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The New Policeman by Kate Thompson

Time is slipping away in a quiet Irish village, and a music-mad teenager sets out to find where it’s gone—following fiddle tunes into a world where myth walks beside the everyday. Lyrical and full of wonder, The New Policeman blends folklore, family secrets, and the magic of music into a tale that lingers.

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In The New Policeman, did you enjoy ...

... Irish mythology spilling into everyday life in rural Ireland?

The Hounds of the Morrigan by Pat O'Shea

If you loved how JJ Liddy follows a fiddle tune straight into Tír na nÓg and banters with Aengus Óg, you’ll relish the way The Hounds of the Morrigan brings the Dagda, the Morrígan, and other Irish deities striding into modern Galway. Like the mystery of where Kinvara’s lost time has gone, two ordinary kids are swept into a mythic quest with ancient powers meddling in mortal business—playful, eerie, and steeped in the same living folklore vibe.

... slipping from a quiet village into a timeless faerie realm next door?

Stardust by Neil Gaiman

As JJ crosses from Kinvara into Tír na nÓg to fix time’s leak, Stardust follows Tristran Thorn stepping past a village wall into Faerie to retrieve a fallen star. You’ll enjoy that same gentle, mischievous magic—bargains with capricious immortals, uncanny markets, and a journey where the border between the everyday and the enchanted is only a tune (or a stone wall) away.

... unraveling a family-linked mystery rooted in old legends?

Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper

If JJ’s hunt for the missing time—and the truth about the long-vanished “policeman” in his family’s past—hooked you, you’ll click with the Drew siblings decoding relics and riddles that point to an ancient power. Over Sea, Under Stone offers the same treasure-trail feel: clues tucked in old papers, seaside folklore whispering real dangers, and that satisfying moment when myth proves to be the missing piece of a modern puzzle.

... a whimsical, awe-filled journey through a capricious fairyland?

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente

The wonder you felt as JJ wanders Tír na nÓg’s timeless halls and realizes music can open doors finds a kindred sparkle here. September’s voyage through Fairyland brims with odd rules, talking creatures, and jaw-drop vistas—that same bright, enchanting sense that the world runs on stories and songs, and that one brave kid can set a realm right.

... a young musician-like talent growing into power and responsibility?

A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin

JJ’s path—guided by music, family lore, and a hard-won understanding of what time and promises mean—echoes in Ged’s journey from gifted boy to wiser mage. A Wizard of Earthsea gives you that intimate, character-deep growth: mistakes with real consequences, names and songs that shape the world, and the maturing courage it takes to face what you’ve unleashed.

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