All Lucy’s books are available in your local indie bookshop, from Waterstones, Amazon or from Lucy’s bookshop at uk.bookshop.org
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Lockett & Wilde’s Dreadfully Haunting Mysteries: The Ghosts of the Manor (Book 1)
Matilda Lockett is playing the ghost of Poor Dead Edna in her aunt’s spooky stage show when she discovers she really can see ghosts!
Called to investigate a MOST DREADFUL HAUNTING at Beauchamp Manor, she teams up with ghost boy Edgar Wilde, and a new snooping partnership is formed: Lockett & Wilde - supernatural sleuths!
‘All hail Lockett & Wilde!’ - Lemony Snicket
“Comic, cosy and eerie.’ - The Guardian
“A stunningly spooky mystery.’ - Maz Evans
‘A brilliant new series of spooky mysteries.’ - Ben Miller
‘A sprightly, spooky comedy crime caper.’ A F Harrold
AGE 8+
The River Spirit
(Barrington Stoke, 2024)
Trapped within the oppressive warrens of the city’s chimneys, young sweeper Tom longs for fresh air and freedom in this atmospheric and ghostly tale from Lucy Strange.
"Combining fascinating and important history with the magical and supernatural, this captivating, beautiful and tragic story is sure to become essential reading for Upper Key Stage 2 children learning about the Industrial Revolution and the plight of those involved in child labour." – Kate Heap, Scope for Imagination
‘A stunning piece of storytelling." – Lancashire Post
‘A huge asset to the classroom for study of that period … More than that, they are atmospheric and mesmerising reads.’ – Books for Keeps
AGE 9+
The I
sland at the Edge of Night
(Chicken House, April 2024)
Abandoned at a boarding school on a wild and remote island, Faye Fitzgerald discovers that she and the other pupils have been sent there for doing something wicked.
But what is it that Faye has done?
She might be bold enough to tackle the sinister mysteries of the island, but has she the courage to face the secrets deep within herself?
A twisty-turny, darkly mysterious tale from the Queen of Gothic, Lucy Strange. Perfect for fans of Frances Hardinge and Emma Carroll.
‘Dazzling, endearing, unputdownable, green-magical.’ - Hilary McKay
'A magnificent book. I was gripped from start to finish.' - Natasha Farrant
'Unputdownable. From its gripping drama to its breathtaking beauty, I loved every word.' - Eloise Williams
‘A gripping tale, as gritty and gothic as it is otherworldly and luminous. Nobody does it like Strange. - Nicholas Bowling
AGE 9+
Go to the Chicken House website to read the thrilling prologue!
The Storm and the Minotaur
(Barrington Stoke, 2023)
Money is scarce in George’s family and so at the age of nine he has to join his father underground, hewing coal in the local mine. It’s far from the dreams George had of continuing his education, and it’s also a dangerous way to earn a living that has already claimed the life of his dad’s older brother.
Not long after he starts work, a summer storm leads to flooding in the mine. Trapped down in the dark, George spots a shadowy figure that seems to be telling George to follow him.
Can a ghost from the past lead him back to safety, or will George meet the same fate as his long-lost uncle?
A short, dyslexia-friendly novel, illustrated by Pam Smy and published by Barrington Stoke. Click here for FREE online KS2 teaching resources available!
"Superb, an eerie weaving of history and mythology, in the hollow, haunted world of not-so-long-ago." -- Hilary McKay
"Packed with peril, immersive descriptions and atmospheric artwork that brings the historical period to life, this heart-racing story comes to a satisfying ending when the near-tragedy leads to a change in George’s landscape, and a seam of opportunity opens up in a future that appeared to be set in stone." -- My Book Corner, Blog
“Lucy Strange and Pam Smy have absolutely smashed it out of the park with The Storm and the Minotaur . . . This would be a fantastic book to use for KS2 History . . . We absolutely loved it.” --weeclassics.com
“History, mystery and myth combine in a beautiful and mesmerising story” -- Pam Norfolk
AGE 9+
The Mermaid in the Millpond
(Barrington Stoke, 2022)
Sometimes the only way to save yourself is to save someone else . . .
Bess has left the London workhouse behind for a job at a rural cotton mill. But life at the mill is hard and cruel - a far cry from the fresh start Bess hoped for. The only way to survive is to escape, but the mill is like a prison with no way out. Meanwhile, rumours are spreading about a vicious creature that lurks in the millpond. Bess is sure it’s all nonsense, until one night she sees something stir in the murky water . . .
A short, dyslexia-friendly novel, illustrated by Pam Smy and published by Barrington Stoke. Click here for FREE online KS2 teaching resources available!
"A slight but poignant novella ... We need a follow-up" -- The Times Children's Book of the Week
"Evocative and eerie ... Another bite-size delight from Barrington Stoke" -- Karen McCombie
"A gripping story of courage, kindness and friendship full of supernatural overtones and with a convincing Industrial Revolution setting" -- Books for Keeps
"[An] evocative slice of historical drama ... a book that transports us from our world to an almost timeless zone of wonder in amongst the darkness" -- The Bookbag
AGE 9+
Sisters of the Lost Marsh
(Chicken House, 2021)
From the Waterstones Prize-shortlisted author of Our Castle by the Sea comes a gorgeously gothic story, perfect for fans of Emma Carroll and Frances Hardinge ...
“My book of the year. This is storytelling so secure and shining that you can almost feel the glow.” HILARY MCKAY, COSTA BOOK AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR OF THE SKYLARK'S WAR
“I absolutely love this book ... Lucy Strange is a wonderful, accomplished writer whose books stay with you long after you have finished reading.” NATASHA FARRANT, COSTA BOOK AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR OF VOYAGE OF THE SPARROWHAWK
Life is hard for Willa, Grace and Freya, and their three younger sisters. Six motherless girls working a farm, living in fear of their cruel father and the superstition that obsesses him - The Curse of Six Daughters.
With the arrival of the mysterious Full Moon Fayre, there's a chance for the eldest girls to steal a moment's fun, but the day the fayre moves on, Grace vanishes.
Willa goes after her, following a trail that leads into the dangerous Lost Marsh, where it is said a will-o'-the-wisp lures lost souls into the dark waters of the mire. If Willa is to survive and reunite her family, she will need to unravel the secrets her father has kept hidden, and face her own deepest fears ...
Recommendation from author Tamsin Winter on Shepherd.com here!
Go to the Chicken House website to read the first chapter!
AGE 9+
The Ghost of Gosswater
(Chicken House, 2020)
It looks like glimmering mist, the shimmer of starlight on the lake - opal-white. It is moving, as if blown by the wind, towards the brightly lit windows of Gosswater Hall.
It is a girl - the shape of a girl.
The Lake District, 1899. The Earl is dead, and cruel Cousin Clarence has inherited everything. Twelve-year-old Lady Agatha Asquith is cast out of Gosswater Hall to live in a tiny, tumbledown cottage with a stranger who claims to be her father. Aggie is determined to discover her real identity, but she is not alone on her quest for the truth. On the last day of the year, when the clock strikes midnight, a mysterious girl of light creeps through the crack in time; she will not rest until the dark, terrible secrets of the past have been revealed . . .
The Ghost of Gosswater is a thrilling gothic mystery from the author of Our Castle by the Sea, shortlisted for the Waterstones Children's Book Prize 2020.
"Strange goes gothic with this superb atmospheric adventure of family secrets and identity, laced with ghostly intrigue." THE BOOKSELLER
"In her third novel, Strange is at her assured, brilliant best." THE GUARDIAN
"Family secrets, a ghost girl and a forbidding manor house that goes up in smoke – this new story by Lucy Strange is a classic gothic novel for beginners with affectionate nods to Jane Eyre and Rebecca. You can’t help rooting for Agatha in this spooky, addictive tale of friendship and family.” THE TIMES, CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE WEEK
"Told in deft and luminous language, The Ghost of Gosswater is storytelling at its very best." KIRAN MILLWOOD HARGRAVE
"One of those eerie, shimmering, unputdownable books." HILARY MCKAY
AGE 9+
Go to the Chicken House website to read the prologue!
Our Castle by the Sea
(Chicken House, 2019)
Perhaps it is a dream, I think, but I know that it is real. Everything that just happened was real. A moment ago, the world exploded, and the white cliffs fell.
England is at war. Growing up in a lighthouse, Pet's world has been one of storms, secret tunnels and stories about sea monsters. But now the clifftops are a terrifying battleground, and her family is torn apart. This is the story of a girl who is small, afraid and unnoticed. A girl who freezes with fear at the enemy planes ripping through the skies overhead. A girl who is somehow destined to become part of the strange, ancient legend of the Daughters of Stone . . .
WINNER of the Historical Association’s Young Quills Award for children’s historical fiction. WINNER of the Dutch Zilveren Griffel prize. Nominated for the Carnegie Prize and shortlisted for the Waterstones Children's Book Prize 2020. Go to the Chicken House website to read the whole prologue!
“Strange follows her impressive debut The Secret of Nightingale Wood in great style here, in a rich and atmospheric historical novel. Her lyrical prose is combined with a thrilling, intricately plotted mystery, while the legend of the stones adds a mesmerising sense of the fantastical.” THE BOOKSELLER, CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE MONTH
“Strange… sets up her story powerfully. She ends with a twist and gives us a real sense of how war and other people’s suspicions can be contagious and fracture the strongest family unit.” THE TIMES, CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE WEEK
“Both an exciting thriller and a thoughtful examination of how appearances can be deceptive and how dangerous this is in the suspicious, rumour-driven atmosphere of war… Underpinned by the legend of a sea monster, this is a rewarding read.” THE MAIL
“This atmospheric Second World War tale has a touch of fantasy… As much fairy tale as historical fiction.” THE TELEGRAPH *****
“A thrilling Second World War story about belonging and betrayal.” THE GUARDIAN, CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE MONTH
Go to the Chicken House website to read the prologue!
AGE 9+
The Secret of Nightingale Wood
(Chicken House, 2016)
As I walked through the garden, my shadow stretched ahead of me, towards the mysterious forest. It sat there darkly, like a thundercloud that had fallen from the sky.
1919. Mama is ill. Father has taken a job abroad. Nanny Jane is too busy to pay any attention to Henrietta and the things she sees - or thinks she sees - in the shadows of their new home, Hope House. All alone, with only stories for company, Henry discovers that Hope House is full of strange secrets: a forgotten attic, ghostly figures, mysterious firelight that flickers in the trees beyond the garden. One night she ventures into the darkness of Nightingale Wood. What she finds there will change her whole world . . .
Go to the Chicken House website to read the whole first chapter!
Waterstones Children's Book of the Month, October 2016
“Rich with nods to classics like Tom’s Midnight Garden… [An] outstanding debut.” THE BOOKSELLER
“A gripping novel in Secret Garden mode… Bliss for passionate readers aged nine and older.” THE NEW STATESMAN
“Old-fashioned storytelling with a light touch.” THE SUNDAY TIMES
“It’s shrouded in mystery… a real page-turner – I finished reading it in one night when my son went to bed.” Caroline Ash, primary school deputy head teacher. Recommendation published in The Guardian
“A beautifully told story about loss, grief and the restorative power of the imagination.” M G LEONARD
AGE 9+
All Lucy’s books are available in your local bookshop, Waterstones or Amazon, but if you buy them from Lucy’s bookshop at uk.bookshop.org, you are not only supporting Lucy but also our indie bookshops too - hurrah! Click HERE to go to Lucy’s Bookshop!
(Header image, detail from cover design for The Ghost of Gosswater, by Helen Crawford-White)