Review: Lockett & Wilde’s Dreadfully Haunting Mysteries: The Ghosts of the Manor
Written by Lucy Strange
Illustrated by Pam Smy
Published by Walker Books
Genres: adventure, mystery, supernatural, humour, young fiction
Lockett & Wilde’s Dreadfully Haunting Mysteries: The Ghosts of the Manor is a warm-hearted, spooky and funny offering from author Lucy Strange. The book is the first of a series of mystery books by Strange which are aimed at the younger reader. The story is accompanied by plenty of beautiful illustrations drawn by Pam Smy.
Set in the 1930s, Matilda Lockett, alongside her Aunt Evelyn aka Signora Valentina, and her Uncle Barnabus, wow audiences in London with a supernatural theatre act which relies more on theatrical flair than the actual ability to speak with the dead. When asked by audience member, Lady Beauchamp, to rid her home of an annoying ghost, Evelyn and Barnabus, taking Maltida with them, set off with high hopes of securing a lucrative pay check. On reaching the Manor house Matilda makes some surprising discoveries about the manor’s manifestations, not least that she is actually able to communicate with the ghosts. On meeting Edgar Wilde, the ghost of a boy who is lost and confused, they become friends and join together to form an unlikely pair of sleuths. Together they strive to solve the mystery of the Manor’s haunting and discovery the truth of the manor’s long-lost treasure.
Strange creates an atmospheric gothic setting with likeable, quirky and easy to relate to characters. Matilda and Edgar form a wonderful bond of friendship which is lovingly developed throughout the tale which shows them connecting over their enjoyment of sleuthing. The theatrical personalities of Evelyn and Barnabus, together with Colin, the talking parakeet, with his rude rhymes and inappropriately timed utterances, provide many comedy moments throughout the book. There is mystery, misunderstanding, poignancy and devilry afoot in this story which has a lovely fluency of narrative and great images which help to tell move the story along. It is an enjoyable moral tale with an ending which leaves the reader feeling warm-hearted and feel-good.
The book is ideal for those over 8+ though some of the vocabulary may be a little challenging which I personally don’t see as a bad thing.The Ghost of the Manor is a beautifully packaged story within an attractive foiled front cover featuring blue, white and grey images which reflects the colour theme of the illustrations found throughout the book.
This book was given to me as a birthday present and I devoured it in an evening, showing that it is not just young readers which will enjoy this lovely book.
