowly.

A fly buzzed somewhere. Mary sighed. She glanced at Mr. Wigg, the teacher that was supervising detention, and watched him as he sat at his desk, marking books and slurping tea from his mug. Mary grimaced. It was the most annoying sound ever.

Shhhlurrrp, ah!

In the martial arts films she liked to watch with her best friend, Rana, all the great fighters had enemies, so Mary had decided in her first term of year seven that Mr. Wigg was her enemy. Mary imagined leaping over her desk and doing a spinning kick at Mr. Wigg’s mug, so it flew out of his hand and maybe out the window. The thought of his shocked face made Mary chuckle. She bent her head, her shoulders shaking.

Mr. Wigg narrowed his eyes at her. Mary nearly burst into laughter when a clatter from behind her caught her attention. She jumped in her seat and turned around. Sean Sommers hurriedly picked up several pencils and pens that rolled about on the floor.

What’s going on back there? Mr. Wigg barked.

Sorry, sir, Sean said. He picked his pencil case off the floor with shaking hands.

Mary frowned. Sean’s wide eyes made him look permanently worried.

Until now, he had been so quiet that she’d forgotten he was there. Plus, Sean was never usually in detention. She didn’t think it was possible for Sean to be naughty enough to get a detention.

Sean was a boy who did a very good job at behaving well and blending in. He was smart, his school tie was always done up properly, his shirt was never untucked, and Mary had never seen him run in the corridors, not even when the dinner ladies were giving out leftover cakes.

Right, Mary! Mr. Wigg barked. Mary jumped, turning away