Most Popular Books by Joseph Delaney

Capturing witches Binding boggarts Driving away ghosts For years, Old Gregory has been the Spook for the county, ridding the local villages of evil. Now his time is coming to an end. But who will take over for him? Twenty-nine apprentices have tried–some floundered, some fled, some failed to stay alive. Only Thomas Ward is left. He''s the last hope; the last apprentice. Can Thomas succeed? Will he learn the difference between a benign witch and a malevolent one? Does the Spook''s warning against girls with pointy shoes include Alice? And what will happen if Thomas accidentally frees Mother Malkin, the most evil witch in the county ... ?

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.

Now it''s the dark''s turn to be afraid The Spook and his apprentice, Thomas Ward, deal with the dark. Together they rid the county of witches, ghosts, and boggarts. But now there''s some unfinished business to attend to in Priestown. Deep in the catacombs of the cathedral lurks a creature the Spook has never been able to defeat; a force so evil that the whole county is in danger of being corrupted by its powers. The Bane! As Thomas and the Spook prepare for the battle of their lives, it becomes clear that the Bane isn''t their only enemy. The Quisitor has arrived, searching for those who meddle with the dark so he can imprison them—or worse. Can Thomas defeat the Bane on his own? Is his friend Alice guilty of witchcraft? And will the Spook be able to escape the Quisitor''s clutches?

It''s going to be a long, hard, cruel winter. And there couldn''t be a worse place to spend it than up on Anglezarke. Thomas Ward is the apprentice for the local Spook, who captures witches and drives away ghosts. As the weather gets colder and the nights draw in, the Spook receives an unexpected visitor. Tom doesn''t know who the stranger is or what he wants, but the Spook suddenly decides it''s time to travel to his winter house, Anglezarke. Tom has heard it will be a bleak, forbidding place, and that menacing creatures are starting to stir somewhere on the moors nearby. Can anything prepare Tom for what he finds there? What if the rumors about the evil beast called the Golgoth are true? And how much danger will Tom be in if the secrets the Spook has been trying to hide from the world are revealed?

Thomas Ward has spent two years as the Spook''s apprentice. He''s faced unimaginable peril, and survived. But a new danger has emerged: an ancient water witch, Bloodeye, is roaming the County intent on destroying everything in her path. To strengthen his skills, Tom is sent to the far north to train with the demanding Bill Arkwright. Arkwright lives in a haunted mill on the edge of a treacherous marsh, and his training methods prove to be harsh and sometimes cruel. Will Tom''s new bag of tricks be enough to overcome a critical mistake that leaves him confronting Bloodeye on his own?

‘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.

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 Spook''s Blood is the tenth book in Joseph Delaney''s terrifying Wardstone Chronicles – over 3 million copies sold worldwide! ''I am Siscoi, the Lord of Blood, the Drinker of Souls! Obey me now or you will suffer as few have suffered.'' Thomas Ward''s final battle with the Fiend is drawing near, but he has never felt more alone in his task. Isolated and afraid, Tom must risk his life against a ferocious vampire god, even as he learns that the final destruction of the Fiend may involve a sacrifice more terrible than he can imagine . . .

The Spook''s Secret is the third book in Joseph Delaney''s terrifying Wardstone Chronicles – over 3 million copies sold worldwide! ''It''s going to be a long, hard, cruel winter and there couldn''t be a worse place to spend it.'' As the nights draw in the Spook decides to travel to his winter house. His apprentice, Tom, hates the desolate place. There are feral witches in the cellar, menacing creatures stirring on the nearby moors and a sinister stranger threatening Tom''s master. Is the Spook''s past catching up with him? And what dangers will Tom face if his master''s secrets are revealed?

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 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 tenth book in the internationally best-selling fantasy adventure series that inspired the forthcoming major motion picture Seventh Son. Back at home, but in no less danger, Tom will face a tragic love story, an unforgivable sacrifice, and a new creature of the dark that terrorizes a village with its thirst for blood. Tom Ward, the Spook''s apprentice, and his master have bound the Fiend at last. But now Tom must use his powers as the seventh son of a seventh son to put an end to the source of evil once and for all. When the Spook is captured by bloodthirsty creatures of the dark, Tom must vanquish a god, avenge his master, and protect the person he loves most—Alice—from himself. 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. 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!

The thirteenth—and final—book in the internationally bestselling fantasy adventure series that inspired the forthcoming major motion picture Seventh Son. Finally, Tom Ward, the spook''s last apprentice, will confront the Fiend for the last time. A stunning conclusion to the acclaimed series! Tom Ward has battled boggarts, ghasts, witches, dark gods, and the most terrifying creatures to roam the earth. He''s allied with the witch assassin Grimalkin, with a powerful boggart, and with Alice . . . the young witch who is also his true love. And he has kept one step ahead of the Fiend, the most evil being in the world. Now he will vanquish the Fiend once and for all. But it will require a terrible sacrifice: not everyone Tom cares about will survive the final battle. 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. 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!

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?

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 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...

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.

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.

Wulf must face his greatest enemy yet - and this time, he''s all alone . . . Wulf is at war - war against the Dark. As Pan''s soldier and champion, it''s his responsibility to fight for what is right. An early Winter has come to the County, threatening its people with starvation - but there is an even more dangerous foe to face. A demon is trying to become the next ruler of the dark. He has many names but one of them is Loki, the Trickster God. Loki has many, terrible powers - but his most deadly weapon is the one that controls all Wulf''s own power . . . Featuring fan-favourite characters Grimalkin, Thorne, Jenny and even Slither, Wulf''s War is sure to delight - and fright!

The Spook''s Nightmare is the seventh book in Joseph Delaney''s terrifying Wardstone Chronicles - over 3 million copies sold worldwide! ''I stood there, terrified. My master was about to die.'' The County is facing dark times, and the Spook is being haunted by terrifying dreams. With his precious library burned to the ground and his old enemy, Bony Lizzie, free once again, things are falling apart. As nightmares turn real, the Spook''s powers seem to be waning just when he needs them the most. Can Tom, the Spook''s apprentice, face the dark alone?

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 . . .

‘It’s a dangerous job, but someone has to do it.’ For years, the local Spook kept the county safe from evil. But now his time has ended, and there is only one boy who can take over – Thomas Ward, barely more than a child himself. Now he too must take on an apprentice, a girl called Jenny who is untested but willing to be trained in the dangerous life of a Spook. When girls start dying in mysterious circumstances, they soon find themselves on the path of a terrifying and deadly beast. Monstrous assassins are loose in the County, and far to the north, a new darkness is rising that threatens to engulf the whole world. Do Tom and Jenny stand a chance against the might of the Kobalos? The first terrifying tale in the Starblade Chronicles, from the bestselling author of The Spook’s Apprentice

''He''s the seventh son of a seventh son. His name is Thomas J. Ward and he''s my gift to the County. When he''s old enough we''ll send you word. Train him well. He''ll be the best apprentice you''ve ever had and he''ll also be your last.'' These were the words of Tom''s Mam to the county Spook some years ago. As Tom, the Spook and their allies prepare to battle with the Fiend on a huge scale, to finally enact their revenge, it now remains to be seen whether Mam''s declaration will come true.

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.

The Last Apprentice series follows the terrifying adventures of the Spook''s apprentice, Thomas Ward. But Tom''s is only one story. There are others. . . . The Spook himself was once an apprentice. How did he begin his training? And what of Alice, the young witch who is Tom''s closest ally? How did she overcome her dark past? What did the witch assassin Grimalkin do to become the most deadly and feared witch in the county? And, collected in a gallery of horrors, discover the rest of the county''s menacing villains and relive the vicious battles waged against them. Enter a land where creatures of the dark creep out of the shadows. Do you dare?

The Spook''s Destiny is the eighth book in Joseph Delaney''s terrifying Wardstone Chronicles - over 3 million copies sold worldwide! ''You belong to the blade now. You''ll belong to it until the day you die . . .'' Tom, the Spook''s Apprentice, has travelled to Ireland, where he must tackle a group of evil mages. His dangerous mission leads him to the Destiny Blade - a sword with a dark side, and a thirst for blood. Could this new weapon give him a fighting chance against the Fiend? And dare he accept the help of Grimalkin, the terrifying witch assassin?

I Am Grimalkin is the ninth book in Joseph Delaney''s terrifying Wardstone Chronicles - over 3 million copies sold worldwide! ''I am Grimalkin, and I have already chosen those I will kill . . .'' Grimalkin has made it her lifetime ambition to destroy the Fiend. Having assisted the Spook and his apprentice in the binding of the Fiend, she is now on the run. And her mission is deadly. She has to keep the Fiend''s severed head in her possession no matter who - or what - comes after it . . .

How to deal with the dark 1. Conquer your fear. 2. Clear your mind, so that dark magic cannot take hold. 3. Fill your pockets with salt and iron, and always carry a rowan staff with a silver blade. 4. Never forget your silver chain for binding a witch. 5. A spook’s best weapons against the dark are common sense, courage, and the skills and knowledge he learns as an apprentice. The Spook’s Bestiary is the complete guide to becoming a spook. Learn how to battle the dark, the demons, the witches, and all the things that go bump in the night. Lavishly illustrated and told in the Spook’s own voice, this is a companion to the best-selling Last Apprentice series.

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 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 book will haunt you.It''s an international bestseller.But don''t read it after dark! The story of Grimalkin—Book Nine of The Last Apprentice series Grimalkin never missed—except once. The only victim who escaped her blades was Tom Ward, a seventh son of a seventh son. Since then, the witch assassin has fought alongside the Spook''s apprentice. Now you can hear her side of the story. What is Grimalkin''s past—and what will her future be? Can Tom trust her to stay on the side of good? Or is the pull of the dark too strong to resist?

"You can''t make alliances with witches and suchlike and hope to avoid being drawn toward the dark." As the Spook''s apprentice, Thomas Ward''s first duty is to protect the County from ghosts, boggarts, and other dangerous creatures. But now his mother has come back from her homeland to seek his help. One of the most dangerous of the old witches, Ordeen, is about to return to earth, bringing with her suffering and devastation. Tom''s mother has mustered a powerful army—including Tom''s friend Alice, the Pendle witches, and the assassin Grimalkin—to confront Ordeen. If Tom joins them, the Spook will refuse to take Tom back as his apprentice. What sacrifices will be made in the battle against the dark?

For years Alice has fought side by side with the Spook and his apprentice, Thomas Ward. But now she is alone - in the realm of the dark. And the creatures she has helped to banish there have the chance to take their revenge. Alice musk seek the final weapon needed to detroy the Fiend. But can she prevent the darkness from taking her over completely?