Having read the previous book, Ghostcloud, I was really excited that there was a follow-up book as well! It took me a little while to get into it, mainly because it took me a while to remember some of the previous story, but once I did, i was hooked back into this strange version of London (to me, i keep imagining it like victorian london, but then there's all sorts of more 'modern' electronics around, like keycards and fingerprint scanners, but people are generally treated as they were 'back in the day' when women weren't allowed to do anything interesting). I was desperate to see what happened with Ravi, and if Luke, Jess and Alma were able to find out where he'd been taken and if he survived. This book covers all that and more. Without spoilers, the ending is both sad and wonderful. It ties the story together brilliantly and has a really satisfyin conclusion. Well worth a read, but definitely read Ghostcloud first, otherwise you'll be completely lost.

Warning: contains spoilers for Book 1 As anyone who knows me – either in real life or on Twitter – knows, I am obsessed with the book Malamander by Thomas Taylor so when the book preceding this one, Ghostcloud, was marketed as being perfect for fans of that title I just had to read it. With a very different storyline, setting and characters to the Eerie-on-Sea Mysteries, I quickly found myself drawn into an adventure that was magical, exciting and gripping – one that I couldn’t put down and one to which I have longed for a sequel. When I received an email from Hachette shortly before Christmas inviting me to read this through the wonders of Net Galley, I made myself wait until just before New Year to download it onto my Kindle, fully intending to savour it over the long weekend. This proved utterly impossible, however, as I again swiftly found myself engrossed in the alternative London of Luke, following his dramatic escape from Battersea Power Station at the end of Book 1, wolfing this down in less than 24 hours. For fans of Ghostcloud, and there are a great many, here again is another cracking read – one that concludes the duology very nicely, while also giving the reader much to think on. For Luke though, his thoughts and especially his dreams are filled with friend Ravi who was unable to escape with him and with images of whom Luke’s subconscious constantly taunts him in a repeated nightmare. Now reunited with his family, Luke awakens from yet another one and reflects on how the station’s owner Tabatha escaped with her right-hand man Terence, stealing away Ravi and many other members of the child labour force she had imprisoned but has to try to set these thoughts aside as he is to start his apprenticeship as a detective today. Reporting for duty to his mentor, Inspector Oberdink, Luke immediately gets on Oberdink’s wrong side and is disappointed to find that his first day is to be spent filling envelopes rather than anything more useful. Reading a witness statement referring to Tabatha before he slips it into its envelope, Luke questions his boss about it and is disheartened when the inspector dismisses it as the ramblings of a crazy old tramp and decides to pocket it. That evening, half-ghost Luke takes to the skies with ghost friend Alma who asks him about his nightmares and suggests they visit a ghost who can read dreams. Before they can do so they find themselves attending a meeting of the Ghost Council where its Head shares with those assembled the memories of a guard at Battersea, showing the building being broken into and the individual concerned making good their escape with a case. Tasked with finding out what is going on, Luke sees the opportunity for him and Alma to use his detecting skills but before too long the two friends find themselves in terrible danger from enemies both human and ghost. Together with friend Jess, can Luke and Alma discover who is behind the break-in? What was in the case that was stolen? And can Luke not only locate Ravi but bring him safely home? Like so many of us, Luke has a very clear vision of what he believes to be right and wrong. But unlike the rest of us he is burdened with the heavy feeling of guilt that he carries after leaving Ravi behind while escaping from Battersea – every second of every day is spent trying to work out just how to bring his friend back. When he encounters the obstacles put in his way by Oberdink, the Ghost Council and many others, he becomes even more determined to succeed, blinding him on occasion to the danger that threatens not only him but his friends and family too. His senses of love and loyalty are both so strong that I could not find fault with his choices though, rather I admired him for his steadfastness in situations where most of us would very soon admit defeat. For anyone who like me is a fan of Ghostcloud, I highly recommend you get this pre-ordered as a matter of priority and then reread Book 1 while you wait. If you are as yet unfamiliar with that title, you could read this as a standalone but you would be missing out on the wonderful read that that is and by reading it, you will better understand what has brought Luke, Alma and Jess to where they all are at the start of this title. Perfect for upper KS2, my enormous thanks go to Hachette Children’s Books and to Net Galley for my advance virtual read. Nightspark publishes February 16th.