Skulkmoor
Will be published approx. on 3. September 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
368 pages
978-0-241-63584-1 (ISBN)
Description
Wednesday meets The Secret Garden with a touch of Knives Out in this gorgeously gothic and mysterious adventure about family secrets, devilishly bad deeds, and a touch of murder . . .
Once, the great house of Skulkmoor stood proudly on its hillside, commanding the attention of anyone who came by. Now, it is a curious puzzle of a place - not least thanks to the giant wall which cuts it straight in half, separating the two warring families that live inside it.
For you see, many years ago, the Fox family was torn apart by a question of murder - and of inheritance. With no clear heir, the vast family fortune - and the house - has been literally divided in two. But now, two young cousins, one from rival sides of Skulkmoor, must race to solve the crime - or face losing their home forever.
Can Ted and Iris put their differences aside and save their family fortune - or will they play their part in destroying everything?
From the bestselling author of The Unadoptables and The Midnighters, and perfect for fans of The Swifts and Murder Most Unladylike.
Praise for Hana Tooke
'A high-speed, witty, absurd and joyful adventure' - Katherine Rundell on The Unadoptables
'A corker of a story' - Emma Carroll on The Unadoptables
Once, the great house of Skulkmoor stood proudly on its hillside, commanding the attention of anyone who came by. Now, it is a curious puzzle of a place - not least thanks to the giant wall which cuts it straight in half, separating the two warring families that live inside it.
For you see, many years ago, the Fox family was torn apart by a question of murder - and of inheritance. With no clear heir, the vast family fortune - and the house - has been literally divided in two. But now, two young cousins, one from rival sides of Skulkmoor, must race to solve the crime - or face losing their home forever.
Can Ted and Iris put their differences aside and save their family fortune - or will they play their part in destroying everything?
From the bestselling author of The Unadoptables and The Midnighters, and perfect for fans of The Swifts and Murder Most Unladylike.
Praise for Hana Tooke
'A high-speed, witty, absurd and joyful adventure' - Katherine Rundell on The Unadoptables
'A corker of a story' - Emma Carroll on The Unadoptables
Reviews / Votes
Dark, delicious and extraordinary. An inventive, page-turning story with a fabulous cast of characters. * Hannah Gold, bestselling author of The Last Bear * I am a huge fan of Hana's writing, and Skulkmoor certainly did NOT disappoint - if anything I think it might be her best book yet! Clever plotting, a lovably eccentric cast, and such a richly atmospheric setting. Pacy, exciting, mysterious, adventurous - it's a deliciously dark adventure that sparkles with wit and wonder. An absolute page-turner that children will love, simply packed with Hana Tooke's trademark quirkiness, warmth and originality. I was charmed and captivated from gruesome beginning to ghastly end. * Sophie Kirtley, bestselling author of The Wild Way Home * What a read! A raven-circled manor skulking with secrets and two deliciously anarchic heroes uncovering the murder mystery buried within its walls. Darkly gothic and magnificently weird - no one tells a story like Hana Tooke! * Nizrana Farook, bestselling author of The Girl Who Stole and Elephant * Deliciously dark, with wit as sharp as a raven's beak, this strange and wonderful story comes wrapped up in a murder mystery that readers will be racing to unravel! * Struan Murray, author of Dragonborn * A thrillingly twisty mystery packed with gothic atmosphere, a rogues' gallery of delightfully eccentric characters and absolutely brimming with Hana's exceptional blend of witty description and heartfelt emotional depth. I loved it! * Tamzin Merchant, bestselling author of The Hatmakers * A deliciously gothic whodunnit awash with atmosphere and a thrilling plot that grips you like the talons of a crow. Welcome to your new murderous obsession! * Ash Bond, author of Peregrine Quinn and the Cosmic Realm * A twisty saga with comedic overtones and gothic undertones. A tale of sad secrets, hidden doors and startling revelations, bobbing in stewed resentment. A deliciously dark story with excitement and eccentricity in equal measure. * Rachel Delahaye, author of Mort the Meek * [A] complex murder mystery. And Ayesha L Rubio's great drawings locate the kawaii in period costumes. * the Observer, children's chapter books of the month *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Penguin Random House Children's UK
Target group
Children/juvenile
Interest Age: From 9 to 12 years
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 198 mm
Width: 129 mm
Thickness: 35 mm
Weight
500 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-241-63584-1 (9780241635841)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Person
Hana Tooke grew up on a polder near Amsterdam, in a house filled with peculiar clocks and a head filled with a peculiar imagination. She's been a singer, a teacher, and even a mad-scientist, but these days she spends her days writing stories, sculpting puppets, and collecting curiosities. She lives in Bath with two humans, a cat, and a skeleton marionette. Her debut novel, The Unadoptables, was shortlisted for the Bath Children's Novel Award and longlisted for the Branford Boase.