The Violet Flash is the sequel to the book The Blue Umbrella(Which was unexpectedly sent to me along with The Violet Flash). These were written by Mike Mason as his first and second novels. Chesterton "Ches" Cholmondeley is studious boy with a love of weather. He and the other local kids were in 'weather lessons' taught by Sky Porter, the man who controls the weather, when Ches' sister Chelsea is sucked up into the Blue Umbrella! In turns out seconds are disappearing one by one and causing accidents. So who knows about time?
Joey Crouch was a sheltered kid, if one can be sheltered in Chicago. He is very attached to his mother and fears for her life daily. His life gets flipped upside down when she is hit by a bus and Joey is sent to live with the father he has never even heard of. Ken Harnett doesn't know what to do with his new son and Joey has to have his new school, Bloughton High. But school isn't any better, Joey is bullied, used as a specimen in biology and still gets straight As.