The Lonely Lighthouse of Elston-Fright: An Elston-Fright Tale

SHORTLISTED: 2024 Readings Children's Prize

Being a Lightkeeper is Very Serious Business.

Nobody in Elston-Fright believes in magic anymore. Well, nobody except for Flip Little, his nan and his friends: a girl called Corpse, a ghost called Girl and a very large spider called Simon. But when Simon is spider-napped by ancient weather ghouls called the Poltergusts, Flip and his ghostly companions turn to the last Lightkeeper's journals for answers. To rescue their friend, they will need to find and return the missing Light to the lighthouse, restoring its lost magic. Only nothing in Elston-Fright is as it seems. Questions bubble up from the deep. Dark secrets come to light. And pretty soon, Flip and his friends learn that in order to save the future of Elston-Fright, they'll first need to understand its past.

'A cracking supernatural mystery.' The Age

'An intriguing story lavishly layered with magic, mystery and secrets to uncover.' Richard Pritchard, bestselling co-creator of the Wylah the Koorie Warrior series

'Beautifully original ... kept me up until the witching hour.' Amelia Mellor, bestselling author of The Grandest Bookshop in the World

'Stunningly spooky, with a heart-warming friendship. A magical ghostly adventure you can't put down!' Nat Amoore, bestselling author of We Run Tomorrow

PRAISE FOR A GIRL CALLED CORPSE
'Ghoulishly charming, with a compelling hero you will adore.' Jessica Townsend, New York Times bestselling author of Nevermoor

'Think Neil Gaiman by way of Roald Dahl and Tim Burton.' Books+Publishing

'Fizzes and crackles with magic, mystery and exactly the correct amount of huntsman spiders. I loved this book so much.' Karen Foxlee, bestselling author of Dragon Skin

'As spine-tinglingly creepy as an old, abandoned cemetery. I loved this with my entire soul!' Shirley Marr, award-winning author of A Glasshouse of Stars