By Thomas Taylor (author) , Thomas Taylor (illustrator) Part of the An Eerie-on-Sea Mystery series
"A deliciously atmospheric, spooky stories tinged with just the right amount of fun"
Paperback In Stock £7.99 £7.19
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September 2021 Book of the Month
If you’re looking for a creepy place for a holiday, Eerie-on-Sea has it all – mysterious creatures in the waves, strange figures prowling at night, and an end of the pier show to top it all. Fortunately, in the company of the Grand Nautilus Hotel’s lost-and-found boy Herbie Lemon and his best friend Violet, the spooky goings-on are tinged with just the right amount of fun.
In their company readers have already experienced adventures that would make your niblets go knobbly (as Herbie would say), they haven’t faced anything like the Shadowghast, a terrifying horned spirit, permanently hungry for shadows. The story plays out in Eerie’s misty, candlelit October nights, when it’s harder than ever to distinguish what’s real and what’s just an illusion.
Herbie and Violet’s friendship is tested as never before and the whole town is in danger. Thomas Taylor is as good at creating characters as he is at conjuring up spooky settings and thrilling adventures, which is very good indeed. Newcomers to Eerie and regular visitors are in for tricks and treats!
A creepy magician with a shadowy act. A legend that goes back to the dawn of time. Eerie-on-Sea just got stranger. And darker...
Read the full description
A mysterious stage magician has set up in the theatre at the end of the pier, with an act so hypnotic and strange that Herbie Lemon and his friend Violet Parma suspect dark forces are at work. Meanwhile, folk are disappearing from Eerie-on-Sea, and no one knows why. There is an Eerie legend that goes back to the dawn of time, about a creature made of darkness that devours the shadows of the living. But could the Shadowghast really have returned?
Praise for the series;
“Taylor’s prose effervesces with humour, the setting is richly atmospheric, the story sails along at a rate of knots and all the characters are beautifully drawn. Herbie and Violet are destined for more adventures and I, for one, can’t wait.” The Daily Mail
“Full of unforgettable characters and brimming with maritime mystery, Malamander is a masterclass in original story-telling. Taylor’s magical touch makes you believe in the impossible.” Catherine Doyle, author of The Storm Keeper’s Island
“Taylor is a supremely elegant writer, who does not dilly-dally. The plot is delivered like gunfire, and even less confident readers will be encouraged by cliffhanger chapters and knuckle-whitening prose. […] Children’s fantasy has become a crowded landscape in which new novelists can vanish without trace, but Taylor stands out. This is a sumptuously imagined book, which works a powerful spell.” The Telegraph
“Taylor knows how to create atmosphere and a sense of creepy place. It’s a book to be devoured, but is also born for the screen — and I can’t wait to see this south-coast Grand Budapest Hotel meets The Shape of Water (but with a better plot) become a hit.” The Times, Children’s Book of the Week
“This book introduces a diverse new detective duo in Herbie and Violet, and is told with such neat storytelling and surprising phrases it would be a joy to read aloud.” The Sunday Times, Children’s Book of the Week
“This is fantastical storytelling at its best with a Dickensian cast and a terrifying beast from the deep. This enthralling oceanic adventure had me hoping our heroic lost and foundlings will have more mysteries to solve in books to come. I wanted to read on and on.” M. G. Leonard, Author of Beetle Boy
“Mermonkeys, monsters and magic, oh my! Malamander is a brilliantly plotted mystery swirling with secrets, myths and the enigmatic residents of one unforgettable sea-side town.” Jennifer Bell, author of The Uncommoners
“[…] a wonderfully imaginative and atmospheric adventure, rich in myth and legend and with a delicious gothic edge […] Malamander confirms him as a ferociously talented writer […] this really is one that deserves all the buzz.” Fiona Noble, The Bookseller, Children’s Book of the Month
“Clever writing, swirling with atmosphere, standout characters and a crackling story combine to make this something special.” The Irish Independent, Children’s Books of the Year
“The seaside in midwinter makes a fabulous setting for Thomas Taylor’s Malamander. More, please.” New Statesman
Thomas Taylor was born in Norwich, but grew up by the sea in Wales. His childhood was mostly about drawing, something he learnt to do in Maths classes.
After art school, Thomas set out to illustrate books, then to write them himself. His first commission was the cover art for Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling. Following this, he pursued a career in picture books, mostly from France where he lived for many years.
Thomas now lives on the south coast of England and has two sons. Sometimes they ask for help with their maths homework, so now they’re learning to draw too.
Evenfall: The Golden Linnet
The Strange Disappearance of Imogen Good
The Vanquishers: Secret of the Reaping
The Elemental Detectives
I loved this story so much! It had me gripped from the first page! I loved the character’s personalities and how they were so detailed and they were all so different. I loved reading this book and look forward to the next!
This book was so interesting and full of twists- I loved the plot so much and thought the characters were so detailed. I loved the book so much I finished it in one day!... Read Full Review
This gripping story is bound to amuse you in the best way. I could not put it down, not even for a second.
Herbie and his best friend Violet are off on another exciting adventure. Ever since his aunt Caliastra arrived strange things have been happening. First, Violet's guardian disappears and then more people follow. Can this be linked to Herbie's Aunt or is this just a coincidence? This book was awesome and made me read all the previous books in this action-packed series, and I read it in less than a day! I could not put it down, not even for a second, and I really enjoyed this experience.... Read Full Review
Like a perfect recipe, the perfect amount of mystery and intrigue!
One of the best books I have read so far, it has an amazing storyline & I like how there are different twists and turns throughout the story.
A creepy magician with a shadowy act. A legend that goes back to the dawn of time.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Shadowghast and determined it is suitable for children aged 9-10 years old
Shadowghast features in the following genres: Books of the Month, Recommendations, Fantasy / Magical, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Crime & Mystery, Adventure Stories, Books Reviewed by our Reader Review Panels, Featured Books for 9+ readers
Paperback. £7.19, down from the £7.99 cover price. In Stock.
Shadowghast was written by Thomas Taylor and published by Walker Books Ltd
Shadowghast has 327 pages
Yes it is part of An Eerie-on-Sea Mystery series
£7.19, reduced from £7.99. In Stock.
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