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The Last Day of October

Brief Description
Bored with trick-or-treating, three friends venture into the woods on Halloween night to hunt for the haunted McBride house in this spine-tingling horror story from Phil Hickes. If you go down to the woods today, you’re in for a nasty surprise … Seeking creepy thrills instead... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$1999
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Bored with trick-or-treating, three friends venture into the woods on Halloween night to hunt for the haunted McBride House in this spine-tingling horror story from Phil Hickes.

A spine-tingling middle-grade horror perfect for Halloween! (Dyslexia-friendly)

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Bored with trick-or-treating, three friends venture into the woods on Halloween night to hunt for the haunted McBride house in this spine-tingling horror story from Phil Hickes.

If you go down to the woods today, you’re in for a nasty surprise …

Seeking creepy thrills instead of candy, Cody and his friends set out on Halloween to search for the ruins of the haunted McBride House in the woods near his home in Oregon.

The house has taken on a sinister legendary status after it burned down a hundred years ago with tragic consequences, and it’s said that the ghosts of the family who lived there return each year on the last day of October.

But when they find the house, the truth of what is happening on this eerie autumn night is more terrifying than the three teenagers could ever have imagined …

Particularly suitable for readers aged 9+ with a reading age of 8.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780008748517

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 09 October 2025

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Barrington Stoke Ltd

Illustration: 14 b/w, illus

Contributors:

  • Illustrated by Oriol Vidal

Audience: Children, Teenage

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 6.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 180g

Pages: 96

About the Author

Born in the UK, Phil now lives with his wife in Portland, Oregon, where he works as an advertising copywriter. He has a passion for horror, ghosts, and all things that go bump in the night. His short stories have been published in adult horror anthologies, but Phil turned his hand to writing middle grade as he wanted to create the same visceral thrill he remembers from reading Alan Garner, Clive King and Roald Dahl. The Haunting of Aveline Jones is his first middle grade novel.

Also by Phil Hickes

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  • The Haunting of Aveline Jones
    Aveline Jones loves reading ghost stories, so a dreary half-term becomes much more exciting when she discovers a spooky old book. Not only are the stories spine-tingling, but it once belonged to Primrose Penberthy, who vanished mysteriously, never to be seen again. Intrigued, Aveline decides to investigate Primrose's disappearance. Now someone...or something, is stirring. And it is looking for Aveline....
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  • The Vanishing of Aveline Jones
    Turn on your torches and join Aveline Jones! Aveline is determined to discover the truth behind her uncle's mysterious disappearance when she travels to his home with Mum and Aunt Lilian. After years of hoping Aveline's uncle would return, they have finally decided to sell his house - but Aveline and Harold have other plans. Sneaking into her uncle's study,...
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  • Shadowhall Academy: Ghost Story Society
    Welcome back to Shadowhall Academy, where ghost stories come true. A brilliantly spooky series from the author of Aveline Jones. It's the perfect night for a ghost story, don't you think? As if Shadowhall Academy wasn't creepy enough, Lilian and her friends have started a Ghost Story Society. It's all harmless fun, until one girl warns of a sinister book...
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  • The Bewitching of Aveline Jones
    The second in a deliciously spine-tingling, spooky series. Turn on your torches and join Aveline Jones! Aveline is thrilled when she discovers that the holiday cottage her mum has rented for the summer is beside a stone circle. Thousands of years old, the local villagers refer to the ancient structure as the Witch Stones, and Aveline cannot wait to learn...
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  • Shadowhall Academy: The Whispering Walls
    "Genuinely chilling... Kids are going to absolutely love it." - Jennifer Killick, author of Dread Wood "Boarding school and spookiness - Malory Towers gone rogue!" - Lesley Parr, author of When the War Came Home Welcome to Shadowhall Academy, where spirits haunt the school halls. A brilliantly spooky new series from the author of Aveline Jones. I heard a tapping...
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