By Janine Beacham (author)
"An endearingly quirky orphan. An eerie automaton. The mystery of a deceased dollmaker — this has all the hallmarks of a creepy classic."
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Set in the 1920s, Janine Beacham’s The Doll Twin boasts all the compelling creepiness of Neil Gaiman’s Coraline , which is really saying something.
Orphan Una hails from a lighthouse family and has lived in a children’s home since her mother’s death, which came in the wake of her father not returning from the trenches of the Great War. Unkindly known by the home’s Matron as “Una the Unwanted”, she’s over the moon when old-fashioned Mr and Mrs Smith declare her to be “just the child we’ve dreamed of”.
On arrival in her new home by the sea, Una is happy to make a friend in the thoroughly modern Mary — a girl who loves Hollywood and jazz, and dreams of wearing furs, diamonds and dinner suits. And the same time, Una is somewhat disturbed by hearing creepy carousel music in the dead of night, and then comes a truly terrifying discovery — a glassy-eyed, life- sized copy of herself in doll form, and it turns out it can talk!
Though Una initially comes to the conclusion that “There is nothing in her to be afraid of”, her fears of being sent back to the home — and being usurped by her automaton twin — escalate as illuminating lighthouse legends are revealed, alongside more deliciously dark twists.
Boasting beautifully evocative writing that’s as immediately engrossing as it is enchanting, The Doll Twin feels like a classic creepy tale. With a wonderful conjuration of the 1920s, the sense of place is also eerily atmospheric, from the crashing, thrashing Iron-Hearted Sea, to the twisty mystery that uncoils around her new parents and the dollmaker who once owned their house.
Una Wexford is thrilled to be adopted after the great war, but an eerie secret lurks in her new home - a life sized animated copy of herself.
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Is 'Ani' as innocent as she seems or does she want to steal Una's new family - and her life?
A fantastically spooky and atmospheric seaside tale from the author of Rose Raventhorpe Investigates - will have you shuddering at every creaky floorboard and hungry to solve the creepy mystery as the plot builds to a dark twist
Evocative coastal setting and memorable, awe-inspiring scenes on the beach and at sea, which harness the power of the Iron-Hearted Sea.
‘Eerie, twisty & gorgeously imagined. Una has my heart! A darkly atmospheric tale.’ - Yvonne Banham
‘Exciting. Thrilling. Scary! An immersive read.’ - Julie Pike
‘Dolls, carousels, paintbox colours and stormy seas bring Beacham’s deliciously creepy world to unsettling life.’ - Sarah Driver
‘ The Doll Twin is eerie and unsettling, with a terrifying ending full of thrilling twists, and light to be found in unexpected places.’ - Emma Driver
Janine Beacham has written all her life. A former journalist, she has always loved fairy tales and fantasy, and as a child would make up games for her friends to play at school. Janine once won a competition where the prize was a real-life butler – which partly inspired the secret society of butlers in the Rose Raventhorpe Investigates series.
She lives in Australia with her family.
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Una Wexford is thrilled to be adopted after the great war, but an eerie secret lurks in her new home - a life sized animated copy of herself. Is 'Ani' as innocent as she seems or does she want to steal Una's new family - and her life?
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed The Doll Twin and determined it is suitable for children aged 11-12 years old
The Doll Twin features in the following genres: Fantasy / Magical, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Horror & Ghost Stories, Star Books, Recommendations, Stories about Family and Friends, Featured Books for 11+ readers
Paperback. £7.19, down from the £7.99 cover price. In Stock.
The Doll Twin was written by Janine Beacham and published by Firefly Press Ltd
The Doll Twin has 295 pages
£7.19, reduced from £7.99. In Stock.
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