JackFruit Treasure Trap is a historical adventure fiction novel set in the 17th century, suitable for ages 15 and over.A treacherous journey to uncover a precious family secret.Rayleigh Edwards accompanies his cousin, Wethersby Thacker Jnr, across South and East Asia. They are tracking their grandfather’s clues to find a mysterious jade casket full of gems, the JackFruit Treasure.But Wethersby’s brothers are in hot pursuit, impatient to trap the hoard for themselves.With his last breath, their grandfather had whispered a warning, “It is a handsome treasure but cursed. Never be it grasped by any one man or one woman, for a long haunting death will surely follow….”This is the first in the JackFruit Treasure series and Matthew Bird's first published book.

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Born in 1966 in Fife, Scotland, and brought up in Suffolk, England, Matt travelled extensively in-between his work for BOC Gases and Linde. Now retired, Matt resides in Thailand with his wife Pat and their young daughter Malissa Maya. A mathematician, and a bit of a perfectionist, he loves some of the simple pleasures of life and is often seen watering and weeding their garden farm - and eating the produce.In May 2020, leaping into the unknown, Matt began writing for pleasure, inspired by Sunday Times best-selling author Michael Heppell and his team of budding authors on the Write That Book programme.Matt's first fiction book, JackFruit Treasure Trap, subtly combines his passions of family and travel; he secretly wants to be one of the pirates.

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Matt took my book to print and I am absolutely thrilled with it. He has great expertise and a mountain of patience. He was thorough - we messaged one another frequently ensuring that I was, at all times, aware of the stage we were at. I highly recommend Matt, an absolute professional.Gillian Westlake

I was looking for help to transfer my final draft onto Mixam for printing. A vital part of getting my book looking perfect and I was so lucky to find Matt. His skills and expertise were just what I needed. Nothing was too much trouble and his suggestions were always welcome. He is a perfectionist and I look forward to working with him on my next project.Belinda Rose Bond

_Being a first-time writer with many problems, I believe fate took me to Matt. His multitude of skills and professionalism gave my book that extra something that bought it alive. Matt's patience when discussing difficulties was second to none, displaying a complete understanding of my work. His suggestions were always well thought out, and I believe they enhanced every page of my book.John Alfred Kingdon - RIP

Matt is on your team from the start, a knowledgeable professional and a cheerleader to help you to get your book published. What I like about working with Matt is that you can ask him anything and he is always happy to help, and I asked him a lot! He is patient and has a calm understanding of what you are going through as he has been through it too. I wouldn’t hesitate to use him again or recommend him as an essential part of your WTB journey.Sally Measom

If you're looking for an expert in typesetting then look no further than Matt. He is the unsung hero who does the invisible magic to a book. For my book he considered the font, text layout, page numbering, borders, header styles, contents page styling, even where the blank pages should be and he even used my book logo as a bullet point. There is no way I could have found the time to learn how to typeset a book nor do I have Matt's attention to detail. If you work with Matt you hire an expert and you get an expertly finished product. I couldn't be happier.Justin Turner

Matt took the worry of how to typeset and format my book so it was publish ready completely away. It was such a weight off my shoulders! Matt was easy to work with, his experience highlighted a few things I had not even realised/considered and I was grateful for his help and guidance. Matt is quick to respond and nothing is ever a bother, he made the process quick and easy. I would definitely use his expertise again and highly recommend him.Dawn Dobson

Being used to working in Word to an advanced level, I knew what having to wrestle my manuscript into publish-ready shape might entail, but Matt did all the hard work and made self-publishing so easy. Matt’s knowledge, skill, attention to detail and patience makes him wonderful to work with, and I will be using him for any future books without hesitation.C E Bland

Matt has helped me immensely, with his patience and explaining to me in a way I could understand. Matt was always there for me when I needed him. My book is now ready for print and I would highly recommend Matt to anyone who is looking for their book to be typeset and publish-ready.Susan Wilson

Without Matt’s expertise I would not have succeeded in publishing my book. He is so professional and knows what he is talking about. Nothing is too much trouble and Matt explains everything so well. I had complete faith in his abilities and knowledge. If you want a professional, well presented and finished book then Matt is the man to get it done!!!Lynne Given

When I published ‘The Bumps Ahead’ in 2020, I was very proud, but something was nagging me; my book wasn’t quite right, it looked self-published by an amateur. Matt took a look at it and within the space of a few hours, it was transformed into something John Grisham would be proud of. Brilliant service from start to finish.Nick Finney

Matt was the rudder in my big, bold, ambitious plan to write a medicinal cookbook. He was also my constant sounding board. Both of these roles stretch far above his actual title of typesetter, which doesn't really represent all that Matt did to help me complete this project. He is way more than just a typesetter. Matt is on your team from the start. To explain, my book was very complex and often pushed the boundaries of what was possible, but Matt listened & together we tackled this enormous project to create a book that I am immensely proud of. His systematic approach coupled with forensic attention to detail were invaluable to me. I couldn't have done it without his vast expertise and help. Simply put "Matt, you're the man" and deserve all the praise you get!Rachel Graham

In Sept 2022 my autobiography was published. It was a dream I'd had for over over 50 years. Working closely with Matt brought my dream to reality. His patience, encouragement and support during the process of typesetting and formatting my book was the best I could have wished for. There are over 250 images in my book which presented certain problems but with his expertise we worked together to come up with solutions we were both happy with. I am thrilled to finally have my book in print. I could not have done it without Matt and I would highly recommend his service.Tricia Frances deGray

Matt literally turned my A4 sheets of words into a beautiful book. He had the patience of a saint as I was not an easy customer. The result of his dedication and hard work has produced a book I am proud to call mine. I cannot thank Matt enough for all his help and care.Gaynor Cherieann

I was afraid of the challenges self-publishing presents before I heard Matt speak to my writing group. He is an excellent mentor and typesetter and gave a professional boost to my whole project. Having the patience of a Saint, he goes above and beyond in teaching and explaining the process to the layman in a calm and encouraging way. My memoir is beautiful, if I say so myself. A dream come true thanks to his knowledge and attention to detail.Julie Jones

I am absolutely delighted with the look and feel of my book. It is exactly what I wanted and I have Matt to thank for that! He is a pleasure to work with; patient, kind, long-suffering and skillful. He was able to explain things fully and simply, and despite the miles between us, everything went super-smoothly.Emma Nicholson

Matt has assisted me in creating the books I have always imagined I would have but could not have done without him. He is, above everything else, a professional. Matt is thorough and generous with his time and ideas. He supports you through the whole decision-making process from a position of knowledge and experience. I would not consider attempting my next project without his input.Kaye Patten

As a new author, I signed up for Michael Heppell's platinum package, which led me to Matt. I had no idea how to change a word document into a book, which is just what Matt did. He made suggestions about my book's layout, size, and thickness: as mine was thicker than most, his expertise guided me to choose the correct paper type and format. He is very patient, kind, and supportive, and nothing was too much trouble. Everything was meticulously prepared, and I just had to press a button to see my book in print. It was like a miracle, and I can't thank him enough.A J Donovan

Working with Matt has been such a great experience. He is calm, knowledgeable, kind and really cares about doing a great job. I felt in such safe hands and it was a real weight off my mind to have someone who knew what they were doing, handling the bits of the process that I couldn’t. He gently guides and advises but is patient and listens to his clients so that they end up with a book which they love. I’d highly recommend him to anyone and once my next book is written, I’ll be back! Thank you so much for all your efforts on my behalf, Matt.Claire Louise

Matt is rather special. I signed up for his help to typeset my book knowing absolutely nothing about the process. I need not have worried. This man has such a depth of knowledge about what is required and the patience of a Saint to go with it. Once he had talked me through all of the options regarding the font, sizing, spacing, ISBN numbers and all the other information to get my book publish-ready, my decisions were easy! Matt without you I’m not sure that ‘Behind the Mirror – What Others Don’t See’ would have made it across the line, thank you, thank you! Now for the sequel ... are you ready?Rosee Elliott

Matt was amazing from start to finish and went the extra mile. He is very knowledgeable and made helpful suggestions for ways to improve the book cover and layout. He has a gentle and supportive approach that really makes you feel he wants to help you get your book over the line. I am so thankful to Matt for turning my manuscript into a proper book! I will definitely use his expertise for my second book.Samantha Hawkins

I commissioned Matt Bird to typeset, format and make my book completely ready for publication. He answered all the many and varied questions I asked and his patience is boundless. Matt has so much expertise in his craft and it covers all aspects of publication. I would highly recommend Matt if you are a perfectionist and want the job done properly!Flo Kingfisher

Matt Bird offers a brilliant service, combining professional skill, patience and his personal understanding of the authorship process to produce typesetting to compliment your book and help with that final but essential hurdle from draft to final printed copy. I would recommend to others definitely and hope to use Matt's service for my next book.Annemarie Munro

I love working with Matt - outstanding customer service. I sent him my manuscript and a brief overview of the design and Matt took care of everything, saving me hours of work. Matt typeset, designed the cover and made my novel ready to publish. I look forward to working with Matt on my next book.Francis Mackintosh

I just had the most wonderful experience with Matt Bird. Right from the start, he made me feel truly comfortable with his warm and friendly approach. It was my first time self-publishing, and he totally understood that, being incredibly patient and supportive throughout the process.Chelle Stewart

I found working with Matt to be an absolute pleasure. He typeset my first novel for publication in paperback and hardback, as well as resetting my Kindle version. He also tidied up the front cover that I had designed and designed the back and spine. His patience, encouragement, and dedication to the task were outstanding. Any changes were undertaken quickly and without fuss. I was very happy with the end product, and felt very supported and validated by the whole experience of working with him. Thank you Matt.Sue Cee

The experience and expertise that Matt has within his field is second to none. In what for me was a scary process, Matt makes it all calm and seemingly very easy. The Customer service till the end product is exactly as you want it is incredible. Guess what all of my upcoming books will be typeset by Matt. His patience is legendary.Fiona Myles

Matts services are exceptional. He really listened to what I wanted my book to look like and suggested themes and layouts to make it look its best. Then he just got on and did it with no fuss. He was quick and professional and a pleasure to work with.Sheila Starr

"Maid At The Movies" & "School Daze"
Would not have become a reality without the professional services Matthew Bird offers, with his publishing package, cover and layout transformed. The precise measurements needed to make my book a reality. Were all taken care of. Simply The Best.Diane Parker

While I was writing Happy Silver People, I was aware that I was dreading the self-publishing process, especially the formatting - as I was writing about happiness, I was determined to have colour on every page which further complicated things. Being able to work with Matt on this was a huge relief! His extensive knowledge of the pros and cons of different options was invaluable, and his patience was extraordinary. I was delighted with the final results and, if I ever write a second book, I'll definitely be contacting Matt again.Rachel Woodward-Carrick