Synopses & Reviews
The Goodman children are spending their first proper holiday with their estranged archaeologist father since their parents divorcedlooking forward to seeing what his new house in the country is like. They know it is a crumbling old pub, which he is renovating, but not long after they arrive, they realize their dad bought the pub for a reasonbecause of what is said to be buried beneath it. Objects move in the night, strange noises can be heard coming from the cellar, and a creepy looking guy is hanging around the village asking sinister questions about their dad, and the old pub. Thirteen-year-old Hugh Goodman is intrigued, and digs a little deeper into the mysteries of the house than he should. Before he knows it he and his siblings are caught up in a horrifying secret, and the discovery of an ancient chamber, where lies the restless ghost of a buried templar knight. Will the ghost avenge his own death using innocent children, or can they manage to beat evil forces?
Review
"What Rees does frighteningly well is build up the slow tension in her stories." —The Guardian
Review
"Compelling and convincing . . . Rees has become a major writer for teenage readers." —The Independent
Review
"Rees's outstanding fiction carries both historical and psychological conviction." —Books for Keeps
Review
"Well-known for her ability to write gripping stories featuring strong, intelligent female characters." —The Financial Times
About the Author
Celia Rees is a children's book author known for horror and fantasy. Her many titles include The Bailey Game, Pirates!, The Wish House, Witch Child, and Sorceress, which was shortlisted for the Whitbread Children's Book Award.