Invisible City (edit title/settings)

Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit see section history

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Summary edit see section history

Characters/People edit see section history

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• Josh Garcia: Josh (13) is a pretty ordinary British teenager, but with a Latin-American heritage. He enjoys reading about UFO sightings on the Web, playing guitar and the Brazilian martial art, capoeira. He's never had a girlfriend but his head is easily turned by a pretty girl... Loves Green Day and the Arctic Monkeys. When his archaeologist father goes missing in Mexico, Josh suspects alien abduction and starts a blog ('The Joshua Files') to voice his secret fears.
• Tyler Marks: Tyler (14) is an Oxford boy, athletic and confident. He has an easy wit and occasionally likes to boast about the girls who fancy him, although he doesn't seem to have one girlfriend in particular. Tyler takes his sport - the Brazilian martial art, capoiera, pretty seriously. When his capoeira class-mate Josh Garcia learns of a strange mystery around his father's disappearance, Tyler takes an interest.
• Ollie Dotrice: Ollie (Olivia) is a beautiful sixth-form student (16) from Oxford. She's been obsessed with UFO sightings since she saw a huge UFO over a field in Oxford. When Josh Garcia starts a secret blog ('The Joshua Files') to voice his concerns about his own father's disappearance, Ollie jumps in and joins the discussion. Soon enough she is drawn to meeting Josh in real life, and becomes his friend, joining Josh to solve the mystery behind his father's death.
• Camila Pastor: Based in Mexico's Mayan Riviera, attractive real-estate agent in her late twenties Camila has a secret in her past which links her to Oxford teenager, Josh Garcia.
• Carlos Montoyo: In his mid-fifties, Carlos Montoyo teaches at the Yucatan University in Merida, Mexico. But this is only his 'real-world' cover. In reality he is the crucial link between the secret community of 'Ek Naab' (Mayan for 'Dark Water') and the outside world.
• Andres Garcia: Andres (42) is a Mexican-born professor of archeology at the University of Oxford and Fellow of Aquinas College, Oxford. He's married to British history teacher, Eleanor, and has one son, 13-year old Josh. Andres went missing during a trip to southern Mexico . But he hasn't been as honest about his past as might seem and a huge surprise awaits young Josh when he retraces his father's steps in Mexico.
• Benicio: Benicio is seventeen-year old student of aeronautical engineering and a qualified pilot of the 'Muwan' aircraft used by the secret community of Ek Naab. Benicio speaks English as well as Spanish and Yucatec. He is a second cousin to Josh Garcia and a long-time friend and admirer of Ixchel (14).
• Simon Madison: A secret agent who is bent on capturing the secrets of the Ix Codex from Joshua Garcia.
• Blanco Vigores: A blind man who is one of the advisers for Ek Naab
• Itzamna: Itzamna is the legendary Mayan god of agriculture and writing, amongst other things. But according to the secret community of Ek Naab, Itzamna actually founded their ancient society.
• John Lloyd Stephens: John Llloyd Stephens (a real historical figure) was an American traveller who rediscovered the ruins of the Mayan civilisation in Mexico and Honduras and wrote about them in his classic book 'Incident of Travel in Central America, Chiapas and Yucatan' (1841).

Setting & Locations edit see section history

• Oxford: Jericho and Summertown.
• Becan: A ruined Mayan city in Campeche state, Mexico, Becan is the location for Josh's dramatic discoveries in 'Invisible City' and 'Ice Shock'.
• Catemaco: A mysterious Veracruz-state town located on the banks of the ancient, mist-covered crater lake, Lake Catemaco. Witches (brujos) populate the town, attracting many visitors who wish to use their mystical powers of healing and divination.

First Sentence edit see section history

Series & Lists edit see section history

Followed by Ice Shock (Joshua Files).

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

1. M. G. Harris (Author)

Notes for Parents edit see section history

Written in the voice of a 21st century British teenager, the vocabulary is easily accessible to a bright 9-year old. The plot, however, is as complex as many adult thrillers. The Joshua Files series has been most eagerly received by young people aged 11-15 who enjoy a thoughtful, yet action-packed read. If your child has a high IQ but not necessarily a high 'reading age' as far as vocabulary/description goes then this may be the book for them.

Subjects edit see section history

• Books › Teens › Literature & Fiction › Adventure & Thrillers
• Books › Children's Books › Ages 9-12 › Series

Links to Supplemental Material edit see section history

• The Joshua Files: Official website from the publisher, Scholastic Children's Books, UK. Excerpts, video trailers, competitions and secret trails, plus an extensive Alternate Reality Game.
• The Descendant: Plunge into another conspiracy in Josh Garcia's mysterious world. Who killed Josh's godfather, PJ Beltran, and why? Follow the mystery across video blogs, blogs and chat rooms. Find secret clues in the video trailers for ICE SHOCK and in the UK and US editions of ICE SHOCK (Joshua Files book 2).
• Joshua Files on facebook: All the latest news and updates about Joshua Files editions from around the world.
• MG Harris author channel on Youtube: Video trailers and extras about internationally best-selling series, The Joshua Files by MG Harris.