Mad Soul Child
Written on Feb 1, 2021
**Named an ‘Amazing Audiobook for Young Adults 2015’ by the Young Adult Library Services Association**
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“The spine-tingling performance of Lyons’ narration will keep listeners on the edge of their seat.” – YALSA committee
"Stroud is a genius" Rick Riordan, author of the Percy Jackson series.
Ghosts and ghouls beware! London’s smallest, shabbiest and most talented psychic detection agency is back.
Life is never exactly peaceful for Lockwood & Co. Lucy and George are trying to solve the mystery of the talking skull trapped in their ghost jar, while Lockwood is desperate for an exciting new case.
Things seem to be looking...
**Named an ‘Amazing Audiobook for Young Adults 2015’ by the Young Adult Library Services Association**
“The spine-tingling performance of Lyons’ narration will keep listeners on the edge of their seat.” – YALSA committee
"Stroud is a genius" Rick Riordan, author of the Percy Jackson series.
Ghosts and ghouls beware! London’s smallest, shabbiest and most talented psychic detection agency is back.
Life is never exactly peaceful for Lockwood & Co. Lucy and George are trying to solve the mystery of the talking skull trapped in their ghost jar, while Lockwood is desperate for an exciting new case.
Things seem to be looking up when the team is called to Kensal Green Cemetery to investigate the grave of a sinister Victorian doctor. Strange apparitions have been seen there, and the site must be made safe. As usual, Lockwood is confident; as usual, everything goes wrong – a terrible phantom is unleashed, and a dangerous object is stolen from the coffin.
Lockwood & Co must recover the relic before its power is unleashed, but it’s a race against time. Their obnoxious rivals from the Fittes agency are also on the hunt. And if that’s not bad enough, the skull in the ghost-jar is stirring again…
The author of the blockbuster BARTIMAEUS sequence delivers another humorous and chilling instalment in the critically acclaimed LOCKWOOD & CO. series.
- ISBN10 1448194776
- ISBN13 9781448194773
- Publish Date 25 September 2014 (first published 28 August 2014)
- Publish Status Active
- Publish Country GB
- Publisher Penguin Random House Children's UK
- Imprint RHCP UK Digital
- Edition Unabridged edition
- Format Audiobook (WAV)
- Duration 11 hours and 38 minutes
- Language English
9781448158706
eBook
9781423164920
Hardcover
9780804123204
Audiobook
9780804123181
Audiobook
9780552568050
Paperback
Reviews
maggiefan
Written on Feb 17, 2019
Rinn
Written on Oct 10, 2014
I first encountered this series at the beginning of the year,...Read more
I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Also posted on my blog, Rinn Reads.
I first encountered this series at the beginning of the year, the first book being The Screaming Staircase and absolutely loved it. There was no question about whether to request the second book from Netgalley or not, regardless of my ridiculous pile of books to review! And luckily, The Whispering Skull definitely lived up to my expectations.
Set six months after the previous book, The Whispering Skull leaps straight into the action: Lockwood & Co have had a run of successful jobs and things are looking up. More and more clients are approaching them for help and for once they don’t feel like they have to compete with other agencies. That’s until a strange and powerful Source is stolen, and Lockwood, Lucy and George are back in competition with the other agencies, as well as in a race against time, to retrieve it. As before, some scenes were actually genuinely creepy and gave me the chills – but combined with the wonderful sense of humour that I’ve come to expect.
A fast-paced read, the writing just flows off the page – although that may be something to do with the intended younger audience – and the exciting moments just keep coming. I felt that the story was perhaps less atmospheric than The Screaming Staircase, but much of the atmosphere of the first book was created by setting up the story and the changes from the world as we know it.
The publisher describes this book as aimed at ‘middle grade’ readers, but as someone in my twenties I have to say I absolutely LOVE this series. It’s a fabulous mix of ghost novel and detective story, with characters you’ll just love. Lockwood is still an enigma, very much a Sherlock type character, and I can imagine him being a bit of a heart-breaker when he gets older. Lucy is the witty and occasionally sarcastic narrator, with George as the brains but also the comic relief. Were I actually within the age range for this book, I can definitely say that the idea of these teens running their own agencies and living alone, without adults, would be a high point!
If you’re looking for something a little bit creepy, but don’t feel quite ready to delve into some serious horror novels, I would definitely recommend giving Lockwood & Co a try.
I first encountered this series at the beginning of the year, the first book being The Screaming Staircase and absolutely loved it. There was no question about whether to request the second book from Netgalley or not, regardless of my ridiculous pile of books to review! And luckily, The Whispering Skull definitely lived up to my expectations.
Set six months after the previous book, The Whispering Skull leaps straight into the action: Lockwood & Co have had a run of successful jobs and things are looking up. More and more clients are approaching them for help and for once they don’t feel like they have to compete with other agencies. That’s until a strange and powerful Source is stolen, and Lockwood, Lucy and George are back in competition with the other agencies, as well as in a race against time, to retrieve it. As before, some scenes were actually genuinely creepy and gave me the chills – but combined with the wonderful sense of humour that I’ve come to expect.
A fast-paced read, the writing just flows off the page – although that may be something to do with the intended younger audience – and the exciting moments just keep coming. I felt that the story was perhaps less atmospheric than The Screaming Staircase, but much of the atmosphere of the first book was created by setting up the story and the changes from the world as we know it.
The publisher describes this book as aimed at ‘middle grade’ readers, but as someone in my twenties I have to say I absolutely LOVE this series. It’s a fabulous mix of ghost novel and detective story, with characters you’ll just love. Lockwood is still an enigma, very much a Sherlock type character, and I can imagine him being a bit of a heart-breaker when he gets older. Lucy is the witty and occasionally sarcastic narrator, with George as the brains but also the comic relief. Were I actually within the age range for this book, I can definitely say that the idea of these teens running their own agencies and living alone, without adults, would be a high point!
If you’re looking for something a little bit creepy, but don’t feel quite ready to delve into some serious horror novels, I would definitely recommend giving Lockwood & Co a try.
limabean74
Written on Jul 23, 2014
When I got and advanced copy of this book I think I might have danced around the house all day. The first one was one of my favorites and I knew this was a series that I would love keeping up with because of the strong story and the wonderful characters. Lockwood, George and Lucy are just a great group of characters that have really wonderful chemistry and I laughed out loud quite a few times. Even though this story is a bit on the creepy side the characters are so funny but have a lot of depth. The story is told in the POV of Lucy, she is a tough cookie, Lockwood reminds me a bit of Sherlock Holmes and George is for sure is his Watson. Stroud makes it really hard not to fall in love with these characters since I find them to be just amazingly written. I will even say the ghost in the jar made me chuckle a few time, I honestly think he was one of my favorite characters in this book. The Fittes agents that are going against Lockwood & Company are just a bunch of jerks and you really want them to lose in the bet that Lockwood sets with them they are the best kind of enemies. All the characters in the books all work well together and I found them all to be very well written. Even the scary elements might not be that scary to adult (maybe more creepy if you actually think of the world he builds) but this would really make for a good spooky read for teens.
It amazes me how authors come up with stories and how they can create all those details to make a story that works. This is such an original take on ghost and ghost hunting. Even though I am not 100% sure the year this is set in. I can tell you it is pretty much an alternate London and I love they way it is done and I love the writing style he has. The entire concept of this book just blows me way with detail of how the world is. Speaking of world I think he has a fantastic world build. At certain points I found it to be a little slow really because it has so much detail going on but it didn’t stop me from loving it any less. The amount of creepiness and scary tension in this book makes it a wonderful read it really is a ghost story that is really well done and it has a great amount of action as the story draws to a close and the reveal was a little predictable but interesting and had a great fight scene…Then the actual end….Oh the end…. just those last 3 words….I literally gasped….I now need the next one ASAP ;)
I adore this series and I look forward to reading all the books Jonathan Stroud writes the Lockwood & Co. series. I gave this book 4.5/5 stars. Filled with lots of action, mystery, humor and a whole lot of creepiness. I can’t recommend this series enough. Young, old this is a must read…I just want to know when someone is going to make this into a movie!
- See more at: http://www.becausereading.com
It amazes me how authors come up with stories and how they can create all those details to make a story that works. This is such an original take on ghost and ghost hunting. Even though I am not 100% sure the year this is set in. I can tell you it is pretty much an alternate London and I love they way it is done and I love the writing style he has. The entire concept of this book just blows me way with detail of how the world is. Speaking of world I think he has a fantastic world build. At certain points I found it to be a little slow really because it has so much detail going on but it didn’t stop me from loving it any less. The amount of creepiness and scary tension in this book makes it a wonderful read it really is a ghost story that is really well done and it has a great amount of action as the story draws to a close and the reveal was a little predictable but interesting and had a great fight scene…Then the actual end….Oh the end…. just those last 3 words….I literally gasped….I now need the next one ASAP ;)
I adore this series and I look forward to reading all the books Jonathan Stroud writes the Lockwood & Co. series. I gave this book 4.5/5 stars. Filled with lots of action, mystery, humor and a whole lot of creepiness. I can’t recommend this series enough. Young, old this is a must read…I just want to know when someone is going to make this into a movie!
- See more at: http://www.becausereading.com