Chicken House ISBN: 9781912626212 £6.99
Hedy and Spencer are sent to stay with Grandpa John, in his creepy house. John used to be a magician, but is now a recluse. The children do not know him very well. The Great House is full of mysterious objects, some of which are magical. Most of the rooms are out-of-bounds, but the children start to explore. They find messages on dusty picture frames and are soon determined to solve the mystery of their grandmother’s disappearance decades earlier. Their search for clues involves a mounted stag head, a bear rug, ravens, gargoyles, danger, secrets and magic. The mystery unfolds at good pace. With atmospheric descriptions of the house and interesting family relationships. I enjoyed the links between the past and the present. A thought-provoking great read for children aged 9+ .
Brenda Marshall