Secrets whispered up a chimney, a golden locket with a broken chain, murder in the streets of London 'e" and suddenly young Barnacle is plunged into a terrifying mystery. The December Rose is a thrilling tale of deceit, espionage and murder set in the teeming, colourful Victorian London. Leon Garfield was the acclaimed author of more than thirty novels for children and adults. He received many accolades during his career, including the inaugural Guardian Children'e(tm)s Fiction Prize, the Carnegie Medal and the Whitbread Literary Award.