Most Popular Books by Joseph Delaney

"I''ve already drunk my fill of blood, so live a little longer. Breathe fora while and watch what''s about to unfold." 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?

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 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?

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?

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.

My name is Slither, and before my tale is finished, you''ll find out why . . . Slither is not human. Far from the Spook-protected County, he preys upon humans, sneaking into their homes to gorge upon their blood while they sleep. When a local farmer dies, it''s only natural that Slither should want to feast on his lovely daughters. But the farmer has offered him a trade: in return for taking the younger girls to safety, Slither can have the eldest daughter, Nessa, to do with as he wishes . . . Slither''s promise takes him and Nessa on a treacherous journey where enemies await at every turn. Enemies that include Grimalkin, the terrifying witch assassin, still searching for a way to destroy the Fiend for good. The latest instalment of the Wardstone Chronicles, the series that inspired the forthcoming movie The Seventh Son, starring Jeff Bridges, Ben Barnes and Julianne Moore.

‘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 dangerous few months lie ahead—ones which some of us will be hard-pressed to survive. Thomas Ward has served as the Spook''s apprentice for three years. He has battled boggarts, witches, demons, and even the devil himself. Tom has enemies: The Fiend stalks him, waiting for a moment of weakness. The terrifying Morrigan, goddess of witches, warned him never to step foot on her homeland, Ireland. But now war has consumed their own country, and Tom, his friend Alice, and the Spook must flee to Ireland. The dark rages strongly there. No one can be trusted. Can Tom defeat the creatures that hunt him most fiercely?

The Spook''s Mistake is the fifth book in Joseph Delaney''s terrifying Wardstone Chronicles – over 3 million copies sold worldwide! ''The moment of danger is close. Very soon our enemies will be here.'' The Spook has sent his apprentice, Tom, to be trained by another Spook whose methods are harsh and tough. But faced with a powerful water witch, Bill makes a fatal error, leaving Tom to face his enemies alone. Can the Spook get there in time to save his apprentice? Or will his own mistakes give final victory to the dark?

With her parents'' bodies still warm in the ground, Alice Deane is whisked away by her aunt to be taught how to be a witch. Alice isn''t happy about this - and who would be, with her aunt''s brain guzzling familiar, Spig, out to get her? It soon becomes clear that one of them will have to go, and so Spig and Alice''s bitter rivalry plays itself out to a gruesome end . . . Part of the Storycuts series, this short story was previously published in Spooks: Witches.

Although the construction industry is one of the largest enterprises in the United States, widely accepted management principles, such as those contained in PMI''s Standard for Program Management are still not widely implemented. This book explores how an improved understanding of these principles could boost construction program success rates. It outlines a process-based approach to construction program management that leverages structure to bring order to what can otherwise feel like an overwhelming challenge. The book includes case studies that illustrate the proper implementation of the steps outlined in the book.

The Spook and his apprentice, Thomas Ward, rid the county of witches, ghosts, boggarts, and other creatures of the dark. And there''s some unfinished business to attend to in Priestown. Deep in the catacombs lurks a creature the Spook has never been able to defeat; a force so evil that the whole county is in danger. The Bane! But the Bane is not their only enemy. The Quisitor arrives, intent on hunting down anyone who meddles with the dark. Thomas Ward and the Spook must prepare for the battle of their lives.

''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.

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.

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 . . .

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.

A companion title to the phenomenally successful Spook''s Apprentice titles. Discover how to bind a boggart and deal with a dead witch in this fascinating and lavishly illustrated Spook''s own notebook. A must for die-hard fans of the series and an irresistible introduction to the dark and the dangerous for new recruits.

Beware a girl in pointy shoes! A girl wearing pointy shoes might be a witch. And the first thing a spook''s apprentice learns is never, ever to trust a witch. In this bone-chilling collection of tales, you will learn exactly why that is, as you encounter: a fair and beautiful woman with green scales running down her spine . . . a dead witch who lurks under rotting leaves and hunts for blood . . . Alice, Tom Ward''s best friend, who once lived with one of the darkest witches of all . . . and a witch whose cry of revenge can kill. The dark is all around. Who will survive?

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

The Spook''s Sacrifice is the sixth book in Joseph Delaney''s terrifying Wardstone Chronicles - over 3 million copies sold worldwide! ''Witches, Mam? We''ve made an alliance with witches?'' As the Spook''s apprentice, Tom''s first duty is to protect the County from the dark. But now Mam needs his help in her homeland of Greece to rise up against one of the Old Gods, the Ordeen. But what secret is Mam keeping from Tom? And what sacrifices must be made in the battle against the dark?

The Spook, Tom and Alice return from Greece to find the County under siege and the Spook s home burnt to the ground. With his precious library of knowledge destroyed, they seek refuge on the nearby island of Mona. But with Mona in the thrall of a twiste

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?

YA. Fantasy fiction. Time is running out for Thomas Ward. His final battle against the Fiend is drawing near, and the Spook''s apprentice has never felt more alone in his task. Isolated and afraid, the Fiend is set to send the greatest of his servants against him Siscoi, a Vampire God more ferocious than anything he has yet faced. Tom must risk his life to prevent the evil beast from entering this world, even as he learns that the final destruction of the Fiend may involve a sacrifice more terrible than he can imagine. The series that inspired the forthcoming movie The Seventh Son, starring Jeff Bridges, Ben Barnes and Julianne Moore.

In this third and terrifying instalment in the Wardstone Chronicles, the nights are drawing in and it''s time for Tom and his master to move to Anglezarke, the Spook''s winter house. Tom has heard it will be a sinister and menacing place but nothing could fully prepare him for what he finds there. For this house, and indeed the whole of Anglezarke moor is full of secrets about the Spook''s youth. Secrets that are about to come to the surface and could wreck havoc on the whole County . . .

Grimalkin has made it her lifetime ambition to destroy the Fiend, avenging the brutal murder of her son. Having grudgingly joined forces with the Spook and his apprentice, Tom, and assisted them in the binding of the Fiend, she is now on the run. And her mission is deadly. In order to destroy the Fiend for ever, Grimalkin must keep his severed head in her possession. No matter who - or what - comes after it.