100,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock 🇳🇿

Enjoy overnight NZ-wide delivery from our NZ-owned independent bookstore! 🎉

Inkbound

Meticulous Jones and the Skull Tattoo
By Philippa Leathley
0.0 (0 reviews)
Brief Description
Enter an extraordinary magical adventure about family, fate, and finding the courage to be truly yourself – perfect for fans of Nevermoor, Lemony Snicket, and The Swifts. ‘An adventure overflowing with magic’ Beth Lincoln, author of The Swifts ‘A wild feat of extraordinary imagination, fizzing with... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$1700
Elsewhere:
$1999
OVERNIGHT NZ-WIDE DELIVERY

Found a better price? Request a price match

Enter an extraordinary magical adventure about family, fate and finding the courage to be truly yourself – perfect for fans of Nevermoor, Lemony Snicket and The Swifts.

Discover a thrilling and magical children's adventure story of courage, family and fate. New for 2025

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Enter an extraordinary magical adventure about family, fate, and finding the courage to be truly yourself – perfect for fans of Nevermoor, Lemony Snicket, and The Swifts.

‘An adventure overflowing with magic’ Beth Lincoln, author of The Swifts

‘A wild feat of extraordinary imagination, fizzing with mystery, magic and humour’ Aisling Fowler, author of Fireborn

‘The perfect fantasy adventure’ Siobhan McDermott, author of Paper Dragons

On her tenth birthday, Meticulous ‘Metty’ Jones receives her fate, as all children do, in the form of a magical tattoo on her hand. She hopes that her tattoo will reveal an exciting destiny: travel, discovery or adventure. What appears is a skull in the palm of a violet glove – Metty’s fate is to be a murderer.

When Metty’s father disappears in mysterious circumstances, Aunt Magnificent takes her to the glittering city of New London, filled with magic, wonder, and enchantment. But when Metty hears rumours of a shadowy organisation known as the Black Moths, she begins to suspect they are connected to her own dark fate...

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780008660956

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 25 September 2025

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: HarperCollins

Audience: Children

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 24.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 270g

Pages: 384

Collections

2025 Best Sellers Best Sellers at Book Hero Children's Books Children's Fantasy Children's Fiction Children’s, Teenage and Educational In Stock Books In stock Children's Books In Stock Kid's Books Philippa Leathley Young Adult

About the Author

Philippa Leathley grew up in East Yorkshire, spending summers near London with her eccentric grandparents and writing feverishly as soon as she could hold a pen. When not writing, she enjoys learning new languages, studying anything from historical fashion to shipwrecks, and is passionate about protecting the environment. She currently lives just outside Hull with her family and three rescue cats. Inkbound is her debut novel. @prleathley

More from Children's Books

View all
  • Cass and the Beast
    New Release
    Lizzy's Pick Lizzy's Pick
    Cass and the Beast
    A sweeping and original picture book about a girl who chooses not to be afraid, a modern-day heroine in a story we feel in our bones like an ancient folktale. When a fearful beast arrives in the township, Cass finds her courage and is rewarded with a wild and magical journey. The creature takes her on a thundering ride through...
    By Claire Mabey
    Hardback
    $2399
    Elsewhere:
    $2999
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    The Case of the Viral Video: Violet and the Velvets 3
    Violet and the Velvets can hardly believe they've come so far in the BandChamps competition with only hard work, a smidge of talent, and a whole lot of thinking outside the box. This time, they get to record their new song in a proper recording studio and star in their very own music video! But Violet is letting her perfectionism...
    By Rachael King
    Paperback
    $1600
    Elsewhere:
    $1899
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    Royalslinger
    K Pop Demon Hunters fans will love this! Graci Kim is back with the second book in her exciting and fantastical Slinger series where dragons and phoenixes roam the skies of Seoul; meals magically appear based on your mood; and dreams literally come to life. Praise for Dreamslinger: “A mind-blowingly original fantasy adventure—Graci Kim has done it again!”—Rick Riordan, New York Times #1...
    By Graci Kim
    Paperback
    $1999
    Elsewhere:
    $2400
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    Roopa's Pick Roopa's Pick
    Detective Beans and the Map of Mystery
    Enjoy this new DETECTIVE BEANS adventure in the bestselling and award-winning graphic novel series by Li Chen! Your favourite kitten detective is back with a new mystery to solve . . . and treasure to find! When Captain Scuttlebeard gives Beans a treasure map, Beans is determined to find the prize at the end. The clues take him all over...
    By Li Chen
    Paperback
    $1900
    Elsewhere:
    $2200
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Mei Mei the Bunny Mei Mei the Bunny
    New Release
    Lizzy's Pick Lizzy's Pick
    Mei Mei the Bunny
    Mei Mei the Bunny is Laufey's picture book debut about a bunny learning to believe in herself through music. Experience a heartwarming tale of self-belief in this enchanting picture book by GRAMMY Award-winning musician Laufey. Meet Mei Mei, a little bunny with a big dream—to spread joy through her music! As her debut recital at the H'Opera House draws near,...
    By Laufey
    Hardback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    Hunted: Wolf Girl 15
    Just when Wolf Girl is finally reunited with her father, he is torn away from her once more, and Gwen vows to stop at nothing to track him down. But danger is closing in: a giant snow leopard and a mysterious hooded figure are hot on their trail. As Gwen and the pack race through deep caverns to snowy peaks,...
    By Anh Do
    Paperback
    $1699
    Elsewhere:
    $1899
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    What If You Could
    From the former prime minister of New Zealand comes a guide for teens on chasing your dreams and embracing the unexpected qualities that truly make a person strong. When Jacinda Ardern became prime minister of New Zealand, she was one of the youngest people in the world leading a country. Many people thought she would never succeed — herself included....
    By Jacinda Ardern
    Paperback
    $2599
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Lonasei and the Mystery of Origin Grove
    Eleven-year-old Lonasei is lonely — she wishes her older sister Eva Grace wasn't so mean, and that her mum Aria didn't have to work so much. But when Aria inherits her childhood home, Lonasei discovers she can enter her late Aunt Malia's paintings and experience the memories within. Through them, she discovers that her mother had another sister, Agnes, who went...
    By Kenneth Chapman
    Paperback
    $2199
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Dawn Raid: The Apology
    This sequel to Dawn Raid follows Sofia Savea’s family, 50 years later, as Sofia's grandson becomes involved in the quest for a government apology. INVERCARGILL, 2020 Wow, I thought I knew a bit about the dawn raids, but this is HUGE. It happened to my OWN family and I never knew! I had no idea that Granfia and her family...
    By Pauline Vaeluaga Smith
    Paperback
    $1800
    Elsewhere:
    $2099
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Big Bang Bread
    New Release
    Big Bang Bread
    In this time-travel storybook and cookbook with a cosmic twist, take a journey through time and space to discover the secrets of baking! Did you know that bread is made from stardust? Board the rocket and blast off on an adventure through time and space to discover the secrets of a home-baked loaf! Big Bang Bread is a kids' time-travel...
    By Lily Uivel
    Paperback
    $1800
    Elsewhere:
    $2100
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    Lizzy's Pick Lizzy's Pick
    B is for Bird
    From award-winning artist, Lily Emo, comes a beautiful celebration of birds. Paired with a fun rhyming story, gorgeous illustrations, and fold-out pages, this book is set to be a favourite for everyone and the perfect gift. Make your way through the alphabet with this stunning book featuring a cast of familiar birds. From albatross to fantails, gannets to quail, and...
    By Lily Emo
    Hardback
    $1999
    Elsewhere:
    $2499
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Signed Copy
    The Curse of the Carnivorous Cactuses
    (Sam: Nothing could be as bad as being covered in icky purple blobs ... wait, what does carnivorous mean again?) The gang is determined to defeat Glam-Evil and her nasty curses so that they can save their park and get back for Shackleton and Amelia's very first sleepover. But Glam-Evil has a few new tricks up her ultravillainous sleeve ......
    By Sam Smith
    Paperback
    $1400
    Elsewhere:
    $1499
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.

The Latest at Book Hero

View all