Review: Haunt: Dead Scared by Curtis Jobling

When Will finds himself in hospital, but unable to make anyone see or hear him, he realises that he never made it home from his first kiss with the school hottie. Knocked off his bike in a road traffic accident, Will is now officially dead - and a ghost. But somehow his best mate, Dougie, can still see him, and, what is more, increasingly Will seems bound to Dougie, going only where Dougie goes. Once they've exhausted all the comic possibilities of being invisible, they set about unravelling the mystery of Will's predicament. Is it something to do with that kiss, or the driver of the car that killed him and didn't stop? Maybe they will find an answer by investigating the rumour that there is an unhappy spirit haunting the ruins in the school grounds, and if so, why? What they discover is a long-buried mystery, which stretches its fingers right into the present...

Long time readers of The Book Zone will already know that I am a huge fan of Curtis Jobling's Wereworld books. That series was epic fantasy for teens at its very best, and ever since it finished I have been waiting with baited breath to see what Curtis produced next. Given that this is the guy who brought us both Bob the Builder and RAA RAA the Noisy Lion I was not at all surprised when I discovered that his new book, Haunt: Dead Scared, was totally different: a creepy comedy story aimed at a slightly younger audience than Wereworld.

Although Haunt treads very similar ground to Tamsyn Murray's brilliant My So-Called Afterlife, and there are elements of the plot's central mystery that are not a million miles away from that of James Dawson's Say Her Name, the quality of Curtis Jobling's writing makes this an original and thoroughly enjoyable read for young teens. The real strengths of the book are the humour, and the tight relationship between Will (who dies in the first chapter but comes back as a ghost) and his best mate Dougie (the only person who can see Will's ghost). These are two somewhat geeky boys having to come to terms with a tragic accident, and the bizarre aftermath that sees Will stranded as a spook. Together they have to work out why on earth Will didn't move on, and in the process of their investigations they come across another stranded spirit, and take it upon themselves to help her too.

I've not read any interviews Curtis Jobling may have given about this new series but I would not be surprised if he has cited Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) as one of his inspirations when it came to writing the book. I loved the original series (watched as repeats - I'm honestly not old enough to have seen it when first broadcast) and even enjoyed the Vic and Bob reboot. The humour in Haunt, as the two boys try to get to grips with their rather unique situation, is certainly reminiscent of that TV show, with a heavy dose of Scooby Doo style shenanigans thrown in for good measure.

If you're looking for a creepy and funny book that is also a fairly quick read this summer then look no further than Haunt: Dead Scared. My thanks go to the fab people at Simon & Schuster for sending me a copy.

Review: Haunted by William Hussey

Milton Lake is a seemingly ordinary town, where tales of hauntings and strange goings on ripple beneath the surface.

When a mysterious boy comes to town and moves into a large, derelict house, all alone, his arrival changes everything. Shrouded in secrecy, he senses a kindred spirit in Emma Rhodes, and reveals to her a shocking truth. Someone in Milton Lake is using the fabled Ghost Machine to call the spirits of the dead back to our world.

Now it is up to these two lost souls to find out who is operating the strange invention before it is too late . . . 

For call by call, the dead will be unleashed.

Teen Emma Rhodes is carrying a great deal of baggage as she blames herself for the death of her younger brother some time earlier, a tragic event that went on to tear her family apart. She still lives with her father in Milton Lake, but her mother is no longer on the scene. Milton Lake itself has its own tragic past - some years earlier one of its residents massacred a number of people at the town's amusement park that he owned before ending his own life.

As part of a 'gang' initiation rite, a friend of Emma's enters said amusement park, and is carried out in pretty much a catatonic state. It seems as if something evil has arrived in Milton Lake, summoned by a mysterious machine that can be used to open the gates for desperate spirits to re-enter our world in the search of new hosts so that they can live again. It is down to Emma and Nick, the mysterious new kid in town, to find out who has got their hands on this machine before too many spirits cross over and take the lives of Milton Lake's residents.

Anybody who has been following this blog for some time will know that I am a huge fan if William Hussey's Witchfinder trilogy. I have therefore been champing at the bit to read this ever since I last met William at an event and he gave me a basic idea of what the story was about.

I never read much horror before starting this blog, only occasionally dipping my toes in those waters, but over the past few years horror as probably become my favourite genre within YA fiction, and lovers of this genre  pretty much spoiled for choice these days. Love gore? Try Darren Shan or Charlie Higson. Heart-stopping action horror? Go for Will Hill or Alexander Gordon Smith. Spooky, psychological thrills more your thing? William Hussey's Haunted is more than worth your time. I took it to Prague with me when my wife and I visited the city for a few days in the summer, and there was many a moment when she would be impatiently tapping her foot or tutting, desperate for me to put the book down and venture outside to see the sights. And putting it down was something of a challenge as I was hooked from beginning to end.

Of course, if you are a gore fan then you should not simply dismiss this book - if you have read any of William's previous books you will know that he likes to include a bit of the old red stuff (case in point - look what happened to poor Jake Harker's mother in the first Witchfinder book), and there are a number of these moments splattered throughout Haunted. However, it's main strength is very much its sheer creepiness, and its ability to make your skin crawl with terror.

As was the case with William's previous books, Haunted is very well written, with the plot perfectly paced to keep teen readers turning the pages. There are also the requisite plot twists that all good stories like this should have, and although I do pride myself on my ability to work out twists in books, there were enough in Haunted to keep me guessing right up until the final denouement. 

The main characters of Emma and Nick are very likeable, although it did take me while to gel with them. I think this was because of the way in which the author developed them as the story progressed, by drip feeding little bits of information and hints about their troubled pasts, and it is only when they are slap bang in the thick of the action, with their lives at risk, that we truly start to empathise with them and fear for their safety. In fact, by the end we are on something of an emotional roller coaster ride, but to say any more about that would create spoilers. The supporting cast are somewhat B-movie-ish (made up term), adding to that overall sense of creepiness that pervades throughout the story.

Haunted was published by OUP (thank you for my copy, generous publisher people) at the beginning of September, and if you love YA horror then it is a must-add for your collection.

Lockwood and Co. Blog Tour: Guest Post by Jonathan Stroud

I am delighted to be joined today by Jonathan Stroud whose brilliant new book, Lockwood and Co, is officially released today. I have been a fan of Jonathan's writing ever since I first read The Amulet of Samarkand and it was wonderful to finally meet him earlier this year at the Random House Blogger Brunch. I carted all of my Stroud books on the train into London (hardback as well so rather heavy) and Jonathan very patiently signed every single one of them. My review of Lockwood and Co will appear here shortly (it's brilliant - that's all you need to know really so go and buy it now), but in the meantime here is Jonathan telling us a little about the must-have equipment every good ghost hunter should carry with them at all times:

Ghost-hunting: Tools of the Trade by Jonathan Stroud

Hello. Fancy yourself a paranormal investigator? Keen on stepping into haunted rooms at midnight and facing your darkest nightmares? I’m impressed. And frankly a little sceptical. Still, you’ll need to take the right equipment if you want to survive. Here’s the Lockwood & Co. cut-out-and-keep guide to the essential bits of kit every self-respecting ghost-hunter needs.

Iron Chain

          

Since time immemorial iron’s been the metal of choice to keep wicked spirits at bay. That’s why horseshoes are traditionally hung above windows, and why a good length of iron chain has to be the first thing to go into your duffel bag. Lay it on the floor, and you’ve a protective circle to stand inside when a Phantasm comes calling. Or use it more assertively to hem your enemy in.

Iron Filings

More flexible than the chains, and good for scattering over a wider area to make life uncomfortable for your spectral quarry.

Sword

Made of iron again, of course; plastic wouldn’t cut it in a variety of ways. Some swords go one better and have a silver tip. Use it for slicing through ectoplasm and warding off aggressive spirits. Also great just to have at your belt as you swagger about town, thus showing everyone your caste and status.

Silver nets/boxes etc

Silver’s another metal that since ancient times has been effective against unnatural things, including the restless dead. Pricier than iron, but excellent for sealing up the ‘Sources’ through which the ghosts access the living world.

Salt bombs

Salt’s not quite as potent as iron and silver, but still good at driving a ghost away. Carry a handful of salt bombs (essentially plastic bags that break on impact) for chucking whenever necessary.

Magnesium flares

The weapon of last resort. Canisters which, when thrown, explode in a shower of hot salt, iron and magnesium – the bright white light is also harmful to spirits. Not to be used casually in confined areas.

Torch

For looking inside crypts, tombs, airing cupboards, etc.

Thermometer

For tracking unexpected drops in temperature – a sure sign of a coming manifestation.

Crowbar

For opening sarcophagi, coffin lids, breaking through fake walls.

Tea and biscuits

The final, crucial component of every psychic agent’s kit bag. The best way of staying calm in any haunted house is to crack open the chocolate digestives and get a brew on. Some agents go as far as to bring along a kettle; others rely on thermos flasks, though this practice is of course somewhat frowned upon by traditionalists. 

Review: Shiverton Hall by Emerald Fennell

Arthur Bannister has been unexpectedly accepted into Shiverton Hall, which, as it turns out, is an incredibly spooky school, full of surprises. And it is just as well that Shiverton Hall has made its offer, because Arthur had a horrible time at his previous school, and was desperate to leave. Timely indeed . . .

But Arthur has no time to worry about the strange coincidence. He is too busy trying to make head or tail of Shiverton Hall, dogged as it is by tales of curses and bad fortune. At least there are a few friendly faces: George, who shows him around; also Penny and Jake. But not all the faces are friendly. There are the bullying Forge triplets for starters. And then there is the acid tongue of the headmistress, Professor Long-Pitt, who seems to go out of her way to make Arthur's life a misery.

Luckily Arthur has his new friends to cheer him up. Although there are some friends that you don't want to have at all, as Arthur is soon to find out.

Warning... for reasons I will explain in the next paragraph, this review may contain spoilers.

I am struggling to work out where to start with this review, so forgive me if it comes across as a little rambling (more so than usual, at least). The problem I am having is that Shiverton Hall, the debut children's book by Emerald Fennell, is actually rather good, but at the same time it has a plot that contains elements that are similar to one of my all time favourite children's horror series - Barry Hutchison's Invisible Fiends. And whilst Shiverton Hall is a chilling and atmospheric horror story, it just does not quite match up to Barry's brilliant series in my humble opinion.

The similarity between the two books is a fundamental one - both involve the return of the characters' childhood invisible friends, but with a demonic and bloodthirsty mentality. Some might call that a spoiler for Shiverton Hall, but having read it and then gone back to skim read parts of it for this review, I'm not so sure. Young readers who have not yet discovered Barry's series will be able to judge this book far more objectively than I can, and any of them who love creepy ghost stories that invade their dreams will find this story a real treat. Unfortunately though, those who have like me read Barry's books may see the twist in the story coming from a mile away. However, that's where the similarity ends, as the reason for their coming back differs between the two books. 

I'm glad I've got that off my chest, and I will now strive for objectivity as I tell you a little more about Shiverton Hall. Main character Arthur Bannister has 'won' a scholarship to the mysterious and isolated school that is Shiverton Hall. Not that he can remember applying for such a place - he just received a letter in the post one day. Very early in the story the author drops enough hints to suggest that Arthur had to leave his previous school under somewhat of a dark cloud, and so this letter heralds a new start for Arthur, even if he is quite nervous about going to a boarding school. Once there, he quickly makes a few friends, whilst also managing to upset his house's resident thugs, the Forge triplets. So far, so like any other start to a new school. However, Shiverton Hall has a particularly gruesome history, and this is gradually revealed throughout the book by a series of ghostly anecdotes, told by Arthur's new friend George, whose grandfather just happens to be an expert on the bloody history of Shiverton Hall. I found George's stories really added to the story, rather than distract from the main plot, and they helped keep the tension building.

Shiverton Hall is a well written debut novel, and the author particularly excels at creating an atmosphere of creeping dread. Shiverton Hall itself can be seen as an extra character in the plot, and as the first book in the series I feel that there will be a great deal more menace heading in the direction of Arthur and his friends in the future. I am very much looking forward to reading a further instalment, as the invisible friends strand is brought to a conclusion in this story, and I would like to see what the author does with her spooky school next. It is being marketed as a book for 9-11 year olds, and this is about right, although fragile readers who are new to horror may find it a little too scary. However, there isn't even a hint of gore, so if you like horror but gallons of blood tend to turn you away from books, then this is one for you.

Shiverton Hall is scheduled to be released as an ebook on Christmas Day, and then as a paperback on 3rd January. My thanks go to the lovely people at Bloomsbury for sending me a copy to read.

Review: Constable & Toop by Gareth P. Jones

Sam Toop lives in a funeral parlour, blessed (or cursed) with an unusual gift. While his father buries the dead, Sam is haunted by their constant demands for attention. Trouble is afoot on the 'other side' - there is a horrible disease that is mysteriously imprisoning ghosts into empty houses in the world of the living. And Sam is caught in the middle - will he be able to bring himself to help?

One of my favourite horror films is Peter Jackson's The Frighteners. In my opinion, it has the perfect blend of horror and comedy, and it so deserves to be more widely acclaimed than it is. Released in 1996, and therefore some years before Jackson achieved god-like status with his The Lord of the Rings trilogy, it tells the story of Frank, a guy who develops psychic powers following a car accident. These psychic powers allow him to see and communicate with ghosts, and he uses this power to con people into thinking their houses are haunted, so that he can charge them for an exorcism. However, everything starts to go wrong when a Grim Reaper style ghost starts killing off the town's residents and it is down to Frank and his merry band of ghosts to save the day.

Why am I telling you this? Because Constable & Toop, the latest book from award winning writer Gareth P Jones, reminded me so much of that film, but in a Victorian setting. It is funny, scary, occasionally gruesome and has a great cast of characters, in both main and supporting roles. Oh yes, and it is beautifully written as well. I don't give starred reviews on this blog, but I gave this one five stars on Goodreads after I finished reading it.

The 'Frank' character is Constable & Toop is Sam Toop, a young boy who can see ghosts. And he sees a great deal of them - partly due to living and working in the funeral parlour where his father is a partner. Sometimes ghosts come looking for him, as they need closure in order to move on and he is a nice boy who will give up his time to help them. However, one fateful night his estranged uncle, a career criminal and murderer, comes crashing into his life. All of a sudden Sam finds his beliefs and his relationship with his father challenged, as dark secrets from the past gradually come to light.

In addition to Sam's story, there is also that of Lapsewood, a ghost who has for many years worked meekly as a ghostly civil servant. Finding himself suddenly transferred to another department and out of his comfort zone, Lapsewood stumbles across a dark and dangerous mystery - ghosts are going missing and houses that have previously been harmlesley haunted are becoming deadly for the ghostly entities that inhabit them. Lapsewood's and Sam's stories begin to intertwine and soon they find themselves racing to save both of their worlds, thwarted along the way by a pretty nasty piece of work in the form of an exorcist (and as villains go, this one is brilliant!).

Constable & Toop is brilliant from beginning to end, as Gareth P Jones skilfully weaves a fantastic and well plotted story of mystery, thrills and chills. Everything about the story is spot on - the characters, the descriptions of the Victorian setting and its inhabitants, the ghosts and their lives in their world, and the attention to detail. I would not be surprised if the author wins more awards with this book to add to those he has received for his previous works.

My thanks go to the lovely people at Hot Key Books for sending me a copy to review. This is a great book to give to horror loving kids as a stocking filler for Christmas - not too gory, not too scary, just the right amount of funny, and beautifully written.

Before you go please check out the following two videos. The first is Gareth singing his Constable & Toop song (I gather he writes a song to accompany each of his books and this one will totally get stuck in your head for weeks), and the second video is Gareth's fab trailer for the book.

Review: The Hunting Ground by Cliff McNish

When Elliott and his brother move into the old and crumbling Glebe House they don't expect to find themselves sharing it with ghosts. But soon sinister events are unfolding. An old diary reveals glimpses of the mansion's past - and of a terrible tragedy. An old woman talks to ghosts - but is she in fact being controlled by them? And what of the sinister East Wing - a hideous labyrinth devised by a truly twisted mind? Can Elliott and his family escape the clutches of Glebe House? Or will they end up trapped in the endless maze of corridors, forever hunted by the dead?

Tired of vampires? All zombied out? Not a fan of gore? If you love horror and can say yes to any or all of these then The Hunting Ground by Cliff McNish might be for you. With the success in cinemas of The Woman in Black is would appear that the more traditional ghost stories are gaining in popularity again. Already this year I have reviewed Michelle Harrison's Unrest and James Dawson's Hollow Pike, both of which rely heavily on the creep factor rather than blood splatter, and The Hunting Ground is another book in this vein.

The Hunting Ground was first released in 2011 by Orion's Children's Books, but was re-released earlier in 2012 as part of Orion's new YA imprint, Indigo. It certainly sits better in my mind as a book for teens as it is the kind of book from which nightmares are born.

I'm trying to think of a way to describe the plot without giving too much away, as much of the impact from this book comes from the tension that Cliff McNish skilfully builds as the story progresses, with the reader constantly guessing (and fearing) what might happen next. Too put it as concisely as possible, two boys and their father move into a run-down country mansion that is in dire need of renovation. Naturally, this being a ghost story, the house has quite a nasty history. A previous owner, Cullayn, was a vicious beast of a man, and unfortunately for boys the despicable atrocities he committed have left a mark on the house that could have dire consequences for them many years on.

The pace of the story was absolutely spot on in my opinion. Cliff McNish has pulses racing with his more terrifying scenes, but knows exactly when to pull back and give the reader a little respite, before ratcheting the fear actor up all over gain. In doing so the tension in the story builds constantly throughout the book, so that when we come to the climactic closing scenes we are little more than gibbering wrecks, jumping at the smallest noise.

Cliff McNish has again proved that he is a master of dark storytelling, and I am a little saddened that he is not as widely known as the other current masters of teen horror. Much as I enjoyed Hollow Pike by James Dawson I found The Hunting Ground to be a much scarier read and I have been pushing it with the horror fans at school ever since. McNish is able to tap into a reader's psyche and seem to take great delight in playing around with their primal fears. I am not easily scared but having read this well into the night I did then experience uncomfortable dreams where I was being chased through long, empty corridors by an unknown entity.

For confident older teen readers The Hunting Ground could make the perfect entry into some of the classic ghost/horror stories by the likes of Edgar Allen Poe and M.R. James or the brilliant The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson. My thanks go to the lovely people at Orion for sending me a copy to review.

Review: Unrest by Michelle Harrison

Seventeen-year-old Elliott hasn’t slept properly for months. Not since the accident that nearly killed him. Sometimes he half-wakes, paralysed, while shadowy figures move around him. Other times he is the one moving around, while his body lies asleep on the bed. His doctors say sleep paralysis and out of body experiences are harmless - but to Elliott they’re terrifying.

Convinced that his brush with death has attracted the spirit world, Elliott secures a job at a reputedly haunted museum, determined to discover the truth. There, he meets the enigmatic Ophelia. But, as she and Elliott grow closer, Elliott draws new attention from the dead. One night, during an out of body experience, Elliott returns to bed to find his body gone. Something is occupying it, something dead that wants to live again . . . and it wants Ophelia, too . . .

Two months ago I posted a review of James Dawson's Hollow Pike. Although I didn't voice this in my review, at the time I felt that it was probably going to be the stand-out teen supernatural book of the year. I was wrong. Although I enjoyed Hollow Pike a lot, Michelle Harrison's Unrest is now the ghost story to beat this year!

I have not read any of Michelle's Thirteen Treasures books, as I am not particularly fired up about fairies, however nasty they might be. However, I had high hopes for this one as many of my blogger friends have talked to me about how great Michelle's writing is, and with this book being aimed at a teen audience, and also having a male main character I had a feeling that this would be more my thing. I was not to be disappointed - Unrest is an exquisitely written ghost story that will have the hairs on the back of your neck standing to attention as shivers run down your spine.

The main character of the story is Elliott, a seventeen-year-old who very nearly died in a hit-and-run accident some months earlier. In actual fact, Elliott was clinically dead for a few minutes as the paramedics fought to save him as he watched on. Yes, you read that right - Elliott's spirit/ghost/call-it-what-you-may saw his lifeless body lying in the road, his rescuers surrounding it, until his was suddenly pulled back into his body as he was resuscitated. Since then Ellioot has struggled to sleep and he often finds himself moving around outside of his sleeping body, and is haunted by the ghost of Tess Fielding, a young lady who committed suicide some years earlier in the flat where he now lives with his father.

As Elliott's night time experiences become increasingly more sinister and threaten to drive him insane he decides to take action by applying for a job at a local living museum that is rumoured to be haunted. In doing this he hopes to discover whether he can actually see ghosts when he is asleep, or whether he is just going mad. At the museum he meets the standoffish Ophelia, who initially holds no attraction for him at all, but following an incident that finds the pair being carted off to the local police station Ophelia begins to warm a little to Elliott and he starts to see through the icy façade that she hides behind. He also has his first night staying at the museum, following one of their ghost walks, and at this point things begin to get nasty for Elliott as he works out that he is definitely not mad, he really can see ghosts but as such he could also be in a great deal of danger.

This is an outstanding ghost story laced with mystery and menace, and to say much more about the plot would spoil it as there are a number of twists, some of which I did see coming. Away from the plot though there are many other great elements to Michelle's writing. Her characters are spot on. Unrest is written in the first person, and as someone who works with a lot of teenage boys I can assure you that Michelle has absolutely nailed Elliott's voice. I can just imagine her loitering around bus shelters or sneaking into sixth form common rooms, making notes of the language and dialogue used by seventeen year old boys. I am guessing that Michelle has also done a great deal of research into out of body experiences as, although I can't personally claim to have had one, these scenes seemed very real and spine chilling. I used to think it would be cool to have an out of body experience. No longer, thank you very much!

The pacing of the story is perfect, and I found myself completely drawn into Elliott's world, and ended up reading it well into the night (I love the school holidays!). The ending is also spot on, with every loose end neatly tied up, and I hope it is left this way. Although I would love to read more YA supernatural fiction from Michelle Harrison I think my lasting memories of this being such an enjoyable read might be marred slightly should there be a sequel.

Unrest is published by Simon Pulse and is due to be released on 26 April. My huge thanks go to the publisher for sending me a copy to read/review.

Review: Long Lankin by Lindsey Barraclough

Beware of Long Lankin, that lives in the moss . . .

When Cora and her little sister Mimi are sent to stay with their elderly aunt in the isolated village of Bryers Guerdon, they receive a less than warm welcome, and are desperate to go back to London. But Auntie Ida's life was devastated the last time two young girls were at Guerdon Hall, and now her nieces' arrival has reawoken an evil that has lain waiting for years.

A haunting voice in an empty room ... A strange, scarred man lurking in the graveyard ... A mysterious warning, scrawled on the walls of the abandoned church . . . Along with Roger and Peter, two young village boys, Cora must uncover the horrifying truth that has held Bryers Guerdon in its dark grip for centuries - before it is too late for Mimi.

I read a lot of horror books written for children and Young Adults. Many of them do not hit me on a psychological level, instead they hold my interested with their lashings of blood and gore; they are the written equivalent of the slasher movies that I love so much. Are these really horror stories or should they be re-genred as shockers? I have found myself wondering where the truly terrifying books were, the modern equivalent of the M.R James ghost stories or Shirley Jackson's brilliant The Haunting of Hill House. Perhaps, I mused, stories like this are just too much for young people, and authors and publishers too concerned about causing nightmares amongst there readers. Well if ever that was the case it certainly is no loner - over the past twelve months a number of books have been published that have affected me on that deep psychological level to the point where they have entered my dreams and caused me to wake up in the middle from a terrifying nightmare. And I love it!

One such book is Long Lankin by Lindsey Barraclough, published back in April by Bodley Head. The story's inspiration is a centuries old ballad that tells of a grisly murder carried out by the titular bogeyman Long Lankin, and from this inspiration the author has created an original story that is disturbing, terrifying, spooky, atmospheric...... I could go on and on here until I ran out of suitable adjectives. Maybe all I need to say is that if you read this at night you may struggle to get to sleep, and when (if) you do finally manage to drop off your dreams will not be particularly warm and cuddly. However, if you decide to err on the side of caution and start reading this in daylight then you had better be a quick reader, as it will draw you in completely and you really will not want to put it down, and before you know if night has fallen, and just what was that noise upstairs?????

Cora and her younger sister Mimi are sent to the countryside to live with their Great Aunt Ida Eastfield, a lady who some of the local children are convinced is a witch. On their arrival at Ida's creepy run-down house on the fringe of the village of Bryers Guerdon the girls are made to feel far from welcome but as the friend of their father who drove them out of London has already departed it would seem that the old lady has no option but to take them in. Aunt Ida also very quickly makes it clear to the girls that she will not tolerate any deviation from a long set of rules that she dictates to them, although as with most children they simply make Cora more curious about her new surroundings, and as events unfold all the more determined to break the rules.

The first person narration of the book is largely shared between Cora and Roger, a boy she meets as she first arrives in Bryers Guerdon. Roger's background is very different from Cora's - he is a country boy who is the eldest of five children, with a pair of loving and caring parents. The way he narrates his part of the story contrasts brilliantly with Cora's narration: Cora is bitter about the way she has been shipped off to an old lady who obviously has no lover for her as this is reflected in the way she tells the story, whereas Roger brings a welcome element of humour to the story that helps relieve some of the tension created by the horror that is Long Lankin. The two children share their narration with Ida Eastfield who is used to add some of the historical background to the area and its terrifying legend.

I have read/watched a number of otherwise great horror books/films that have been ruined at the moment that the 'monster' is revealed to us, and I guess it is something that authors and directors work very hard at, and possibly get quite nervous about. Jaws is such a great film because Spielberg couldn't use his animatronic shark in the open sea and therefore had to rewrite the script and make it more character based and by the time we do finally see the slightly unrealistic looking shark our terror levels are so high that we don't care about total realism. Similarly with Ridley Scott's Alien, with the eponymous monster remaining in the shadows for much of the film. Like Spielberg and Scott, Lindsey Barraclough does not suffer the fate that has befallen many who have come before her - when we do finally get to 'see' Long Lankin there is no disappointment, or lessening in the terror factor - in fact, if anything, it is increased even further. This is one monster that you really do not want in your dreams!

Long Lankin is set in the 1950s, and this has allowed Ms Barraclough to really let rip with her atmospheric descriptions of the buildings and landscape around Bryers Guerdon. There are very few cars and more importantly no mobile phones or internet that Cora and Roger can use to research the history of the legend of Long Lankin. Instead they have to piece together information from some of the eccentric local inhabitants of the area, and other tidbits they glean as Cora snoops around Ida's house, despite the rules that forbid her from doing so. The author's talent for descriptive writing and attention to detail in the creation of her 1950s world really brings the story alive, adding to the horror that is lurking in the background.

I loved this book so much that I went out and bought a copy once it was published, and then bought a copy for a friend's birthday as well. However, my thanks must go to the people at Random House who gave me an early proof of the book when I attended their Bloggers' Brunch at the beginning of the year. This book is the perfect stepping stone between children's and adult fiction, and I would imagine that many YA readers who read and love this book will progress on to the likes of Stephen King in the future.

Guest Post by Cliff McNish (Author of The Hunting Ground)

Back in January Cliff McNish wrote a short piece for The Book Zone about his then forthcoming book The Hunting Ground. Cliff has written some stunning YA books, and certainly deserves to be a household name by now. The Hunting Ground is no exception, and if you love really spooky, scare-your-pants-off ghost stories then this one is for you. Due to work pressures I have dropped behind a little with my reviews, so please watch this space as I will be posting my review for The Hunting Ground in the near future. In the meantime, over to Cliff.....

___________________________________________

When I wrote THE HUNTING ZONE I was really aware of a few things.

First, almost no one is writing what I would call genuinely frightening ghost stories of novel length for teenagers. Don’t get me wrong – ghost novels are being written, but the best of them tend to be fairly wistful mood-pieces like MY BROTHER’S GHOST by Allan Ahlberg – which is a wonderful piece about two brothers, one of whom dies (you’ll love it), but it’s a quiet contemplative piece. Nor do I have any objection to lighter ghost stories. There are loads of those – you know the type, where the ghost is more likely to go boo! from behind the fridge than scare anybody.

And there’s another point I’d like you to consider here – people THINK there are lots of ghost novels out there because they often appear as a secondary character in stories that are primarily not ghost stories. An example would be the minor characters Nearly Headless Nick/Moaning Myrtle (note they are funny ghosts again) in Harry Potter or, say, the creepy Victorian ghosts in the wardrobe in Coraline by Neil Gaiman.

But novels with a genuinely scary ghost at the heart of the story THAT ARE ANY GOOD are rarer than football books about kids secretly wanting to become ballerinas. The reason (having done two ghost novels now) is that ghost stories traditionally depend on suspense and tension, and it’s hard to sustain this over a novel. To combat that I turned both of mine into supernatural thrillers, with everyone being threatened with death.

Or worse than death, actually. One of the great things about a ghost novel, of course, is that as soon as you write something that supposes GHOSTS EXIST then automatically there must be an afterlife, a place where the dead, well, hang out. The really fascinating question for a writer or reader then is what is this place like? Is it like a traditional Heaven or Hell? Or something else?

In my last ghost novel BREATHE I wanted to create an absolutely terrifying afterlife place where you might end up – a region where you just get blown forever across a great plain by the wind, bits of your body slowly being destroyed. I called it the Nightmare Passage, and I’m pleased to say that many people remember that place more than anything else about the novel.

In my latest, THE HUNTING GROUND, I wanted to create another terrifying place, but this time one where the ghosts might trap the living. I came up with the East Wing – a huge part of a mansion house that is a labyrinth of similar rooms and corridors. You keep getting sucked in but you can’t get out – and it’s so dark you can’t see either. If you’re trapped in there all you can do is hold your nerve and try not to go crazy. I knew I needed a really strong boy to cope with that – so I created Elliott. But he’s not superhuman, he’s only a 16-year old boy who grits his teeth and gets on with doing what he has to do to survive and help his trapped brother.

It was obvious almost at once to me as well what sort of ghosts I was going to pit against Elliott and his younger brother, Ben. First, a male ghost of awesome power who exists only to terrify and hunt. He’s a classic bad guy, and I wanted him to be absolutely ice cold terrifying. But then what? As a contrast to him I knew what I needed – and I saw her right away in my mind. A little girl. A corrupted little ghost girl, bristling with terrifying power. Somehow it’s even more scary to wonder what a little girl might do if she can do almost anything to you, because she’s not going to think like an adult. She’s going to be more unpredictable, isn’t she? One minute she might want to play with you, the next she’s bored and dragging you to your death, and you can’t predict when that might happen. You end up talking to her very nicely, because you still think there’s a little girl in there you can appeal to – but is there? Or is she as bad as the male ghost who’s been developing her as his little protégé, his killer in waiting?

I very much enjoyed racking up the tension in THE HUNTING GROUND about as far as could. I hope you enjoy it.

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Huge thanks to Cliff for taking the time to write this great guest post for The Book Zone. I for one would love to see more chilling ghost stories published for young people, especially those who think horror is all about blood and gore. Yes, these elements might make you go yuck, and cringe a little, but that isn't real horror that chills you to the bone and has you jumping at every little bump and creak during the night. The Hunting Ground will definitely have this effect on you. Please come back tomorrow when I will be giving you details about how you can win a copy of The Hunting Ground.

Spooky Reads for Halloween

It's that time of year again and so to celebrate I thought I would bring you my picks of the books you really should be reading at this spooky time of year if you want to feel a shiver run down your spine. Books that will make you jump with fright every time a trick or treater knocks on your door, or have you quaking under the bed covers at every creak, bump or thump in the night. I have split them into loose categories to help you make the perfect choice; nearly all have been reviewed on The Book Zone at some point during the past year.

For young readers:

The Scream Street series by Tommy Donbavand

In Scream Street, Luke and his parents discover a nightmarish world of the undead. Luke soon makes friends with vampire Resus Negative and mummy Cleo Farr, but he remains determined to take his terrified parents home. After liberating the powerful book Tales of Scream Street from his new landlord, Otto Sneer, Luke learns that the founding fathers of the community each left behind a powerful relic. Collecting together all six is his only hope of opening a doorway out of the street, so with the help of Resus and Cleo he sets out to find the first one, the vampire’s fang. But with Otto Sneer determined to thwart him at every turn, will Luke even get past the first hurdle alive?

These books are great spooky fun for younger readers, with a host of colourful characters. One read and your kids will be hooked.

Monsters galore:

Devil's Kiss/ Dark Goddess by Sarwat Chadda

Fifteen-year-old Billi SanGreal never meant to make history. Dragged at the age of ten into the modern-day Knights Templar by her father, the Grandmaster, Billi's the first girl ever to be a Templar warrior. Her life is a rigorous and brutal round of weapons' practice, demon killing and occult lore – and a lot of bruises. But then temptation is placed in Billi's path – an alternative to her isolated life. But temptation brings consequences. In this case – the tenth plague – the death of all first borns and so Billi must choose her destiny. And as she soon discovers, death isn't even the worst . . .

Sarwat Chadda has created a Buffy for the new millennium in his kick-ass herione Billi SanGreal. Devil's Kiss is a superb debut, but the sequel, Dark Goddess, is one of my stand-out favourites from this past year.

The Changeling series by Steve Feasey

Trey thought he was an ordinary teenager. Then he meets a mysterious stranger, Lucien Charron – luminously pale, oddly powerful, with eyes that seem flecked with fire and skin that blisters in sunlight. Somehow Trey finds himself in a luxury London penthouse, like a Bond villain’s lair. It’s the heart of a sinister empire, built on the powers of the netherworld – werewolves, vampires, sorcerers, djinns. And Trey himself has a power that’s roaring to break free. Is he a boy or is he a beast?

Werewolf vs Demons (and a particularly nasty vampire). 'Nuff said!

The Dead/The Dark by David Gatward

Lazarus Stone is about to turn sixteen when, one night, his normal life is ripped to shreds by a skinless figure drenched in blood. He has a message: The Dead are coming. Now Lazarus is all that stands in their way. To fulfil his destiny, he must confront not only the dark past of his family, but horrors more gruesome than even Hell could invent. And it all begins with the reek of rotting flesh ...

David Gatward is a relative newcomer to the YA book scene, but his first two books filled with demons and the walking dead are fantastic. This man really knows his horror.

The Enemy/The Dead by Charlie Higson

They’ll chase you. They’ll rip you open. They’ll feed on you . . . When the sickness came, every parent, police officer, politician – every adult – fell ill. The lucky ones died. The others are crazed, confused and hungry. Only children under fourteen remain, and they’re fighting to survive. Now there are rumours of a safe place to hide. And so a gang of children begin their quest across London, where all through the city – down alleyways, in deserted houses, underground – the grown-ups lie in wait. But can they make it there – alive?

Zombies. Lots of them, and all of them adults. The children? Fighting to survive!

Chillers:

Witchfinder: Dawn of the Demontide by William Hussey

When a violent storm rages around the little village of Hobarron's Hollow, a young boy is sacrificed 'for the greater good'. His blood is used to seal a mystical doorway and prevent an apocalyptic disaster known only as the Demontide. Twenty-five years later, another boy, Jake Harker, is about to be drawn into the nightmare of the Demontide. Witches and their demon familiars stalk his every move, and his dreams are plagued by visions of a 17th Century figure known only as the Witchfinder. When his father is abducted, Jake must face the terrible secrets kept by those closest to him and a shocking truth that will change his life forever . . .

Quality YA debut from William Hussey featuring one of my favourite gory moments of the past year. All I will say is..... Jake's mum! And watch out for Gallows at twilight - the next in the series due out early 2011 - I have heard William read a gloriously nasty scene from the book.

Mortlock by Jon Mayhew

The sister is a knife-thrower in a magician's stage act, the brother an undertaker's assistant. Neither orphan knows of the other's existence. Until, that is, three terrible Aunts descend on the girl's house and imprison her guardian, the Great Cardamom. His dying act is to pass the girl a note with clues to the secret he has carried to his grave. Cardamom was one of three explorers on an expedition to locate the legendary Amarant, a plant with power over life and death. Now, pursued by flesh-eating crow-like ghuls, brother and sister must decode the message and save themselves from its sinister legacy.

Superb Victorian chills from another 2010 debut author. Evil birds, a creepy clown, and a gruesome circus all combine to make a fantastically chilling story.

Crawlers by Sam Enthoven

Ben is on a school trip. So is Jasmine. What they don't know is that not everybody in the theatre is there to watch the play and, in fact, they'll never get to see it . . . There is panic at the Barbican when the fire alarms start wailing, but the strangely silent theatre staff, trap them inside the building rather than letting them out to safety. Ben, Jasmine and their classmates soon discover that there's no fire - what's happening is much weirder, and much scarier. Strange spider-like creatures swarm through the building attacking people and turning them into vicious killers, and the kids have to run for their lives. But barricaded in an office, with these creatures waiting outsde for them, the children realise they're stuck. Will they ever get out? And, more importantly can they trust each other . . . ?

Mind controlling life forms at The Barbican. Great setting, great creatures, great writing.

The Dead of Winter by Chris Priestley

Michael Vyner recalls a terrible story, one that happened to him. One that would be unbelievable if it weren't true! Michael's parents are dead and he imagines that he will stay with the kindly lawyer, executor of his parents' will ...Until he is invited to spend Christmas with his guardian in a large and desolate country house. His arrival on the first night suggests something is not quite right when he sees a woman out in the frozen mists, standing alone in the marshes. But little can prepare him for the solitude of the house itself as he is kept from his guardian and finds himself spending the Christmas holiday wandering the silent corridors of the house seeking distraction. But lonely doesn't mean alone, as Michael soon realises that the house and its grounds harbour many secrets, dead and alive, and Michael is set the task of unravelling some of the darkest secrets of all.

The first full-length YA novel from the master of the terrifying short story. A brilliant Victorian set ghost story that will chill you to the bone.

White Crow by Marcus Sedgwick

It's summer. Rebecca is an unwilling visitor to Winterfold - taken from the buzz of London and her friends and what she thinks is the start of a promising romance. Ferelith already lives in Winterfold - it's a place that doesn't like to let you go, and she knows it inside out - the beach, the crumbling cliff paths, the village streets, the woods, the deserted churches and ruined graveyards, year by year being swallowed by the sea. Against her better judgement, Rebecca and Ferelith become friends, and during that long, hot, claustrophobic summer they discover more about each other and about Winterfold than either of them really want to, uncovering frightening secrets that would be best left long forgotten. Interwoven with Rebecca and Ferelith's stories is that of the seventeenth century Rector and Dr Barrieux, master of Winterfold Hall, whose bizarre and bloody experiments into the after-life might make angels weep, and the devil crow.

No review for this one yet as I have only just finished reading it. Not at all what I expected, but that's what Marcus Sedgwick does best. Really spine-chilling.

Hell's Underground series by Alan Gibbons

Late one night after a strange tube journey to Whitechapel in East London, Paul makes a new friend, John Redman - daring and enigmatic, just as Paul longs to be, away from his cloying mother (his only family - so he thinks). Redman charms Paul at once, but also a girl called Jude they meet on a night about town. A few days later, Paul learns that Jude has mysteriously died, and Redman has disappeared. Shortly after that, one of Paul's teacher dies suddenly - frightened to death - near where Jude's body was found. A link for sure. And Paul feels implicated, because both victims were known to him. He senses Redman, who comes and goes as it suits him, is involved as well. His new friend is dangerous. But so, we learn, is Paul. In uncovering the truth about Redman he learns shocking facts about himself. There's an evil curse loose in his family and Paul is the latest inheritor. The spree of death - camouflagued as copycat Jack the Ripper-style murders - will continue until Paul confronts the demon in himself head on.

One of my all time favourite horror series. A must read for any horror loving teenager.

Monster chillers (these three deserve a separate category of their own, as they are both full of monsters but the setting and/or storyline is particularly chilling):

Invisible Fiends series by Barry Hutchison

Kyle's imaginary friend from childhood is back! with a vengeance. Kyle hasn't seen Mr Mumbles in years. And there's a good reason for that: Mr Mumbles doesn't exist. But now Kyle's imaginary friend is back, and Kyle doesn't have time to worry about why. Only one thing matters: staying alive!

Mr Mumbles was brilliant. Raggy Maggie even better. In my opinion Caddie is one of the greatest ever creations in children's horror literature.

The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey

Will Henry is an assistant to a doctor with a most unusual speciality: monster hunting! In the short time he has lived with the doctor, Will has grown used to late night callers and dangerous business. But when one visitor comes with the body of a young girl and the monster that was feeding on her, Will's world changes forever. The doctor has discovered a baby Anthropophagi - a headless monster that feeds through the mouthfuls of teeth in its chest - and it signals a growing number of Anthropophagi. Now, Will and the doctor must face the horror threatening to consume our world and find the rest of the monsters before it is too late...

The perfect setting, great characters and written in a prose that will make your skin crawl.

The Furnace series by Alexander Gordon Smith

Beneath heaven is hell. Beneath hell is Furnace. Furnace Penitentiary. The world’s most secure prison for young offenders, buried a mile beneath the earth’s surface. One way in, no way out. Once you’re here, you’re here until you die, and for most of the inmates that doesn’t take long - not with the sadistic guards and the bloodthirsty gangs. Convicted of a murder he didn’t commit, sentenced to life without parole, 'new fish' Alex Sawyer knows he has two choices: find a way out, or resign himself to a death behind bars, in the darkness at the bottom of the world. Only in Furnace, death is the least of his worries. Soon Alex discovers that the prison is a place of pure evil, where creatures in gas masks stalk the corridors at night, where giants in black suits drag screaming inmates into the shadows, where deformed beasts can be heard howling from the blood drenched tunnels below. And behind everything is the mysterious, all-powerful warden, a man as cruel and as dangerous as the devil himself, whose unthinkable acts have consequences that stretch far beyond the walls of the prison. Together with a bunch of inmates - some innocent kids who have been framed, others cold-blooded killers - Alex plans the prison break to end all prison breaks. But as he starts to uncover the truth about Furnace’s deeper, darker purpose, Alex’s actions grow ever more dangerous, and he must risk everything to expose this nightmare that's hidden from the eyes of the world.

I only recently discovered the Furnace books but I now love this series. Nothing short of brilliant, and totally terrifying.

And finally, for older readers who are ready for something more adult:

Dark Matter by Michelle Paver

January 1937. Clouds of war are gathering over a fogbound London. Twenty-eight year old Jack is poor, lonely and desperate to change his life. So when he's offered the chance to be the wireless operator on an Arctic expedition, he jumps at it. Spirits are high as the ship leaves Norway: five men and eight huskies, crossing the Barents Sea by the light of the midnight sun. At last they reach the remote, uninhabited bay where they will camp for the next year. Gruhuken. But the Arctic summer is brief. As night returns to claim the land, Jack feels a creeping unease. One by one, his companions are forced to leave. He faces a stark choice. Stay or go. Soon he will see the last of the sun, as the polar night engulfs the camp in months of darkness. Soon he will reach the point of no return - when the sea will freeze, making escape impossible. And Gruhuken is not uninhabited. Jack is not alone. Something walks there in the dark.

I finished this at the weekend and it is still playing on my mind. One of the best ghost stories I have read in years.

~~~

So there you have it. I hope one of those takes your fancy and if so have a terrifying time reading it. Happy Halloween!

Review: Dark Matter by Michelle Paver

January 1937. Clouds of war are gathering over a fogbound London. Twenty-eight year old Jack is poor, lonely and desperate to change his life. So when he's offered the chance to be the wireless operator on an Arctic expedition, he jumps at it. Spirits are high as the ship leaves Norway: five men and eight huskies, crossing the Barents Sea by the light of the midnight sun. At last they reach the remote, uninhabited bay where they will camp for the next year. Gruhuken. But the Arctic summer is brief. As night returns to claim the land, Jack feels a creeping unease. One by one, his companions are forced to leave. He faces a stark choice. Stay or go. Soon he will see the last of the sun, as the polar night engulfs the camp in months of darkness. Soon he will reach the point of no return - when the sea will freeze, making escape impossible. And Gruhuken is not uninhabited. Jack is not alone. Something walks there in the dark.

Confession time: I have not read any of Michelle Paver's Chronicles of Ancient Darkness books, and I'm not sure I ever will. Yes, I know they are critically acclaimed and have won many awards, including the recent Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, but the era in which they are set just does nothing for me. I prefer my historical fiction to be set in Tudor, Restoration or Victorian times, and with so many books to read and so little time I have to draw a line somewhere. Feel free to heap criticism after criticism on me for this but I very much doubt you will change my feelings on this.

Despite never having read any of her previous work I was easily tempted into reading her latest offering, her first adult ghost story, Dark Matter. There has been quite a buzz on Twitter for this book over the past couple of months, and with Halloween fast approaching I thought I would give it a try. Fortunately, the wonderful team at Orion took pity on my begging and I very soon had a copy in my hands, and with my wife away this weekend what better time to start reading a ghost story? I began to read it on the train into London, on my way to the Crystal Palace Children's Book Festival, and throughout the day it was constantly niggling at the back of my mind as I couldn't wait to get back to it. The train journey home saw me again immersed deep within the story, and when I got home I was determined to finish it before going to sleep. With hindsight this wasn't such a great idea - I really did not sleep well last night, my mind questioning every creak, bump and thud the house made.

The story is written in the form of a journal, written by Jack Miller. The year is 1937, and through a series of unfortunate  events Jack has found himself wishing his days away whilst earning a pittance working six days a week as an export clerk at Marshall Gifford, stationers. The beginning of Jack's journal details his first meeting with a group of upper-class, wealthy young men who are thirsty for adventure and wish to mount an expedition to the High Arctic to study the botany and geology of the area, as well as to transmit meteorological data back to the British Government. However, they require a trained radio operator.... enter Jack. After this first meeting Jack almost decides to forget the whole idea - he feels very much like a fish out of water when surrounded by the snobberies of the group, but a chance viewing of a body being pulled out of the Thames on his way home puts things into perspective for him and he soon finds himself travelling North.

Jack's journal gives us a very intimate account of his innermost thoughts as he makes the long journey to Gruhuken, a bleak and desolate bay in the Spitsbergen region, deep within the Arctic Circle and miles away from the nearest settlement. As such, we soon come to know Jack's character very well, including all of his flaws; this means that at times Jack is a difficult person to like, as despite the efforts shown by some of his fellow adventurers he can still be quick to rebuff them. However, whether we like him or not, as each event occurs that leads ultimately to Jack being left on his own at the group's outpost we feel for him every step of the way, and feel nothing but worry and fear for him as he is finally left in isolation.

At 240 pages Dark Matter is much slimmer than many adult horror stories published these days (compare it with the 750+ pages of Justin Cronin's The Passage), and I think it is so much better for this. Michelle Paver use words economically, managing to create an incredible sense of slow brooding menace that keeps the reader gripped. She also shows a great deal of skill when it comes to foreshadowing - the story is laced with tidbits of information that we soak in without realising it, yet these are all essential to the ever growing feeling of terror that we feel once the group reach Gruhuken. In the first half of the book much of this is done through the character of Eriksson, skipper of the boat that takes the group to Gruhuken. Eriksson is a seasoned voyager in these areas, and tells the group many tales of his life and the area, yet whenever the subject of Gruhuken arises he clams up and refuses to comment, even to the point of claiming that he was never contracted to take them so far. For a man of obvious honour, as a reader we are left with no doubt as to the potential horror that awaits the group in Gruhuken.

This is a book written for the adult market but will be enjoyed just as much by many readers who fall within the so-called Young Adult age range. There is no bad language, no sex, no blood or gore - this is pure ghost story that relies on a mastery of the craft of writing to create a sense of lingering terror in the reader that will not go away easily once the book is finished.