Mini reviews: The Dagger In The Desk and Marly's Ghost

The Dagger In The Desk by Jonathan Stroud

In London, a mysterious and potentially deadly ghost is stalking the halls of St Simeon’s Academy for Talented Youngsters. It lurks in the shadows, spreading fear and icy cold – and it carries a sharp and very solid dagger . . .

The headmaster wastes no time in enlisting the help of ghost-hunters Anthony Lockwood, Lucy Carlyle and George Cubbins.

Can Lockwood & Co. survive the night and save the day?

Short story set after The Screaming Staircase. A far less complicated case than the main books: old school building is being haunted and headmaster being terrorised, they are hired to find out who and why and stop them. The normal rules apply but this time they actually follow them: get in, get out, home in time for toast. Just an extra little case spent with my favourite ghost hunters, still full of charm and quips and mental ghosts. 

Published 9th Feburary 2015 by RHCP Digital. 


Marly's Ghost by David Levithan
A remix of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol with a Valentine’s twist

When Ben’s girlfriend, Marly, dies, he feels his life is over and the prospect of Valentine’s day without her fills him with bitterness. But then Marly arrives – or at least, her ghost does – along with three other spirits. Now Ben must take a journey through Valentines past, present and future – and what he learns will change him forever.

Marly doesn't want Ben to spend his life mourning her and said so before she died but Ben isn't strong enough to move on. So when Valentine's comes around, he turns into a bit of a Grinch. Marly is forced to come back and haunt him into realising that life needs to move on.

Some things worked, like the whole idea and Marly coming back to get Ben off his moping ass, but some things were a little too strained to fit the story. Basically a quick and enjoyable read but not my favourite re-telling.

Published 8th January 2015 by Electric Monkey.