Down to Davy Jones

By Eddie Jones

Once more, our reluctant hero Ricky Bradshaw faces a life-threatening event. His mom is sick. Like, really sick. Desperate to try anything to get a miracle, and having watched the movie Jesus Revolution with his Mom, Ricky agrees to be baptized in a creek by the Pirate Preacher. But things go from bad to wo

• Language: English
• Publisher: Eddie Jones
• Release date: Sep 25, 2023
• ISBN: 9781645269021

Eddie Jones

Eddie is an award-winning author of middle-grade fiction with HarperCollins. Father of two boys, he's also a pirate at heart who loves to surf."The Caribbean Chronicles" is a humorous time-travel pirate fantasy adventure series. The third book, "The End of Calico Jack," won first place in the Selah awards for Young Adult literature. Book four, "No Good Stede Goes Unpunished" is a finalist for the Selah awards for Young Adult literature.Eddie's middle grade "Monster Mystery" series is wholesome, humorous reading with a flair for unexpected adventure. The series has a spooky but spiritual message based on real "monsters" (sort of) found in Scripture. Hints at werewolves, ghosts, mediums, vampires, walking dead, mummies, demons, witches, and phantoms are all mentioned in the Bible. But are they real? Nick Caden doesn't think so. In each episode he sets out to prove who the real killer is. The fourth book in the series, "Rumor of a Werewolf", took third place in the Selah awards for Middle Grade fiction. "Phantom Gunslinger" is a finalist in the Selah awards for Middle Grade fiction. Each book has OFFICIAL CRIMINAL REPORT QUESTIONS so readers can easily complete a book report.All of Eddie's YA and Middle Grade books are available as audiobooks. Eddie calls his novels, "fun, fast reads for boys who don't like to read."An avid sailor with a great sense of humor, Eddie has been married to a girl he met at a stoplight in West Palm Beach during spring break for... "too many years," Eddie's wife says."Not enough," says Eddie. By the way, the beer in Eddie's cartoon illustration is ginger beer, a seasick sailor's best friend.From 2009 to 2019 Eddie served as CEO of Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. He now writes full time and mentors authors.Awards for Middle Grade and YA novels* Winner of the Selah award for tween / teen mysteries* INSPY Award* Moonbeam Children's Book AwardReaders Are Leaders - Buy a Boy a Book![e-mail]/EddieJonesTweetFacebook.com/EddieJonesHumorInstagram.com/authoreddiejones

Book preview

SHIP’S LOG

A Stormy Voyage: Battling Demonic Fury and Leaky Vessels

From a blackened sky, the storm screamed with demonic fury. Rain pelted the vessel’s deck above us, driving our haggard crew below. With each wobbling claw up the back of a wave, the leaky ship creaked and groaned in long, agonizing moans.

Oops, sorry. I meant to say that with each wobbling tug on the oars, the backs of the crew creaked, and men groaned in long agonizing moans.

The ship also made sounds, mostly of a sloshing, sinking sort.

I sat hunched forward on a wooden bench similar to the type you might find in a primitive church crowded with men, none of whom smelled as if they were fond of bathing. I was in the center of the middle pew grasping the end of a long oar that fed out through an open port. I promise I am not going to whine about how I ended up experiencing another epileptic absence seizure.

Instead, I chose to project a positive outlook like the great explorer Marco Polo, who traveled along the Silk Road from Europe to Asia between 1271 and 1295—waving to peasants who wielded pitchforks and called, Marco! Polo! before ducking behind stone walls and snickering to one another. That Marco Polo, what an oaf. Only an idiot wears a fox-fur shawl, puffy pants, and bedroom slippers to go swimming.

But this was a different time and that time was the Age of Exploration and swimsuits had not yet been invented. So after blindly flailing around in water up to his chest while trying to locate giggling boys and girls dressed in nothing more than undergarments, Marco would emerge—soaked, skin shriveled like an old man, hairs matted on his fox-fur shawl—and open his eyes. Only then would the son of Mr. Polo realize that he stood in the water alone. With his white pantaloon pants ruined from water tainted with urine, this champion of exploration would think to himself, I bet if I had a logo on my shirt with a guy riding a horse and carrying a big stick, the other kids in Latin class would not make fun of me.

Such was the positive outlook Marco Polo emitted. Also, due to the fact that scented soap and deodorant had not yet been invented, Marco Polo also emitted a stench very much like that of the men seated around me.

Bend your backs, ladies, barked the quartermaster, or you’ll have no backs to bend! Snap! Snap!

The ship’s quartermaster barked lots of orders. His was a loud and snarling breed of barkers. Bare-chested, with arms the thickness of a main spar and wearing what appeared to be a cloth adult diaper kept in place by a leather belt, the quartermaster struck an imposing figure with his bullwhip. In this case, the imposing figure was a rather largish man hunched over his oar.

Snap! Snap! Upon receiving the lash, the hunched man tumbled face-first onto the floor.

Ah, sir, said the imposing figure’s neighbor, I think Kamaul is dead.

Snap! No dying while rowing. Snap! Snap! And no jawing about dying while rowing, do I make myself clear?

AYE, SIR!

A figure appeared in the doorway. Sir, the Squire demands your presence.

Tell him I’m busy trying to whip these men into shape, replied Barking Bart.

He thought you might say that and warned that if you did not come at once he would order you to give yourself the lash.

Barking Bart coiled his whip and hooked it in a loop on his adult diaper’s belt. Bend your backs into it, ladies, or—

We ’ill ’ave no backs to bend, sir! the men said in unison.

No sooner had Barking Bart started toward the exit when he wheeled and glared at me. I’m keeping my eye on you, Little Shrimp.

With that less-than-encouraging warning, the ship’s quartermaster left the rowing deck, and the crew breathed a sigh of relief. Then, due to the crew’s bad breath, the crew gagged.

To those around me, my neighbor whispered, I fear a man will soon be sacrificed to appease the gods.

I said nothing. Being new to the ship, and from all appearances the youngest, I did not wish to stand out or inhale.

And not just any man, said my other neighbor. But the one who invited this hellish squall that has descended upon us.

Not an expert on meteorology or ocean weather patterns or the whims of weather gods, I kept my head down. Also, I was pretty sure my neighbor meant me.

Should this continue, the man behind me said, this vessel will go down within hours.

Perhaps minutes.

We should toss the lad now, my neighbor said.

Yes, toss the Little Shrimp, said my neighbor in front. Due to the fact that my neighbor in front lacked most of his teeth, what he actually said was, Toss the Whittle Shrimp.

Toss Whittle Shrimp. The men around me snickered, then chanted, Toss the Whittle Shrimp. Toss the Whittle Shrimp.

With the mob’s chant growing louder, Barking Bart returned with a well-dressed man. Well-dressed in the sense that he had on trousers, shirt, vest, coat, and shoes. By comparison, the men in the crew were down to threadbare loincloths.

Ladies, this be the Squire, said Barking Bart. He owns the cargo on this tub and wishes to see it delivered on time.

The fancily dressed man looked us over, walking back and forth with his hands clasped behind his back, a scowl of disapproval on his portly face. How goes the rowing?

The men seem to lack incentive, answered Barking Bart.

Stroking his white, pointy beard, the Squire asked, Have you given them the lash?

Aye, and often.

And rats? Have you unleashed the rats?

I have, but after nibbling a toe or two, the vermin scamper away. It’s the odor, sir. Even rats have standards, low though they may be.

Tugging so hard that he pulled hairs from his white, pointy beard, the Squire said, Then put the fear of death in the men. Select a man for keel hauling.

The crew gasped. Then they coughed due to the stench they inhaled.

Are you sure? Barking Bart asked. Losing even one man to keel hauling will cut into our speed.

If it is motivation the men need, it is motivation they will receive, replied the Squire.

Not keel hauling, whispered my neighbor. Anything but keel hauling.

A young man sprouting sparse whiskers on his chin and lip asked, Is keel hauling bad?

Why, there be nothin’ worse, replied my neighbor. First, the victim is tied to one end of a long rope. Then he’s thrown overboard and dragged under the ship’s keel, sinking back along the length of her hull until he crashes inter the rudder. If at that point the poor chap be not drowned, he’s pulled aboard, hauled ter the bow, and dropped over again so as ter repeat the process.

Even if the victim survives the first dunkin’, another man piped up, the second dunkin’ ’ill usually finish him off.

You! Barking Bart pointed at me. On your feet.

Me? I asked.

Barking Bart snapped his whip over my head in a threatening manner. Rest of you scalawags back into it, or—

We ’ill ’ave no backs to bend, sir!

Might make a decent crew yet, mumbled Barking Bart. You, Little Shrimp, with me. A dip and trip under the ship will make quick work of you.

Toss Whittle Shrimp! the men chanted. Toss Whittle Shrimp! Toss Whittle Shrimp!

Barking Bart gave me a wry smile. Not popular with the crew?

Guess not, I replied.

"We’ll see if you’re more popular with sharks ... Whittle Shrimp."

CHAPTER ONE

A Storm of Accusations and Fateful Choices

On-deck sails billowed red in the glow of a ship’s lantern. Waves smashed into the bow, showering the men with frigid water. The wind tore through the rigging with the force of a thousand strong hands threatening to shred the sails.

Men, it be time for keelhaul practice!

At Barking Bart’s command, sailors climbed down from the rigging like spiders. Judging from the looks of relief on their faces, most preferred keelhauling practice to dangling from flimsy pieces of wood and netting while hurricane-force winds ripped away their loincloths. I could not see how dragging me in the water alongside the ship would accomplish much. I mean, sure, I’d drown, but there were faster ways to dispose of me. Throwing me overboard, for one. But then I’m no great ocean-crossing sailor. Not like Vasco da Gama or

Reviews for Down to Davy Jones

[ftbooklover · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Nick and his family take a vacation to Deadwood Ranch, which is a ranch with shows and entertainment based on the Wild West. Nick is not happy about taking the trip, so as soon as he arrives he is drawn to a sports car that he hears revving in a barn. When he goes up to the hayloft, he sees what he thinks is a murder of one of the performers playing Billy the Kid. Nick reports what he saw, but the body has disappeared and everyone thinks that the actor took another job and left. Nick knows what he saw and once he gets the help of his computer crime solving skills, he decides to investigate what he believes was a murder.

Dead Man's Hand includes a nice mystery with lots of suspects and clues to keep the reader interested. There is also a paranormal aspect that keeps popping up in the story to keep the reader guessing. Nick is a fairly bratty teenager, who is not very likable among other characters who are barely developed, making it difficult to find a reason to enjoy Nick's pursuit of a possible killer. Overall, Dead Man's Hand is an average mystery with an obnoxious protagonist.

[skstiles612 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

If you are looking for a great mystery for your tween/teen to read this summer then this book is the one for you. This is a book that both boys and girls will enjoy. Nick Caden is doomed to spend his summer vacation with his parents and his young sister Wendy at the Deadwood Canyon Ghost Town in Montana.He can think of nothing more boring. It is supposed to be an old time western ghost town complete with cowboys, re-enactments and history lessons. To me this sounded wonderful. I live in Florida and when I was in my teens we had an old western town in Ocala, Florida called Six Gun Territory. This story immediately took me back to that time and place. I had great memories there. I assumed that since I loved something like that, then maybe a teen would as well. Nick stumbles upon the dead body of Billy the Kid. When he gets the sheriff and they return to the spot, there is no body. He is told that it was probably all a part of the act. Nick doesn’t buy it. In his free time back home he and his friends participate in a Cyber-Super Sleuth club. Solving mysteries is what he does and he is determined to solve this one. He is helped in this adventure by Annabel, also known as Annie Oakley. Her uncle, Marshal Buckleberry deputizes him and allows him to question the tourists as long as he doesn’t mention the dead body. You know that at some point he is going to question the wrong person and that can and will lead to trouble. This is the first book in the Caden Chronicles and not the last one I will read. This is a book I know several of my students will enjoy. From the book we learn that Nick’s family are not Christians. Nick finds a Bible with highlighted passages and begins to question things. This is very light on the Christian end of things. I do hope there is more along that line in the second book. I know as an author myself that balancing on that fine line is very difficult. I do believe that Eddie Jones is up to the challenge. I recommend that tweens, teens and adults read this book. It would definitely make a great summer read.

[brokebookbank · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I won this as a First Reads giveaway. I was given an ARC. The only thing I felt cheated out of was the pictures that are suppose to be included. I could tell since there was place holder text at work. I would have loved to see those pictures. =( For my star rating - I think this book is actually a 3.5 stars. I mean this is a first book in a series which does avoid a lot of problems first books face and it is indeed an enjoyable good read. I will look into the next book in this series, but I have a bit of concern on how that book is going to play out. For specifics, it's at the end of my review under the spoiler link. I'm an adult who love young adult books. I think this is a good book for young readers and adults a like to enjoy. It is on the clean side. So for those of us who like young adult fiction that delves into real issues like [book:Crank|270730] does, this is not it. It's a good clean fun mystery. Think Hardy Boys, only not as lame. Now if you're a parent I do suggest you read this with, before, or along side your child. There are things brought up that you probably want to clarify or talk about like the actual history of the Old West and religion, specifically the Bible being brought up.I really enjoyed this book. Nick Caden was well done. There's a fine line when writing teenage characters, especially for teenage readers. You need the character to be believable and relatable so the character needs to be up to date. On the other hand sometimes with an over load of pop culture references, slang terms and attitude teenage characters will be overdone obviously by an older author trying to come off as cool and hip. The teenage character becomes cringe worthy and a caricature. Thankfully, Nick Caden falls into the former category. He's a relatable believable 14 year old boy. I'm quite fond of him actually. I was won over by his love of NCIS and Criminal Minds.I think basically all the characters were well done. Nick's family and their dynamics was among the high points. I'm a bit iffy on Annie though. She didn't seem to come together very well. Of course, maybe there's just some detail we're missing in her background that really brings her together. She does remain a mystery.I loved the mystery and Nick's stubborn logical view of things. It was refreshing. It actually put me in the mind of Scooby Doo and that's quite a good thing considering how awesome that show was (the original, of course, not that new CGI crap with live actors) and how much I love Scooby Doo. Too often with mysteries you can see it coming from a mile away. Not true in this case. I really was guessing til the end of the book. The plot with it's twists and turns was well done. I have no complaints in this department. It's actually the best part of the book. The part that made me want to keep on reading and find out how it ends. Minor Issues:They never did reveal how the awesome special effects are done. I mean the special effects really were far too advanced for anything we have going currently. The gun part was explained but the whole 'people becoming translucent and dissolving into the ground right in front of visitors' wasn't. Unless we're just suppose to assume they really are ghosts? I guess that's what the line "nagging questions of the ultimate destiny of a person's body, soul and spirit?" in the blurb was getting at. On page 62, there's some dialogue regarding the Bible and some crazy passages in there about ghosts, zombies and vampires. Oh my! It's a great poking fun at some of the outrageous claims in the Bible. I actually didn't know this was billed as Christian fiction until after I read it and was looking into things for my review. So I would advise parents to read it first or with their child in case religious questions/issues comes up. It talks about how things in the Bible can't be proven but doesn't bring up the many things disproved by science.

[rhonda1111 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

starsDead Man's Hand is a fun teenager detective whose family goes on vacation in a Deadwood Canyon Ghost Town. He finds a billy dying from a gunshot but by the time he got the Sheriff to come the body disappeared.Nick Caden is 15 year old whose hobby is solving crimes. Nick and his friends have got plots of detective shows on a computer farm. Then they take real cases and get the facts and the computer rates who likely the killer is.Nick knows he saw a dead guy but no one believes him. But the Sheriff of the Deadwood canyon is letting Nick investigate but he can't talk about a dead body missing around the tourist.Annie is 15 too. She seams to be around when the trouble happens. She just says her Uncle the sheriff asled her to keep an eye on him.Everyone is a suspect in Nick's eyes. He asks for albies,about the missing actor,just tries to find out all he can.The adults are getting annoyed by all of Nick's questions. Nick is having fun trying to figure out where the body might be and who did it.Nick keeps everyone guessing till the end. The adults are ready for Nick to stop. People are laughing at him,No one believes that billy is dead because of messages being left on sheriff's phone.Its a different dective idea. I also liked hearing about the ghost town. Would not mind reading some more books by Eddie Jones based on this one.I was given this ebook to read in exchange for honest review from Netgalley.11/01/2012 PUB Zondervan Imprint ZonderKidz 224 pages recomend for 9 to 12 year old boys.