The Howling Hag Mystery

If you loved the previous books by this author, starting with the Last Chance Hotel, then you are going to be right at home with this.  Raven Charming knows that she is from a family of witches, but that is meant to be a great secret.  However, when a new boy in the village, Morti Scratch, starts talking about someone called the Howling Hag, she starts to get worried.  As far as she knows this is just the name of the pub where Morti now lives, but is there more to the story?  When strange things start happening at school and it looks as if Raven’s sister, Rookery might get the blame, then it is time to do something.  At this point we are introduced to a familiar face; Nightshade, the talking cat from the previous books, is staying in the village and decides to take a hand in solving the mystery.  The story is full of inter school rivalry, theft, a nasty headteacher and of course the Howling Hag themself.  Can the friends solve the mysteries and bring peace back to the village?

This is a brilliant, funny and fast paced adventure story that children will love.  The bits of magic, mixed in with the realities of school and peer groups make it an exciting read that a wide range of readers.  The story is told from the viewpoint of both Raven and Nightshade, so that you build up a varying perspective.  Nightshade is a wonderfully ‘snarky’ individual, who definitely thinks some humans are rather inferior to cats.  However, she finds that with this investigation she finds out more about her own history, and how she is able to talk.  There are strong themes of family and friendship as well as not judging people on first appearances.  Nicki Thornton has given us a series of stories that are fast becoming modern classics and this story makes a great addition to the series.