Publication Date: 4 January 2024

The Blurb

A meteorite harbouring an alien lifeform crashes to Earth with horrifying consequences in this gruesome and gripping tale from master of creepy sci-fi Dan Smith.

What’s slithering about deep underground?

When a meteorite crashes to Earth near Crooked Oak, Pete, Nancy and Krish are determined to find it. But they’re not the only ones …

After spotting one of their teachers up on the moor where the meteorite landed, they start to wonder if his strangely altered behaviour and appearance might be connected to the arrival from outer space. But nothing could prepare them for the horror they uncover deep down in Killburn Mine …

The Review

It’s our fifth trip to Crooked Oak, and my word is it the creepiest one yet! Meteorites, mine shafts and mind control are combined to produce a spine tingling tale that will have you jumping whenever anything brushes your skin.

Deep in Killburn Mine, we are immersed in a world where the unknown lurks just beneath the surface. The palpable sense of dread and the escalating stakes heighten the sense of urgency as Pete, Nancy, and Krish navigate the horrors lurking in the mine shaft, desperate to avoid the fate of their teacher.

Perfectly paced and pitched for middle grade sci-fi horror fans, this is a terrifyingly terrific addition to this hugely popular and highly readable series. Thanks Dan – I’ll try not to have nightmares…

Huge thanks to Barrington Stoke for sending me a finished copy.

The Publisher

Barrington Stoke books are designed to help dyslexic and reluctant readers, with:

• Tinted pages to reduce visual stress, which may be more common in people with dyslexia and can make words seem to jump or dance on the page.
• A special font that helps prevent people with dyslexia confusing letter shapes.
• Special spacing to help minimise confusing, blurring and switching.
• Thick paper to make sure words and pictures don’t show through from other pages and confuse the eye.
• Special editing to help minimise barriers to comprehension. This process was developed by dyslexia and speech and language experts in response to research and feedback from thousands of readers on hundreds of Barrington Stoke manuscripts over the years.