Lockett & Wilde’s Dreadfully Haunting Mysteries: The Ghosts of the Manor

Lucy Strange, illustrated by Pam Smy

This is glorious! It is the first in a new series of cosy, gothic style mysteries involving a sassy little girl called Matilda and Edgar, a boy who is slightly more nervous and who happens to be a ghost. Award winning Lucy Strange and Pam Smy have combined their skills to create an illustrated hardback story which deserves to be a huge success.

Matilda, her Aunt Signora Valentina, and Uncle Barnabus make a living giving performances communicating with the dead. When Baroness Rosa Beauchamp requests their presence to get rid of a ghost at Beauchamp Manor in exchange for a large amount of money they readily agree. What follows is a mystery involving not only ghosts but the hunt for the priceless Beauchamp blue diamond.

This has plenty of humour. Matilda is instantly likeable and I loved the idea of putting some key dialogue into the illustrations. As for the book itself, the combination of pale blue and black work well with the spooky theme. I’m looking forward to, what I hope, will be more adventures with Matilda and Edgar.

Published by Walker Books, 2024 (220 pages)

You can buy this book via our BookKind affiliate link