The Thirteenth Vampire

From Alice Hemming, the bestselling author of The Dark Unicorn series, comes a brand-new story filled with vampires and a mystery only one girl can solve. The town of Valesti was once rumoured to be the home to a family of twelve vampires who wreaked havoc on the towns people. Until, that is, hunters came to kill them all. At least, they thought they'd killed them all . . . Years later, the rumours are mostly forgotten but some persist - especially those around Castle Bezna , where a mysterious countess lives.

Over the years, the countess has enlisted village girls to be her companions, but none of the girls have returned. But when a girl named Vivi decides that the promise of an education and boarding is too great an opportunity to turn down, she packs up her belongings and starts work in the dusty old castle. But soon Vivi starts to wonder if the legend of the thirteenth vampire could be true. Can she prove the vampires existence, or will she join the long list of girls never to return from Castle Bezna . . . ?

About the Author

Alice has never been at a loss for ideas. A childhood playing make-believe and working her way through the shelves of the local library helped fuel her imagination. She began her working life as a librarian and a web content editor, while all the time attending various part-time classes, in sculpture, illustration and writing.

On maternity leave with her first child, she vowed to complete just one unfinished project. That became the text for her first published picture book, 'The Black and White Club' (Maverick publishing), with illustrator Kimberley Scott. Since then, she has gone on to publish over fifty books, including 'The Dark Unicorn' series (Scholastic) and 'The Leaf Thief' with illustrator Nicola Slater, which has sold all over the world. Her books for younger children are made for sharing, with fun dialogue and text that works in harmony with the illustrations. Her fairytales for older children draw on her love of traditional tales and folklore.

Alice lives in Hertfordshire, UK with her husband and two children. When she’s not visiting schools, she works in a writing shed at the top of her garden, where she can immerse herself in the world of her stories. She finds inspiration all around her and is in no danger of running out of ideas!