I’m Clare Povey, author of the Bastien Bonlivre Adventures: The Unexpected Tale of Bastien Bonlivre and The Bad Brothers. Both books are illustrated by Héloïse Mab.
My latest series is The Wanderdays. The Midnight Sweet Factory publishes September 2025.
THE MIDNIGHT SWEET FACTORY
Wonka meets Spy Kids - a deliciously dangerous mouth-watering mystery.
When Flo and Joseph Wanderday unwrap a Midnight Treats gobstopper, they're expecting to find a sugary sweet, not a mysterious message that kickstarts the adventure of a lifetime.
"HELP! Trapped in Midnight Forest. Come before it is too late."
With adventure in their hearts and sugar in their stomachs, the Wanderdays must find the Midnight Forest, journey through its sweet-themed tricks and trials, and face their greatest threat yet: sweet-factory workers who aren't in control of their own minds...
praise FOR tHE WANDERDAYS
“A thrilling tale.”
- The Telegraph
*
“[A] thrilling adventure, perfect for readers who like action and excitement.”
- The Week Junior (Book of the Week)
*
“The Wanderdays is an adventure & a half - twisty and exciting with strong friendship and family vibes. The underwater and island settings add a fresh feel to this pacy story.”
- Lesley Parr, author of The Valley of Lost Secrets
Praise for The Bastien BONLIVRE ADVENTURES
“A charming and bookish tale of friendship, villainy and the power of stories”
- Thomas Taylor, author of Malamander
*
“I loved THIS...it's as wise as it is funny, packed with intrepid children, fearsome villains - and best of all - set above and below one of my favourite cities: Paris!”
- Judith Eagle, author of The Pear Affair and The Secret Starling
*
“An absolutely delightful French mystery with plenty of tension and suspense alongside wonderful friendships.”
- L.D. Lapinski, author of The Strangeworlds Travel Agency trilogy
*
“A charming and page-turny Parisian mystery with the most dastardly villains and the loveliest of friendships. SUPER”
- Rashmi Sirdeshpande, author of How to Change the World
*
“A really fun read with plenty of Parisian mystery and shades of Lemony Snicket in its dastardly villainy.”
- Peter Bunzl, author of Cogheart
*
“A delightful literary mystery with a dastardly villain to boot!”
- Christopher Edge, author of The Infinite Lives of Maisie Day
*
“A clever mystery with a completely charming cast. What more could you want? I expect we’ll be hearing a lot more from Bastien and Clare Povey”
- Kelly McCaughrain, author of Flying Tips for Flightless Birds and Children’s Writing Fellow for Northern Ireland
*
“A love letter to all things bookish”
The i
“With plenty of twists and turns, this fun, fast-paced story is a great adventure.”
The Week Junior
“Set during the 1920s, scattered with French phrases and verbal flourishes, with its fast-paced plot and unforced emphasis on the power of stories to shape lives, this is a very bon livre indeed.”
Andrea Reece - LoveReading 4 Kids
*
“Funny, fast-paced and touching... Bastien's adventures joyfully celebrate the power of storytelling.... Read in one gulp.”
Julian Sedgwick, author of Carnegie-shortlisted Tsunami Girl
*
“A wonderfully woven mystery about the weight of words. The Unexpected Tale of the Bad Brothers is packed full of yummy croissants and thrilling adventure. I loved it!”
Justyn Edwards, author of The Great Fox Illusion
*
“The sights, sounds and smells of Paris spring to vivid life in this suspense-packed, moving and empowering tale of friendship, staying strong, standing up to bullies, and the triumph of good over evil. A summer reading treat from an author with a gift for magical storytelling.”
Lancashire Post