CHILDREN'S BOOKS: Spooks, spills, thrills and lots of chills for Halloween

As the dark shadows of Halloween start to loom large on the horizon, brace yourself for a simply wizard selection of new books which are guaranteed to bewitch all young fans of the season of spooks and spectres

Age 8 plus
The Worst Thing That Could Possibly Happen
Guy Bass and David Roberts

WHAT'S the worst thing that could happen? Wait… before you decide, award-winning children’s author Guy Bass has a story to tell! Aided and abetted by star illustrator David Roberts, Bass takes youngsters on a thrilling and imaginative trip through the sideways door and lets supernatural secrets come tumbling out in a Halloween host of gloriously chilling terror tales! Meet the nightmare pig and a sinister swine with teeth on her mind, witness the terrifying reality of swapping places with your reflection or visit the ravenous monster in the shed. And, if you dare, come face-to-fear-filled face with Doctor Panic who just happens to have seen far too much of the world behind the sideways door. But be warned… your world may never be the same again! This gloriously dark and original collection from the limitless imaginings of Bass, brought to life by Carnegie-shortlisted Roberts’ inventive and atmospheric colour illustrations, is a wickedly wonderful feast of fears and the perfect gift book to make the season of scares that little bit spookier!
(Little Tiger Press, hardback, £16.99)

Young Adult
One Last Scare
Bill Wood

WELCOME to the theme park where thrills and terror collide! Bestselling BookTok sensation Bill Wood returns with his next nail-biting thriller starring the unforgettable quartet of characters who stole the show in Birmingham City University graduate Wood’s first two runaway bestsellers Let's Split Up and Be Right Back. When Cam, Jonesy, Amber and Buffy are invited to experience a new theme park called Chillshore, the gang jump at the chance of some down-time together. They can relax on this remote island, check out the rides, no chance of any chilling murders or mystery-solving in sight. Right? Wrong. Death has come to Chillshore, with creepy cabins in the woods, gruesome discoveries lurking beneath frozen water, decades-old secrets cracking open like black ice. None of their fellow guests can be trusted and no one is safe. As the body count rises, can the Sanera Four survive, or will this be their One Last Scare? A delicious dollop of high-octane horrors delivered at top speed makes this new feast of fun, frights and friendship an unmissable Halloween treat!
(Scholastic, paperback, £9.99)

Age 14 plus
Nightcurse
Emma Hinds

HOW do you find meaning in life and how can you hope for love when you’re already dead? Be utterly bewitched this witching season with Manchester-based Emma Hinds’ queer enemies-to-lovers romantasy which has a magical mystery at its beating heart and plays out against a thrilling dark academia setting. Emrys Swift is so dead… 157 years’ worth of dead, to be exact. And eternity feels even longer when you are cursed to be seventeen forever, hidden from the world in a magical library and desperate to remember how you died. But when ancient spellbooks go missing, Emrys must join forces with annoyingly attractive shapeshifter, Aubrey Vale, to solve the mystery. Which would be fine... if they weren’t (im)mortal enemies. As they tangle with ghosts and battle mermaids, can they outrun the secrets of Emrys’ death and Aubrey’s life? And is it possible to fall in love when you’re already dead? Cursed with eternity, haunted by love, Emrys discovers the truth about living forever as Hinds takes readers on an exhilarating journey through the ancient magic, wild landscapes and folklore of Britain whilst exploring the meaning of belonging and the potential for love and life even beyond death. A slow-burn romance threaded through with magic!
(Usborne Publishing, paperback, £9.99)

Age 9 plus
How To Train Your Zombie
Josh Winning and Dave Smith

IF your must-have list for Halloween stories is monsters, friendship, supernatural chaos and spooky-yet-silly adventures then look no further than author Josh Winning and illustrator Dave Smith’s gleefully zany romp How To Train Your Zombie. Preston and his brothers are in a graveyard making a YouTube video about monsters when they are attacked by a real-life zombie! But it’s not just any zombie… it’s Preston’s best friend Tommy who passed away a few months ago after an unfortunate squash avalanche accident in a supermarket. Thrilled to have his friend back, Preston promises to give Tommy lessons so he can once again fit into everyday life and they can still stay friends. However, Preston’s lessons are repeatedly foiled by his brothers either bossing everybody around or making up stories and pretending not to understand what Tommy is really saying. Meanwhile, monster hunter Vincent Valiant will stop at nothing to put Tommy back in the ground where he belongs. If the brothers can’t find a way to get along, they could end up losing their friend for ever. Winning’s creepily fun story is filled with scares, laughs, Smith’s superb illustrations and moving messages about finding hope after loss. Halloween action with a big helping of heart!
(Scholastic, paperback, £7.99)

Age 9 plus
Lockett & Wilde: The Ghosts of the Library
Lucy Strange and Pam Smy

THE restless spirit of a school’s old librarian needs help and there are only two people who can solve the mystery… Lockett and Wilde! Detective duo, schoolgirl Matilda Lockett and her ghostly companion Edgar Wilde, return in the spooky season for the third and final mystery of a fabulous Lemony Snicket-style cosy crime series from bestselling author Lucy Strange and award-winning illustrator Pam Smy. Winter is closing in and during the long, dark London evenings, Matilda and Edgar are puzzling over the wisp who haunts her aunt Signora Valentina’s theatre. By day Matilda attends Euthalia’s, where she enjoys the ghost cat sitting on her knee during lessons, the companionship of her (living) friend Florence and helping in the library. But there’s a spiritual presence among the books with a mystery for the supernatural sleuths to solve. Smy’s brilliantly atmospheric illustrations add the extra spook factor to Strange’s thrill-packed and emotional finale to a superbly imagined series that has included The Ghosts of the Manor and The Ghosts of London.
(Walker Books, paperback, £8.99)

Age 8 plus
Jekyll vs Hyde: The Potion of Doom
Jack Meggitt-Phillips and Holly Swain

TURN down the lights and immerse yourself in the ghastly, ghostly tale of a spoiled child, a crumbling manor and a life-changing potion as storytelling magician Jack Meggitt-Phillips conjures up a feast of gothic fun! Blending all those delicious tropes of gothic horror with a whimsical and wonderful twist on the RL Stevenson’s classic Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, this rip-roaring fantasy adventure is packed full of prize-winning Meggitt-Phillips’ imagination and wit. It all started for Henrik Jekyll when he found out about the Hyde Potion… spoiled and young, Henrik has been left his ancestor Dr Jekyll’s house, laboratory, and – most importantly – secret, life-altering Hyde Potion recipe. Henrik’s curiosity soon leads him down a dark path, unleashing a chaotic alter ego named Eddie. With Eddie’s strength and mischief wreaking havoc in the local town, Henrik must confront the consequences of his reckless actions. Can he learn to control his inner Hyde before it’s too late, or will he succumb to the chaos? And what darkness lurks in the foundations of Jekyll Manor itself? With illustrations by Carnegie Medal-nominated Holly Swain adding to the fearsome fun, a super-surfeit of mayhem and menace, potions to ponder, and monsters making unexpected appearances, this thriller with a big heart is a perfect fit for Halloween reading.
(Farshore, paperback, £7.99)

Age 8 plus
Fright Club: Ready, Set, Ghoul!
Sibéal Pounder and George Ermos

SUPER-SPOOKY adventures get an exciting choose-your-character twist in this frighteningly clever series from author Sibéal Pounder and illustrator George Ermos. With friendships, frights, fun to enjoy and puzzles to solve, these intriguing books are guaranteed to thrill as readers choose which club members to follow on the ever-diverging adventures. Mr Phantom’s Fairground has been rolling into Grim forever, but no one knows much about the mysterious Mr Phantom or how he always seems to look the same. So when Fright Club pals Joe Bones, Hal, Rose and Debbie witness a strange ‘accident’ at the fairground, they decide to investigate and find out what’s really going on. From the murky depths of Little Cackle to the heights of the Blood Peaks ski resort, nothing will stop the friends from getting to the truth. Although, Debbie’s in charge this time and they don't know she’s a DEMON! Twists and turns guaranteed to keep readers on the edge of their seats, and with a deliciously devious cast of characters to explore, and Ermos' fun-filled illustrations, Pounder’s journey into the unknown is a spectacular and immersive romp from start to finish.
(Puffin, paperback, £8.99)

Age 8 plus
Graveyard Gladiators
David Owen and Shane Houston

GLADIATORS ready… for a fast-paced, high stakes adventure full of madcap mayhem and giggles galore! Author David Owen and illustrator Shane Houston pool their talents on this monstrously funny tale about heroes who must beat impossible odds. Once a year, monsters and the undead rise up from the Underworld and battle each other in the Graveyard Games to win a star prize. Tonight, that prize is... Jude’s dad. But not if Jude can win him back. With the help of new friend and monster-wrestling expert Posie, plus top trainer (and zombie) Mickey, all Jude has to do is… race three monsters in the Gauntlet of Death, beat a beast to the most skulls in Skull Cull, then wrestle the undefeated champion one-on-one in the Graveyard Rumble. All that to become the top Graveyard Gladiator! Easy… right? Packed with Owen’s slapstick humour, some hilarious gross-out moments and Houston’s brilliant visual portrayal of the gruesome characters, there are sure to be creepy cackles all round!
(Usborne Publishing, paperback, £8.99)

Age 8 plus
The Moonlight Dragon
Liz Flanagan

TAKE an adorable blue dragon, a mysterious prophecy and three new friends learning to trust each other and what do you have? The answer is an enchanting standalone fantasy adventure by Carnegie Medal-nominated author Liz Flanagan, a tale full of wild wonders and powerful messages about compassion and caring. On the night of the full moon, Luna goes to the standing stones, hoping this time her mother will be there. Instead, she sees something incredible – a huge blue dragon, flying through the moonlit sky. This dragon is being chased by hunters and Luna is heartbroken to see it fall from the sky. So, when Luna finds the dragon’s nest and rescues Spark, the last young dragon in the world, she must keep him safe and hidden. Teaming up with her new friends, Tobi, the anxious prince, and Elodie, the librarian’s daughter, the children must solve the mystery of why the king is so afraid of the dragons, before it’s too late. With fast-paced action, a story threaded through with courage, trust, high emotions and doing what is right for the greater good, this is a magical, mystical adventure with a dragon-sized beating heart!
(Fox and Ink Books, paperback, £7.99)

Age 8 plus
Dead Yard: Deep Trouble
P.J. Killburn and Markia Jenai

SNAKES alive… there’s something seriously spooky going on in the life of budding film-maker Jermaine and it needs to be flushed out! Get ready to have your spine tingled and your laughter buds tickled in the second thrilling Caribbean folklore-inspired adventure series from author P.J. Killburn and illustrator Markia Jenai. Jermaine is determined to put the events of his great-great uncle Carl’s Dead Yard behind him. No more supernatural shenanigans! But that’s easier said than done and soon Jermaine is hearing a voice calling out to him from the water. Then several kids in his class disappear into the Thames and return with zombie-like personalities and, to top it off, there are snakes bursting out of the school sinks. Jermaine and his friends reluctantly admit there must be a new spooky threat in town. Could it be another monster from Caribbean legend, and does Jermaine have what it takes to stop this new nightmare? Ghosts, ghouls and giggles all the way!
(Little Tiger, paperback, £8.99)

Age 7 plus
Corpse Talk: Dead, Famous & Very Chatty
Adam and Lisa Murphy

THE most spectacular storytellers of all time take starring roles in a new edition of Corpse Talk, husband and wife team Adam and Lisa Murphy’s award-winning series which brings youngsters history straight from the corpse’s mouth! Corpse Talk: Dead, Famous and Very Chatty combines the best of the series in an updated and exciting graphic novel format. This new wonderfully inventive and tongue-in-cheek comic-book take on history, published by David Fickling in partnership with The Phoenix comic, features names you know (and those you should!) interviewed from beyond the grave. Join host Adam Murphy for the chat show that brings the dead famous to life and meet the likes of Greek philosopher Aristotle, French queen Marie Antoinette and Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, and discover the incredible stories behind these notorious figures – straight from their own mouths! Clever, comical, informative and brilliantly illustrated, this wonderful series achieves what many youngsters thought almost impossible… it makes learning laugh-out-loud fun!
(David Fickling Books, paperback, £10.99)

Age 7 plus
Olivia Shivers: Spooky Special
Derek Keilty and Louis Ghibault

GHOSTS, gadgets and good friends! Track down the sly spectres with two pals in this fun and action-packed adventure, first of an exciting new illustrated chapter book series from Belfast author Derek Keilty and Belgian illustrator Louis Ghibault. Olivia can’t wait for today’s school author visit to start because it’s about ghosts. But she’s in for a shock because, it turns out, she is the only one who can detect that the author is a ghost. And that’s just the beginning! Her grandpa turns out to be a secret agent for SCARE… Spook Capture and Rehabilitation Enterprises. And what’s more, Olivia has inherited his Spook Sense. So when Grandpa is kidnapped, Olivia has no choice but to embark on a chilling rescue mission with her best friend Roop. Keilty lets loose his world-building imagination and storytelling skills on this entertaining ghost hunt which features a captivating cast of quirky characters and is illustrated in Ghibault’s richly detailed black and white illustrations. Madcap mayhem for your own mischief-makers!
(Scallywag Press, paperback, £8.99)

Age 7 plus
Dungeon Runners: Forest Frenzy
Kieran Larwood and Joe Todd-Stanton

HEROES come in all shapes and sizes... and everyone deserves the chance to prove it! Blue Peter Award-winning author Kieran Larwood and Waterstones Children’s Book Prize winner Joe Todd-Stanton pool their considerable talents for the fifth Dungeon Runners adventure, part of a fully illustrated and action-packed fantasy quest series which is perfect for newly independent readers.
Kit can’t wait for the next dungeon… especially as he and his team-mates, Sandy and Thorn, have been promoted to a higher league. But with new challenges, bigger monsters and meaner opponents, and with the dungeon being set high up in a forest, Kit will need to keep his wits about him, as well as his balance! Action fans love the world of the Dungeon Runners, a magical land where bullies and baddies are challenged by an unlikely but heroic trio of friends willing to enter tough competitions and fight their way to the top. Join in the fun… but don’t look down!
(Nosy Crow, paperback, £7.99)

The Secret of Abney Hall

Susan Brownrigg

THE eleven-day disappearance of celebrated crime novelist Agatha Christie in December of 1926 has spawned many speculative theories, books and even Hollywood films… but one hundred years later, the true story behind her mysterious vanishing has still never been fully uncovered.

It was a classic mystery… an abandoned car, Agatha’s fur coat and driving licence left on the seat, abundant theories of where she might be. Was it an accident, was it suicide, was foul play involved, did her erring husband have something to do with it, or was it all just a publicity stunt for her next book?

What is known is that Agatha was eventually found at the fashionable Swan Hydropathic Hotel in Harrogate where she had booked in under the name of Teresa Neele, which just happened to be the surname of her unfaithful husband Colonel Archie Christie’s mistress.Needless to say, the discovery of the missing writer caused a buzz for onlookers and the press who descended on the hotel like bees to a honey pot but Agatha offered no explanation for her disappearance and instead retreated to Abney Hall, a gothic mansion at Cheadle, near Manchester, home of her sister, Madge, and her wealthy businessman husband, James Watts.

And it was this intriguing northern family link that became the inspiration for The Secret of Abney Hall, Wigan-born novelist and lifelong Agatha Christie fan Susan Brownrigg’s debut murder mystery… an entertaining and gleeful homage to the famous writer’s raft of memorable crime novels, and also to commemorate the 50th anniversary of her death.

Set in the aftermath of Agatha’s sensational real-life disappearance, we join the world's most famous mystery writer with her close family shortly after her discovery in Harrogate and meet our narrator, Jane Goodbetter, the private nurse who has been hired to take care of the renowned writer but has her own secret reasons for keeping her head down.

With the huge press interest and risks of privacy intrusion, Agatha is quickly whisked away to her sister’s sprawling estate at Abney Hall – a place of ‘mullioned windows and gothic grandeur’ – to recover with the help of Madge and her husband, Jim.

Agatha is undoubtedly under mental strain… she is still recovering from her mother’s death a few months earlier, is beset by worries about a current episode of writer’s block, and she is reeling from revelations of infidelity by her dashing but difficult and angry husband Archie, a former First World War pilot. Specialist doctors are to be summoned and there is already speculation that Agatha is suffering from amnesia brought on by stress. But for her nurse Jane – who is living in at Abney Hall and prefers short assignments such as this because she can be ‘almost anonymous’ – there is the constant threat of a probing press uncovering her own well-guarded secrets.

The retreat soon proves to be anything but peaceful for Jane and when a local amateur theatre troupe, run by the larger-than-life and exceedingly outspoken Delia Cherry, arrives to rehearse a macabre new play in Abney Hall’s annexe, the atmosphere quickly becomes menacing. Secrets are leaking to the press, and Jane’s own dark past at a wartime asylum threatens to surface. When a body turns up in the freezing lake and a blizzard traps everyone inside the house, the line between stagecraft and real-life murder blurs. In a house full of actors, doctors, and a cheating husband, Jane must unmask the killer before the final curtain falls, or she will be the next one silenced.

Brownrigg (pictured above) does a brilliant job on this compelling and imaginative locked-room romp which harnesses the familiar tropes of a Christie classic but embellishes the mystery with an unreliable narrator, a cast of colourful characters, playful plot twists, and a compelling list of potential suspects to keep readers on their toes.

Armed with her love and knowledge of Christie’s crime mysteries, and hours of research into the writer’s links to Abney Hall, including Madge’s enthusiastic membership of a Manchester amateur dramatic society, Brownrigg brings to glorious life the rich detail of the world of a country mansion in the 1920s.

And it’s in this house full of secrets that the Queen of Crime herself becomes a target for a hidden killer as the winter snowstorm traps all those inside, suspicion mounts and the jolly Christmas atmosphere turns decidedly sinister. A captivating and thoroughly enjoyable read for all cosy crime and Agatha Christie fans!
(Fox & Ink Books, paperback, £10.99)