The Black Book Of Secrets by F. E. Higgins

The Blurb On The Back:

When Ludlow Fitch suffers an unspeakable betrayal he runs from the rotten, sinking City. On the night he enters Pagus Parvus a second newcomer arrives at the remote village. Joe Zabbidou, a mysterious pawnbroker who buys people’s deepest, darkest secrets, is searching for new customers – and for an apprentice. Shadowy Ludlow seems perfect for the job.

But as he begins his new life recording the villagers’ fiendish confessions, Ludlow’s murky past threatens to come into the light ...

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The Verdict:

Really enjoyable and suitably gruesome, it’s bound to appeal to the target age group of 9 to 12 year olds and is definitely worth a look by anyone who enjoys Roald Dahl and is looking for something similar.

Hexwood by Diana Wynne Jones

The Blurb On The Back:

”All I did was ask you for a role-playing game. You never warned me I’d be pitched into it for real! And I asked you for hobbits on a grail quest, and not one hobbit have I seen!”

When Controller Borasus receives a strange letter from Earth he is both curious and alarmed. Someone has activated an ancient machine – and is using it for most trivial purposes! Surely no one would dare to tamper with Reigner seals in this way? Yet the effects of such interference could resonate throughout the universe, so he decides to go to Hexwood Farm to investigate ...

On Hexwood Estate, Ann watches the mysterious comings and goings with interest. Hexwood is like human memory; it doesn’t reveal its secrets in chronological order. Consequently, whenever Ann enters Hexwood, she cannot guarantee on ending up in the same place or even the same time. She knows something deadly is going on – or is Hexwood simply altering her too?

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The Verdict:

Complex, ambitious and utterly enthralling, this novel may be too sophisticated for nervous child readers, but will utterly bewitch older and more confident ones. It’s a bravura read of a type that is all too rare nowadays.

The Last Siege by Jonathan Stroud

The Blurb On The Back:

A chance encounter on the snowy slopes of a castle moat throws together three lonely teenagers: Emily, Simon and the enigmatic Marcus.

Spurred on by Marcus, the three break into the ruined castle, spending a night there to experience the power of occupation. But their re-enactment spirals out of control and a very real siege ensues, becoming a frenzy of nightmarish action and dark, psychological games.

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The Verdict:

People looking for a repeat of The Bartimaeus Trilogy will be disappointed, but they are missing out on a competently told story that’s an enjoyable enough read. If it’s not as good as the Bartimaeus Trilogy then that’s only because it’s such a hard act to live up to and it’s no reason to give this a miss.