Publication Date: 7th February

Cover illustration by Hannah Peck

Emily has had a very bad day, and it’s all her weird mum’s fault. Well that, and her gob. Emily’s mouth has a habit of running away with itself, especially when talking to her mum about how embarrassing she is. Starving, and on the brink of a midnight run to the fridge, Emily is stopped in her tracks by a mysterious midnight delivery that sends her parents into a flap, and her mum off out into the night.

When, a week later, and her mum still hasn’t returned, another late night delivery arrives and Emily’s dad tells her to stay put until he returns and rides off to the Night Post to bring mum home. Two days, and a mysterious visitor later, Emily realises she’s going to have to do something. With her bag packed (mainly with sandwiches), and Hog for company, she sets off to find the Night Post and her parents.

What she actually finds is a murderous bear, The Midnight Hour, a Victorian London in perpetual darkness, where the Night Folk live, and a plot that could destroy both worlds. Can Emily save her parents and two worlds before her packed lunch runs out?

Laugh out loud funny, this magical, spooky, fantasy grips from the outset, taking the reader on a rollercoaster of twists and turns. A wonderfully eclectic cast of creatures, from odd to funny to scary to downright terrifying, fill The Midnight Hour, which immerses you in the sights, sounds and smells of the Victorian London they inhabit. I can’t wait for more!

Emily is the definition of sass as she attempts to get her head around everything that is happening, that just isn’t believable, especially her quiet, unassuming dad being admired whenever he’s mentioned. Her mouth, is at times, her best asset, buying her time and courage to outwit enemies and reach her goal.

Her ally, Tarquin, is thoughtful and conscientious in comparison, but while one of the Night Folk, feels just as out of place as Emily. His measured response to every situation is the perfect balance to her gung-ho approach.

Great for fans of The Crooked Sixpence, The City Of Secret Rivers and The Train To Impossible Places

Head over to Chicken House for a sneak peak at the first chapter.

Huge thanks to Laura and Chicken House for sending me a copy for review. Not only did I manage to open the envelope without breaking the seal, I also managed to keep it out of reach of the children desperate to get their hands on it too, until I could pick up a finished copy.