The Last Day of October by Phil Hickes illustrated by Oriol Vidal

Well, I must be of a more nervous disposition than your average 9 year old as I found Phil Hickes first novella for Barrington Stoke terrifying! This middle grade horror story builds from a quiet start becoming slowly addictive as tension mounts and builds to a chilling and extremely unsettling ending.

The Last Day of October is set in Oregon and Phil Hickes said that he wanted to capture that small town American atmosphere we know from on screen horror and from the opening pages he succeeds in this aim. Cody wants more from his annual Halloween celebrations than the usual candy and fun and games, so persuades his friends, Sean and Duri, to go with him to search for the ruins of the haunted McBride House in the woods near his home in Oregon. Cody’s brother has told him about the house and its sinister history after it burnt down 100 years ago with tragic consequences. Each year the ghosts of the family who lived there are said to return on Halloween. Cody, recklessly, wants to investigate. The three friends have their mobiles complete with compass apps to help them find their way and Cody has checked out the location of the house and its background online.

The three of them set out on their journey and they, and the reader, have no idea what awaits them. To describe any more of the plot would spoil things entirely for would be readers. Phil Hickes has done a terrific job of building tension and the outcome is expertly executed. The illustrations throughout by Oriol Vidal are excellent for conveying the creepy atmosphere well too. Despite being scared witless by the ending I think this is a really brilliant example of a ghost story being genuinely chilling. At under 90 pages this will appeal to the more reluctant reader and as with all Barrington Stoke titles it is accessible for dyslexic readers too. Edited to a reading age of 8 and marketed as suitable for readers aged 9+, who I hope are braver than I am!

The Night House Files: The Wintermoor Lights by Dan Smith illustrated by Luke Brookes

A sharply paced and eerie addition to the Night House Files series, The Wintermoor Lights offers an appealing blend of mystery and sci-fi. Set in 1984 in the fictional, but realistic, town of Wintermoor, the story centres on teenager Tara Fisher and her best friend Zoe. One night Zoe is the first to witness strange lights over Wintermoor and afterwards her behaviour towards Tara changes. As the lights appear again and again, more and more teenagers begin acting strangely — trance-like, talking about being “chosen” and chanting together. With the help of a friendly, local librarian Tara starts to investigate and uncovers similar happenings throughout the town’s history.

The overall tone of this story is chilling and Dan Smith ramps up the tension in a sinister and spooky style. There is a nostalgic appeal in the 1980’s references such as Sony Walkmans, fashion etc. which today’s young readers may find interesting and these aspects are conveyed well in the atmospheric illustrations by Luke Brookes. The incorporation of different formats such as diaries, interview transcripts, case files and newspaper reports give a sense of realism and increase accessibility for more reluctant readers. The Wintermoor Lights is ideal for 11+ and will be particularly appealing to fans of the supernatural and horror genres and I think it would be an excellent addition to school libraries for that tricky pre-teen stage and as an introduction to horror fiction without being too graphic in content. Published by Barrington Stoke in September

Ghost by Finbar Hawkins

Finbar Hawkins blends modern day with history and folklore in this atmospheric story of three young women across history bound together by magic and an ancient evil that threatens them all. Ghost is utterly compelling, spooky and a perfect read for dark, winter evenings.

In the present day Marie has dropped out of art college and is staying with her Aunt for a while following the death of her much loved Uncle. Locals gossip about tragic happenings in the nearby woods and sensitive Marie can feel something or possibly someone calling to her from the past. There are echoes of traumatic historical events in the happenings of her own life and Marie tries to pit her wits against strong, old magic.

Centuries ago Aine, a Celtic slave girl, is fleeing from her masters following the deaths of her family and hides in a tunnel in the woods where she encounters a sinister presence. Closer to Marie’s time, in the 18th century, a young woman wanders the woods in search of refuge. Sarah knows how to use the plants to heal and to help but locals are fearful and refer to her as a witch. She believes she is safe in her small wooden home in the woods but then Sarah senses Aine’s terror in the dark of the night and she resolves to help her predecessor’s restless spirit.

Finbar Hawkins skilfully threads these three stories together in a tale that has a slow but steady build up of tension and fear. There are signs that appear throughout the story knitting the different threads together. The blackbird who lives nearby calling a warning to each of the girls over hundreds of years. The gift shared by all three girls of second sight is at the heart of the bond between them and they also share characteristics such as determination. Hawkins was inspired by woods near his own home said be haunted and known as ‘Sally in the Wood‘ and this knowledge plus his own fascination with the supernatural ensures that Ghost lures the reader in in a way that makes one feel as though one is there alongside the protagonists. The novel explores family bonds, particularly those of siblings, and touches on the fluidity of time and our connections with the natural world. This is a compelling read and a strangely beautiful one too. Ghost is suitable for readers of 12/13+ and is published by Zephyr Books on 6th November. My review copy is a proof but I understand that the finished book will be in hardback and contain illustrations by the author. Thank you to Laura Smythe for providing my proof copy.