posted on 03 Jun 2025

Corey Crumbly and the Lost Amulet by Donn Swaby

It is no surprise to learn that this engaging American author is a longtime fan of adventure stories in novels and in films, particularly the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises. As soon as my young grandsons saw the book-cover they asked whether it was a new sequel to either of these much-loved films! We were keen to start reading to see whether the young hero was about to embark on similarly hair-raising and very dangerous exploits.

The story begins in Jamaica where twelve-year-old Corey Crumbly and his mom are staying with his dad’s family to remember the two-year anniversary of his death. Although he has Trina, his half cousin, to connect with, he is not exactly thrilled to be there. When they manage to escape from the claustrophobic family gathering to a beautiful beach, Corey has the first of many strange and magical experiences. We were pleased that the hoped-for action was well underway by chapter two when he follows a mysterious woman into the sea and is pulled under by a fierce rip tide. We were enthralled by the detailed description of him swimming through the spiky coral reef surrounded by ‘a roving jellyfish mob’. When he eventually returns to the beach, he notices a curious object that he had found in the water. Could this amulet be a tourist souvenir or maybe a historical artefact?

But this is only one strand of the complex story which is partly set in Queens, New York where Corey has to cope with some nasty school bullies. It seems that the amulet might help Corey to not only deal with the bullies, but also outsmart a criminal mastermind and also play a significant part in stopping the resurgence of a sinister cult which worships an ancient supernatural force. Keeping track of all the action was challenging but very exciting.

Along the way, there is lots of fascinating information about the Taino people, who were the indigenous people of the Caribbean. Corey is very interested in learning more about this subject as he has a dual Jamaican and Puerto Rican heritage. My grandsons were also pleased to discover that Corey is a keen gamer like themselves, who sometimes enjoyed playing old-school games like Pac Man which he used to play with his dad. He has always spent a lot of happy times at Alvin’s Arcade eating pizza and nachos alongside playing the video games, pinball machines, air hockey and football tables. When he realises that his favourite place is going to close at the end of the year - he is devastated. We really hoped that it might be saved – maybe the amulet might play a part? 

I won’t spoil the ending for you as you will want to find out for yourself as to whether the various issues are resolved. The author should be commended for skilfully weaving the various threads together to provide reader satisfaction. He may be pleased to know that we thought that it might make a great film! 

I recommend this roller-coaster adventure story published by Tiny Tree Books which should be available from your local independent bookshop. If not already on their shelves, they will be happy to order it for you or you can buy direct from tinytreebooks.com

 

Karen Argent

June 2025