From the author of The Last Chance Hotel comes a brand new magical mystery …

‘Blending magical adventure with Golden Age crime mystery, this delightfully atmospheric spin-off from the author of The Last Chance Hotel confirms Thornton’s place as one of the most original children’s writers around.’WATERSTONES on book 1

Is Oakmoss Hornbeam the unluckiest boy in the world? Or has someone cursed him?

When a black cat crosses his path, mysteriously blown in by a storm, Oakmoss believes it’s his worst omen yet. But Nightshade, a cat of considerable talents, knows when it’s game on or game over.

With the help of newshound Veena Vale and magical crime investigator Dexter Stormforce, she sets out to become a lucky charm for one very unlucky boy …

• A magical murder mystery story perfect for fans of Robin Stevens and Harry Potter
• By the author of The Last Chance Hotel, chosen as Waterstones Book of the Month and nominated for the CILIP Carnegie Award
• Follows on from The Howling Hag Mystery, a series starring fan-favourite Nightshade the cat as the star of her very own mystery!

Praise for THE LAST CHANCE HOTEL:

‘A jolly, atmospheric mystery.’THE TIMES

‘All kinds of fun’THE OBSERVER

‘[A] mash-up of murder mystery and fantasy … full of great characters, plot twists and intriguing detail.’METRO

‘Featuring magical antics, a talking cat and a locked-room murder mystery, Seth’s story reads like an old-school whodunnit with added wizards and spells’BOOKTRUST