The public unwrapping of an ancient Egyptian mummy is not so odd a spectacle in Victorian London, unless that mummy is drawn from the British Museum’s Department of Unclassified Artefacts, and unless it happens to get up in the middle of the proceedings and walk off to catch a cab. When that is precisely what happens, it naturally piques the interest of the Department’s head, Sir W ...

When the wave struck, the Nation was wiped out in one night. Now only Mau remains; not-quite a boy and not-yet a man, how can he sing the songs and appease the spirits of the Grandfathers and retrieve the God anchors and… And has anyone asked Mau if that’s what he wants? What of the survivors making their way to the island in search of the Nation? What of the raiders who must be p ...

Luke is a bright fifteen year old with diabetes and an older brother who resents and bullies him so when he is offered the opportunity to go to an American summer camp for gifted children he jumps at the chance. Things start to look up as soon as he gets there. He meets an old friend from primary school and soon gets himself his first ever girlfriend. Luke can’t believe his luck and when ...

‘When you can’t even remember your own name, how do you know who you should be afraid of?’ Will is used to the strange faces which haunt him through wake and sleep. He has lived with them for a long time now and far from being frightened by them he thinks they have a message they are trying to impart. The faces know something about Havensmouth and the underlying sickness buri ...

 It was meant to be like coming home. All her life, Safi’s parents have dreamt of returning to Grandpa’s native village in Crimea. But exchanging their sunny Uzbek house for a squalid camp is more like a nightmare. Will the return to a country where no one welcomes them tear Safi’s family apart, or can this strange land ever become home?

Review: Dream Land i ...

 At the start of the book Ling is leading a very comfortable life. Her parents are doctors in the best hospital in Wuhan. But when Comrade Li, one of Mao's political officers, moves into their apartment, Ling begins to witness the gradual disintegration of her world. In an atmosphere of increasing mistrust, Ling fears for the safety of her neighbours -- and soon for her family. This i ...

When two sick children are left alone by their father they do not expect to have company. But, a sailor has come to their door seeking shelter and warmth, a sailor who has macabre tales to while away the darkness.

Review: I have had the pleasure of reading many of Chris Priestley’s work before. His grasp of the dark and macabre at a level that is accessible to the young read ...

Welcome to Easton Academy, where secrets and lies are all part of the curriculum... After Cheyenne Martin's death, Easton Academy is struggling to recover from yet another tragedy - especially the girls of Billings Hall. With Cheyenne gone, they need to elect a new leader. And who better than Reed Brennan, the ultimate Billings girl? Reed revels in her new found status - she's the most ...

‘Jackdaw Summer’ tells the story of Liam’s life over the course of one summer. The plot has various different threads which are all drawn together by the jackdaw at the start of the story. The summer heralds a lot of change in Liam’s life, with new friendships forged and old friendships tested to their very limits. Liam has heard strange stories about the unique ...