Don’t expect a cozy, comforting, Christmasy tale when you pick up The Vanishing of Aveline Jones. Yes, there is hot chocolate, snow and promises of festive events but the darkness of the town of Scarbury is too powerful for even the merriest of visitors.
It’s nearly the shortest day of the year when Aveline, her mum, Aunt Lilian and Harold travel to Scarbury to sort out her uncle’s house. An archaeologist and fan of all things mysterious, Uncle Rowan went missing almost ten years ago. His sisters have finally decided to sell his house and deal with his things, meaning they’re almost ready to admit that he’s not coming back.
There’s something unnerving about Uncle Rowen’s house in its emptiness. Reports of ghostly lights at night and a study full of newspaper clippings and unusual finds sets Aveline’s curiosity alight. Where did he disappear to all those years ago? Should she try to find him?
Readers who know Aveline will know that the answer to the second question is an undoubted yes. The discovery of a local prehistoric landmark, stories of evil faeries and the upcoming Winter Solstice cause Aveline to throw caution to the wind and jump right into her investigations – with Harold following along trying to stop her from getting into too much trouble!
This is truly creepy book. Expect shivers and goosebumps as you follow Aveline into a world of tricksters, traps and torture. Once captured by the faeries of Scarbury Long Barrow, there really is no way out. Fans of The Chime Seekers by Ross Montgomery and The Clockwork Crow series by Catherine Fisher will love this visit to the dark, menacing world of spirits who despise humans and want nothing else than to punish them for their interfering ways.
Keith Robinson’s illustrations are perfect again in this third Aveline book. Shadows and shapes give clues to the danger that lies ahead. The faerie quote pages between chapters add to the atmosphere with wintery forests, ominous owls and hints that humans have always known about this other world yet never learn to heed its warnings.
A huge thank you to Jess Feichtlbauer & Usborne for this incredible book!
If you haven’t already, make sure you read the first two books in the Aveline Jones series:
The Haunting of Aveline Jones & The Bewitching of Aveline Jones
Click on the covers to read my reviews of these books:
I have included a particularly creepy extract from The Haunting of Aveline Jones in my Contemporary reading comprehension book for Years 5-6.
Click on the covers below to find out more or purchase online:
Bookshop.org:
Amazon:
Books by Kate Heap:
Scope for Imagination 
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