By Catherine Fisher (Firefly Press)
Set in Victorian Wales, this is a tale full of mystery, suspense and winter frosts – perfect for the current chilly weather!
On a cold winter’s evening, while waiting for a train to take her to her godfather’s home in Wales, Seren Rhys is surprised by a tall, slender man in dark clothing.
The stranger seems agitated and anxious, perhaps even fearful. Hearing sounds outside, he begs Seren to safe-guard his parcel while he looks outside for ‘Them’. As he heads out, he warns her NOT to leave the parcel alone.
So starts the mystery. What does the parcel contain? And what – or who – is the stranger afraid of?
Things just get stranger after Seren arrives at her godfather’s and more mysteries pile on.
The Clockwork Crow has the winter magic, suspense and darkness of such classic books as ‘The Box of Delights’; full of strange happenings as the clock counts down to Christmas. I found myself caught up in Seren’s quest, silently willing her on.
The writing is beautiful and atmospheric, even slightly creepy, drawing you into its wintery world. In fact, it was so good that I didn’t want to put it down, and ended up reading it all in one sitting! You can see why it has been shortlisted for BookTrust’s 2019 Blue Peter Book Awards.
Definitely a book made for cocoa and snuggling up warm indoors!
