New Releases by Joseph Delaney

Another thrilling and magical adventure from master storyteller Joseph Delaney, set in the multi-million copy bestselling world of The Spook''s Apprentice We are entering a new age of darkness. Hell has grown in power and neither priest nor Spook can do anything about it. So go home now while you can . . . Years have passed since Wulf and Tilda vanished from the County. Alice and Tom have given up hope of ever seeing them again - until a terrible enemy from the past forces them to take drastic action, and reach out through time in a bid for help. Now Wulf faces the greatest and most powerful demon who has ever walked the Dark: the Fiend. He will have to use all his powers - and gather some new ones - to have even a chance of survival . . .

The next thrilling and magical adventure set in the multi million copy bestselling world of The Spook''s Apprentice. Wulf has left behind his life in the monastery and is now the Apprentice to Spook Johnson, assisting him in protecting the County from denizens of the dark - which mainly involves Wulf acting as bait. But Wulf is captured by Hrothgar, a giant with abilities to conjure subservient creatures - or tulpas - from his imagination. And he strongly suspects that Wulf has these abilities too . . . Wulf begrudgingly begins training with his new master, but meanwhile, something dangerous is afoot in the County. Wulf''s old friends, Tom and Alice, have been imprisoned by an all-powerful witch and her brain sucking minions. And together with Tilda, Tom and Alice''s daughter, he needs to rescue them from Circe''s enchanted lair before it''s too late...

Matt Haig, Derek Landy, Philip Reeve, Joseph Delaney, Susan Cooper, Mal Peet, Berlie Doherty, Robin Jarvis, Eleanor Updale, Jamila Gavin and Sam Llewellyn have come together to bring you eleven spine-tingling stories. Watch your step as you take a ghost walk around the ancient city of York and a long-ago woodland which is reawakening. Be warned of the drowned boy who will stop at nothing to find someone to play with for all time. Look into the mirror, where a lost child lurks, ready to pull you in, and try not to cry out at the monstrous creatures prowling for their next victim. Some stories will make you scream, some will make you shiver - but all will haunt you long after you''ve put the book down.

A gloriously spooky horror-fantasy story from Joseph Delaney, the internationally multi-million bestselling author of The Spook''s Apprentice Crafty halted, his heart lurching with fear, his mouth dry. There were bare footprints in the white snow, and each one was smeared with red, as if the owner of those clawed feet had stepped in a puddle of blood . . . Crafty and his friends have already faced dozens of horrifying aberrations during their time as Castle Gate Grubs - assistants to the mysterious guild of Gatemancers, who fight against the terrifying Shole. But the real battle is only just beginning. New and more dangerous aberrations are appearing all the time, and worse yet, it seems someone from within the Castle is helping them attack. And when an old enemy returns to give Crafty a disturbing warning, it seems time might be running out for all of them . . .

The first book in a horrifying new fantasy sequence from Joseph Delaney, the internationally multi-million-selling author of The Spook''s Apprentice. They heard shouting, and cries of fear. Crafty looked down the slope and realised what had happened to cause so much panic. Without warning, the dark wall of the Shole had advanced. Crafty can''t remember a time before the Shole - the terrifying mist that has engulfed most of Britain, leaving those trapped in it to either die or be transformed into terrifying monsters: the aberrations. Crafty has been stuck in his family''s cellar for nearly a year, his only companions his restless, whispering dead brothers, and an unusually friendly aberration he names the Bog Queen. But then Crafty''s life abruptly changes. He is ordered to report to the Castle, where he will train as a gate grub - operators of magical portals that allow the mysterious guild of Gatemancers to explore within the Shole. It is a dangerous job, with a very short life expectancy... To survive, Crafty will have to use every inch of his cunning - whatever the cost.

The conclusion to Joseph Delaney’s three-book arc about Thomas Ward that began with A New Darkness! The chilling and action-packed adventure from the internationally bestselling Last Apprentice series will delight fans new and old. In his job as the county spook, seventeen-year-old Thomas Ward is used to battling boggarts, witches, and other creatures of the dark. But now he and his apprentice, Jenny, must team up with former rivals and enemies to fight the evil Kobalos warriors intent on destroying the county. The fight has cost the life of a strong ally, Grimalkin the witch assassin. Determined to end the war with the demons, Tom leads Jenny and Alice to Pendle for one last epic clash. Loyalties will be tested, alliances will be broken, and not everyone will survive. A final, heart-pounding adventure about Thomas Ward, from the internationally bestselling author of The Last Apprentice series, which Booklist called “one of the best-written [series] of the last several years.” Delaney’s deliciously scary imagination will satisfy longtime fans and intrigue new ones. Perfect for readers who love thrills, chills, and adventure—no prior knowledge of the Last Apprentice series needed!

The third exhilarating instalment in the Arena 13 series by Joseph Delaney, author of THE SPOOK’S APPRENTICE After everything Leif has been through in Arena 13, it’s finally time for him to fulfil his destiny and accompany his father’s people beyond the barrier that imprisons all mankind. Meanwhile, Kwin, the girl he loves, is making waves in the arena as the first woman ever to grace its fighting floor. In their own ways, each of them is fighting to bring down the superhuman monsters that threaten the last people on earth. They might have picked fights they can’t win. But freedom could be something worth dying for. Books in the series 1: ARENA 13 2: ARENA 13: THE PREY 3: ARENA 13: THE WARRIOR

After everything Leif has been through in Arena 13, it''s finally time for him to fulfill his destiny and accompany his father''s people beyond the barrier that imprisons all mankind. Meanwhile, Kwin, the girl he loves, is making waves in the arena as the first woman ever to grace its fighting floor. In their own ways, each of them is fighting to bring down the superhuman monsters that threaten the last people on earth. They might have picked fights they can''t win. But freedom could be something worth dying for.

The third chilling instalment in the new Spook''s legend . . . An assassin lurks in the darkness between earth and oblivion - but who are they, and what is their mission? The people of the County live in fear of the beasts bent on bringing the war to their home. How can they possibly hope to survive when their fearsome enemies are fortified with the power of a god? Could the creature that moves in the darkness be the saviour the County seeks? Praise for A New Darkness- ''A solid, suspenseful, and spooky adventure'' Publishers Weekly Praise for The Dark Army- ''Unbeatable stuff for readers who like to be terrified!'' Andrea Reece, lovereading4kids

The second book in a new trilogy from Joseph Delaney, the author of the internationally best-selling Last Apprentice series. Tom Ward is now spook of the county, and with his apprentice, Jenny, he continues the fight against boggarts, witches, and terrifying new creatures of the dark. Together with the witch assassin, Grimalkin, Tom and Jenny lead an army into battle against a dangerous enemy—but it all goes catastrophically wrong. The situation seems hopeless until Alice—Tom’s lost love and a powerful witch—appears. But Alice had turned to the dark: can Tom trust her now? Joseph Delaney’s deliciously scary imagination continues Tom’s saga, introducing new readers to the struggle against the encroaching dark and taking longtime fans back to familiar settings, where they will find old friends—and old enemies. Perfect for every reader who loves thrills, chills, action, and adventure—no prior knowledge of the Last Apprentice series is necessary!

The second terrifying tale in the Spook''s spin-off series from bestselling author Joseph Delaney. Thomas Ward was working as the new County Spook, fighting the Dark with his own apprentice. But a new enemy stirred in the north, and Tom''s calling required him to leave his home and lead an uprising against a legion of beasts: creatures of the dark intent on locking the whole earth in a never-ending winter. Then something went horribly wrong, and now Tom lies cold in a grave, while those who remain are in despair. Who can now take up the battle? And how much time remains before the dark army brings the fight back to the County, and the world is changed for ever?

Following the first year of his apprenticeship as an Arena 13 combatant, Leif seeks information from his late father''s people. There he learns more about the man, who was the greatest arena fighter ever seen. The man who came so close to destroying the demon Hob, but paid a terrible price for every victory. Leif returns to the fighting floor with a renewed hunger for revenge. But can he remain focused on his training as his passion for his master''s daughter, Kwin, grows? And will his place in his master''s greater plan help or hinder him in his personal mission to defeat Hob in a fight to the death? The second instalment in the legend of ARENA 13. Books in the series 1: ARENA 13 2: ARENA 13: THE PREY

The second instalment of Joseph Delaneyâe(tm)s exhilarating new ARENA 13 series. Sixteen-year-old Leif continues on his quest to find out the truth about his legendary father. Will his fatherâe(tm)s people hold the key to Leifâe(tm)s future? And will what he learns bring him closer to attaining his goal of becoming the best fighter the city has ever seen? Or will the monster that has stalked his life, wreak his promised revenge?

The first book in the exhilarating new fantasy sequence from Joseph Delaney, the multi-million-selling author of The Spook''s Apprentice. Welcome to Arena 13. Here warriors fight. Death is never far away . . . Leif has one ambition: to become the best fighter in the notorious Arena 13. Here, punters place wagers on which fighter will draw first blood. And in grudge matches, they bet on which fighter will die. But the country is terrorized by the creature Hob, an evil being who delights in torturing its people, displaying his devasting power by challenging an Arena 13 combatant in a fight to the death whenever he chooses. And this is exactly what Leif wants . . . For he knows Hob''s crimes well. and at the heart of his ambition burns the desire for vengeance. Leif is going to take on the monster who destroyed his family. Even if it kills him.

The city of Midgard is terrorised by Hob, a terrifying, evil creature who tortures at will and has the rulers of the city completely under his control. The thirteen fighting arenas in the citiy are forever full with punters eager to make their fortune betting on the fights that take place there. The most popular âe" and the most terrifying of these âe" is the thirteen arena, the arena where the Trig fighters battle. Sixteen-year-old Leith is determined to train as a Trig fighter and gets himself apprenticed to Tyron, the greatest of all trainers. But little does his new trainer or the other apprentices know, Leith has a personal battle to fight. Heâe(tm)s going to avenge the death of his father by killing Hob himself . . .

A blood-curdling original novella from the world of the internationally bestselling fantasy adventure series that inspired the major motion picture Seventh Son! This short novella stars the Spook''s seventh apprentice, a boy named Will Johnson. Will is a seventh son of a seventh son, the perfect candidate to train as the Spook''s apprentice . . . but Will is lazy. Mr. Gregory is giving him one last chance to shape up or be sent home. When Mr. Gregory leaves to deal with some boggarts, he tells Will to catch up on his notes, practice throwing his silver chain, and not to take on any spook business of his own—under any circumstances. But when the pig butcher''s son rings the Spook''s bell, panicked because a witch has his father, can Will really ignore him? In The Seventh Apprentice, Joseph Delaney packs all of the terror and gore of the Last Apprentice series into a short novella. The Last Apprentice series is now a major motion picture, Seventh Son, starring Jeff Bridges, Ben Barnes, Alicia Vikander, Kit Harington, Olivia Williams, Antje Traue, Djimon Hounsou, and Julianne Moore as Mother Malkin. It''s a suspenseful thrill ride that''s "spine-tingling" (Publishers Weekly) and "anything but tame" (Horn Book). But don''t read it after dark! Epic Reads Impulse is a digital imprint with new releases each month.

Ready to be presented to the last apprentice, Tom Ward, the spook''s notebook contains instructions for vanquishing boggarts, witches, the unquiet dead, and other dark creatures and spirits.

This haunting stand-alone story is a must have for SPOOK''S fans and a perfect introduction to Joseph Delaney''s terrifying series which has sold 3 million copies sold worldwide! The Spook is away on a dangerous job, and left behind, his seventh apprentice, Will, is compelled to help a boy whose father has been kidnapped by a ruthless and bloodthirsty witch who has the body of a woman and the face of a pig. But Will has never encountered a real witch in the flesh before. And dark-fighting skills are not yet advanced enough to fight an enemy of such power . . . This story will chill your blood and frighten you to your very bones. Just remember not to read after dark. From the series that inspired the forthcoming movie Seventh Son, starring Jeff Bridges, Ben Barnes and Julianne Moore.

The first book in a chilling new trilogy from the author of the internationally bestselling Last Apprentice series! Tom Ward is an apprentice no longer—he is a full-fledged spook battling boggarts, witches, and other creatures of the dark. A New Darkness is the first in a three-book arc that introduces brand-new readers to Joseph Delaney''s haunting world. Tom Ward is the Spook, the one person who can defend the county from bloodthirsty creatures of the dark. But he''s only seventeen, and his apprenticeship was cut short when his master died in battle. No one trusts Tom''s skill, not until he''s proven himself. And a fifteen-year-old girl named Jenny knows more about the three mysterious deaths in the county than Tom does. She is a seventh daughter of a seventh daughter, and she wants to be Tom''s first apprentice—even though a female spook is unheard of. Together, Tom and Jenny will uncover the grave danger heading straight toward the county, and they''ll team up with a witch assassin to confront it. A New Darkness begins a three-book arc that will introduce new readers to Joseph Delaney''s deliciously scary imagination, and electrify his longtime fans. A New Darkness is perfect for every reader who loves thrills, chills, action, and adventure—no prior knowledge of The Last Apprentice series is necessary! The Last Apprentice series, the first internationally bestselling series about Tom Ward, is now a major motion picture, Seventh Son, starring Jeff Bridges, Ben Barnes, Alicia Vikander, Kit Harington, Olivia Williams, Antje Traue, Djimon Hounsou, and Julianne Moore as Mother Malkin.

‘This is the entrance to the Witch Well and behind that door you’d face your worst nightmare. Don’t ever go through there.'' Night falls, the portcullis rises in the moonlight, and young Billy starts his first night as a prison guard. But this is no ordinary prison. There are haunted cells that can’t be used, whispers and cries in the night . . . and the dreaded Witch Well. Billy is warned to stay away from the prisoner down in the Witch Well. But who could it be? What prisoner could be so frightening? Billy is about to find out . . . An unforgettable ghost story from the creator of the Wardstone Chronicles (Spook''s Apprentice) series.

Full of exquisite moonlit scenes that play out like dreams and underground escapades descending into nightmare, this is a must-read for all fantasy aficionados and fans of Tolkien, Lewis, and Rowling Eight-year-old Princess Irene lives a lonely life in a wild, desolate, mountainous kingdom, with only her nursemaid Lootie for company. She is protected from the outside world and oblivious to the existence of goblins, hideous creatures that live underground and only come out at night. One day, while out walking, Irene and Lootie get lost. As night falls, strange shadows creep out from under boulders and around corners, closing in on them. Terrified, they try to run but the goblins give chase. It is then they run into Curdie, the brave miner''s son who knows how to scare the goblins away. He leads the pair to safety, back to the castle. While working late one night in the mines Curdie overhears the goblins'' diabolical plan. The terrible goblin Queen plans to kidnap the princess and force her to marry her son, so humans will be forced to accept goblins as their rulers. Can they be stopped and the kingdom be saved before it is too late? Before the creation of Middle Earth or Narnia, George MacDonald was inventing wonderful kingdoms and populating them with magical creatures and enchanted beings, such as this unique, compelling fantasy.

Joseph Delaney''s popular book, The Spook''s Apprentice, told the story of Thomas Ward, apprenticed to the local spook to help keep the county safe from the Dark. The novel is the inspiration for the movie Seventh Son, starring Jeff Bridges, Ben Barnes and Julianne Moore, but has now been adapted for the stage by Joseph and his son Stephen. Suitable for casts large and small, this script is ideal for use in drama groups, english lessons and school plays.

The eleventh volume in the spine-tingling, best-selling Last Apprentice series. In Slither, Joseph Delaney takes us far from the county, to a land where a spook has never set foot and where terrifying creatures of the dark thrive. Slither is one of these monsters, and Book 11 is his tale. Slither has never heard of Tom Ward, the Spook, or Alice Deane. He thirsts for blood. He takes it from whatever he wants, animal or human. And he has his eyes on the home of a farmer and his three daughters. With his dying breath, the farmer offers Slither a bargain. If Slither will take his two youngest daughters to safety, the eldest daughter is his. A journey of horrors begins . . . and along the way Slither will meet Grimalkin, who is still searching for a way to destroy the Fiend for good. The eleventh volume in the series that inspired the major motion picture Seventh Son, starring Jeff Bridges, Julianne Moore, and Ben Barnes.

''Someone has to stand against the dark. And you''re the only one who can.'' For years, the local Spook has been keeping the County safe from evil. Now his time is coming to an end, but who will take over? Many apprentices have tried . . . Some floundered, some fled, some failed to stay alive. Just one boy is left. Thomas Ward. He is the last hope. But does he stand a chance against Mother Malkin, the most dangerous witch in the County?

Girls are dying in mysterious circumstances . . . They are found dead in their beds, covered in blood, with a look of pure horror on their faces. Worse still, their ghosts are left to walk the earth, just waiting for someone to hear the terror that has befallen them. Thomas Ward is the local spook - it''s his job to protect the county from things that go bump in the night. But this is no ordinary haunting, and he finds himself on the path of a dangerous beast that is looking to kill again. He soon realizes this beast is just the beginning. An army of monsters is massing in the north, and it poses a threat to all mankind. The first terrifying tale in the Starblade Chronicles, from the bestselling author of The Spook''s Apprentice

The Spook''s Apprentice is the first book in Joseph Delaney''s terrifying Wardstone Chronicles - over 3 million copies sold worldwide! ''Someone has to stand against the dark. And you''re the only one who can'' For years, the local Spook has been keeping the County safe from evil. Now his time is coming to an end, but who will take over? Many apprentices have tried. Some floundered, some fled, some failed to stay alive. Just one boy is left. Thomas Ward. He is the last hope. But does he stand a chance against Mother Malkin, the most dangerous witch in the County?

Slither''s Tale is the eleventh book in Joseph Delaney''s terrifying Wardstone Chronicles - over 3 million copies sold worldwide! ''My name is Slither, and before my tale is finished you''ll find out why . . .'' Slither preys upon humans, gorging upon their blood while they sleep. But a desperate farmer needs Slither to save the lives of his two youngest girls. In return he can have the eldest daughter, Nessa, to do with as he wishes. Slither''s promise takes him and Nessa on a treacherous journey - and into the path of Grimalkin, the terrifying witch assassin . . .

For years, the local Spook has been keeping the County safe from ghosts and boggarts, but more especially from witches. This is a collection of five dark and terrifying witch stories from the Spook''s own collection.

The Spook''s Curse is the second book in Joseph Delaney''s terrifying Wardstone Chronicles - over 3 million copies sold worldwide! ''By now the dark has noticed you and will be trying to hunt you down . . .'' It''s the job of the Spook and his apprentice, Thomas Ward, to protect the County from the dark. But deep in the catacombs beneath Priestown lurks a creature the Spook has never been able to defeat - the Bane. As they prepare to battle it, yet another deadly enemy emerges to threaten Tom and his master.

The twelfth volume in the Last Apprentice series, the internationally bestselling fantasy adventure books that inspired the forthcoming major motion picture, Seventh Son. Told from the point of view of Alice, best friend—and true love—to Tom, the spook''s last apprentice. Alice is the most powerful witch in the world, and she ventures into the dark itself. Will she return? Alice Dean''s destiny is intertwined with Tom Ward''s. But he''s going to be the next Spook, and she''s a witch—possibly the most powerful one the world has ever seen. To rid the world of its greatest evil, the Fiend, Alice will venture into the depths of the dark for the final weapon Tom needs to defeat him. Will she survive? Or will she make the ultimate sacrifice for Tom? The Last Apprentice series is soon to be a major motion picture, Seventh Son, starring Jeff Bridges, Ben Barnes, Alicia Vikander, Kit Harington, Olivia Williams, Antje Traue, Djimon Hounsou, and Julianne Moore as Mother Malkin.