A stunning debut . . . This is an exquisitely written book about identity and wordplay that's as warm, masterful and up-to-date as it is laugh-out-loud funny. -- Kitty Empire - Observer

Deliciously, quirkily Gothic -- Robin Stevens - New York Times Book Review

Murder most splendid in this ghoulish debut -- Emily Bearn - The Telegraph

Gothic mystery brimming with bonkers characters and boundless energy - Daily Mail

A fun read with diverse characters and an enticing setting. -- Alice Clifford - The Sun

A mystery that is as clever and impish as its heroine - Publisher's Weekly Starred Review

An absolutely delightful debut - Kirkus Reviews Starred Review

A witty confection of highly colourful characters - The Horn Book

A delightful pick for sharp readers enamoured of gothic sensibilities and clever prose - Shelf Awareness Starred Review

This witty, imaginative entry deserves a prominent space on the MG shelf. - PaperBound

Beth Lincoln was raised in a former Victorian railway station in the North of England. Her childhood fears included porcelain dolls, the Durham panther, and wardrobes that looked at her funny. She grew neither tall nor wise, and never learned to play an instrument - but she did write stories, a bad habit that has persisted to this day.

When she isn't writing, Beth is woodcarving, or making a mess of her flat, or talking the nearest ear off about unexplained occurrences. Her favourite things include ghosts, crisps, and weird old words like bumbershoot and zounderkite.

She lives in Newcastle upon Tyne with her partner and hopefully, by the time you are reading this, a dog.

Claire Powell is a bestselling children's book illustrator who got her first book deal in 2016 and has never looked back. After spending many years in London, Claire now enjoys a quieter life in the rolling hills of Derbyshire with her partner Stefan (who may not agree that living with Claire is quiet).