The Dopple Ganger Chronicles: The First Escape

The concept of the illustra-novella is new to me. In fact, before The First Escape, I had never actually heard of them.
Why? I hear myself asking. They are brilliant! Half novel, half graphic novel. It's the best of both worlds. Add a fun story with great characters and you have yourself my new favourite thing.
"Hotter than Potter" perhaps not, the series' don't really compare as The Dopple Ganger Chronicles are awesome in their own particular way. They actually put me more in mind with Ronald Dahl than J.K Rowling.

Sadie and Saskia Dopple are fourteen year old twins who live in Isambard Dunstan's School for Wayward Children. (Don't you love it already!!!)
When only Saskia is adopted by Muzz Elliot she stumbles upon a plot of murder and madness in Muzz Elliot's grand and eerie home.
Meanwhile, back at Isambard's, Sadie is missing her twin, and getting into a lot of trouble, as always. When she is mistakenly accused of trying to set fire to the school Miss Rimmer, the headmistress, decides to have her thrown into prison.
Alerted to this by Erik Morissey Ganger, (the only boy in the school) they both flee.
So begins Sadie's flight across Hampstead Heath to find and rescue her sister, while Saskia is having a dangerous adventure of her own.

I've been around all the bookshops, asking for the others in the series. Unfortunately no joy so far. I'm going to have to hit them up on amazon. (That's annoying for three reasons, but I'm not going into those reasons here save for the one that makes mention to the fact that my copy of The First Escape was brought from amazon and it arrived in less than perfect condition. And too send it back would have cost me more money than the book cost and, you know, effort. Ugh! to effort.)
The illustrations are great. I'm nowhere near being knowledgeable in the art form of graphic novels, but I love the angular look of the characters and settings.

It's hard not to love this story. A very Gothic feel and even a cameo by Yeats. IT'S SO MUCH FUN!!! I really have to get my hands on a copy of The Secret of the Indigo Moon!