The Black Book of Secrets

Hardcover | 2 October 2007

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Imagine David Copperfield in the world of Artemis Fowl . . . that's what we thought when we first read this next gripping novel, brought to us by our friends at Macmillan UK. And indeed, Eoin Colfer found something very much to like in this first novel when he said, "the story grabs at the reader with hooked talons. Anyone looking for the next big thing has come to the right place." A boy arrives at a remote village in the dead of night. His name is Ludlow Fitch and he is running from a most terrible past. What he is about to learn is that in this village is the life he has dreamed of a safe place to live and a job, as the assistant to the mysterious pawnbroker who trades people's deepest, darkest secrets for cash. Ludlow's job is to neatly transcribe the confessions in an ancient, leather-bound tome: The Black Book of Secrets. Ludlow yearns to trust his mentor, who refuses to disclose any information on his past experiences or future intentions. What the pawnbroker does not know is, in a town brimming with secrets, the most troubling may be held by his new apprentice.

About the Author

Born in London, F.E. Higgins now lives in a small village in rural Kent. The Black Book of Secrets is her first novel.

The author has completed her second novel, The Bone Magician, due out in fall 2008 from Feiwel and Friends.

Industry Reviews

Praise for "The Black Book of Secrets" "Wonderful. Anyone looking for the next big thing has come to the right place. Higgins has created a uniquely grim fantasy world that more than holds its own with Dickens or Peake. Her characters are brilliantly realized and the story grabs at the reader with hooked talons."--Eoin Colfer"This polished debut from a British writer tantalizingly blends secrets and thick, evocative atmosphere . . . Higgins, framing her book as texts discovered in a hallowed wooden leg, expertly sustains the audience's curiosity, revealing just enough information to keep readers riveted. And for all the grisly details, the novel gets at important themes about self-determination and trust. Original and engrossing." --"Publishers Weekly", Starred Review"The story's vaguely Dickensian atmosphere is exquisite . . . A tantalizingly revelatory ending leaves at least one thread dangling for future volumes (which are sure to evoke more picaresque oddities and nefarious tales), making this a smart, peculiarly thrilling book that is sure to appeal to readers ready to sidestep the goodygoody Harry Potters of adventure fiction." --"Booklist", Starred Review "Higgins's debut begins with a bang--on the streets of a London as dark as in any Dickens novel--and ends in a mysterious cave, with no let-up in pacing from start to finish . . . One of Higgins's great achievements is the way she manages to convey a degree of innocence in Ludlow despite his harsh life surviving the city streets. Redemption emerges as a strong theme in the book, as she reveals the complexities of human nature, and she leaves open several mysteries (including the history behind a wooden leg and Joe's prized pet frog). Readers can only hope for many more black books filled with secrets." --"Shelf Awareness""Pre-teens who enjoy historically based fantasy . . . will find "The Black Book of Secrets" thoroughly rewarding."--"The Washington Post"." . . will keep readers on the

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