By Jack Mackay (author)
"Centred on a creepy Wishing Claw relic, this will thrill and chill 9+-year-olds who enjoy tales of the more menacing kind."
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A village steeped in spooky legends and a mansion in a state of disrepair serve as the ominous settings for John Mackay’s The Haunting of Old Splinter. Melding contemporary context and family dynamics with a creepy mystery, it rings with the age-old “be careful what you wish for” adage as it rises to a climax Edgar Allan Poe would be proud of.
Like his mum, Adrian loves reading horror comics, and both he and his step-brother Peter love listening to enigmatic, local eccentric Alfie tell strange stories. One such story is that of a creepy Wishing Claw connected to Old Splinter, the ruined mansion Peter’s stepdad is renovating. When Peter makes a succession of scary discoveries in Old Splinter, he starts to wonder whether Alfie’s stories might be true, and whether the Wishing Claw could be called upon to fix some of his family’s problems...
Alongside being a suspenseful adventure that escalates into a full-scale horror story, The Haunting of Old Splinter explores themes of bravery and finding freedom from mistakes. In the words of one character, “It’s easy to let our mistakes haunt us…That’s what ghosts are, I suppose.
But we can’t let them chase us forever”. There’s also coverage of learning to love being different (“What’s ‘normal’, anyway? Weird is good”), and authentic handling of blended family dynamics, including a heart-warming representation of how close step-siblings can be, and an honest depiction of Peter’s complex relationship with his dads.
Above all, though, The Haunting of Old Splinter is an electrifying story for fans of scary mysteries and all-out horror.
Be careful what you wish for...
Peter and his half-brother Adrian live in the shadow of Old Splinter - the ruined mansion on the hill, where legends of ancient relics and dark magic swirl. And the cracks are starting to show in their once-happy family.
Faced with the daunting task of renovating the place, Peter's stepdad is at his wits' end and the boys feel powerless to help. Then Peter unearths a horrifying secret in the walls of the mansion and the brothers realise there's some truth to the terrifying tales. If the Wishing Claw is real, it can grant their deepest desires - and it might just bring their family back together.
But wishes are tricky things and Peter unleashes much more than he bargained for. When a monstrous hunger comes knocking at his door, he must find a way to undo his wish before it's too late.
'The perfect amount of creepy - scary enough to make the young readers tear through the chapters ... It’s a book steeped in the horror classics ... Mackay is shaping up as a modern master of the genre.' - Anthony McGowan
'Jack Mackay’s new spine-chiller is a story as much about brothers, sons and fathers as it is about gruesome frights ... a delightfully creepy tale with capacity to surprise the reader with spooky scares as well as take them unawares emotionally too.’ - Keith Gray
'Thrillingly scary and impossible to put down. Don't read it alone!' Jonathan Stroud, author of Lockwood & Co
'Gloam, the accomplished debut by Jack Mackay, ticks a lot of boxes... delivers just the right amount of horror for young readers... a promising debut.' The Times Children's Book of the Week
'A superbly unsettling 9+ horror.' Guardian
Jack Mackay is a writer, theater-maker and horror enthusiast. Though he's currently floating around somewhere near York, his heart is in the Midlands, in his grandparents' creaky old house. He has written stories since he was four years old. He is also the co-founder of Griffonage Theatre, a York-based company with a taste for the madcap and macabre. He loves his family, his dog, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and K-pop.
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Be careful what you wish for... Peter and his half-brother Adrian live in the shadow of Old Splinter - the ruined mansion on the hill, where legends of ancient relics and dark magic swirl.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed The Haunting of Old Splinter and determined it is suitable for children aged 9-12 years old
The Haunting of Old Splinter features in the following genres: Featured Books for 9+ readers, Featured Books for 11+ readers, Recommendations, Fantasy / Magical, Horror & Ghost Stories, Mystery / Mythology, Personal Social Health Economic (PSHE), Children’s / Teenage fiction: Magical realism / Magical fantasy, Children’s / Teenage general interest: Supernatural and mythological creatures, Children’s / Teenage emotions: Courage, bravery, hope, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Children’s / Teenage: General interest, Children’s / Teenage personal and social topics: Emotions, moods, feelings and behaviours
Paperback, Hardback. £8.09, down from the £8.99 cover price. In Stock.
The Haunting of Old Splinter was written by Jack Mackay and published by Rock the Boat an imprint of Oneworld Publications
The Haunting of Old Splinter has 288 pages
£8.09, reduced from £8.99. In Stock.
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