The Bewitching of Aveline Jones by Phil Hickes

I have always been fascinated by standing stones but I’m not sure I want to visit the ones in Norton Wick! The Bewitching of Aveline Jones is another deliciously creepy adventure – every page overflowing with suspense and that spine-chilling feeling that nothing is quite as it seems.

Aveline is on holiday with her mum in Norton Wick near Bristol. Their cottage is right next to ‘The Witches Stones’ – ancient standing stones with a dark history. Always curious, Aveline is determined to find out their real story. Were there witches in Norton Wick? Are there witches there now? And what is the purpose of the strange bottle she finds buried at the end of the garden? The village is full of paganism, folklore and a history that leads to more questions than answers.

When Aveline meets a mysterious girl walking among the stones, she is drawn to her intriguing ways. At first, Hazel is fun and friendly but the more time Aveline spends with her, the more unsure she feels. Thankfully, her good friend Harold is coming to visit with a stack of books from his uncle’s shop. Hopefully, these books will hold the answers, even if it means discovering something that doesn’t want to be revealed.

Phil Hickes is the king of middle grade spooky thrillers. Layer after layer of mystery is unwrapped as readers are carried along with Aveline right into the heart of a ghostly connection. The anguish of those who are trying to connect with the human world is so real and positively eerie. When my copy arrived, the pull of the storytelling was so strong that I had to drop everything to read it immediately. I can only imagine the effect it will have on young readers.

Thank you to Usborne books for this brilliantly creepy book!

Find out more about the first Aveline Jones book – The Haunting of Aveline Jones – here.

Click on the covers below to find out more or purchase on-line from Amazon.