The House on the Edge - Alex Cotter
Faith lives on the edge of the town, on a cliff top that is crumbling, meaning that their house is in danger of being pulled off the edge in the not too distant future. Her dad has gone missing, which has resulted in her mum retreating to her bedroom, leaving Faith to look after herself, her younger brother Noah, their home as well as her mum. Juggling all of this is difficult enough but Noah insists that there are sea ghosts in the basement of their home. Faith also has to cope with her Uncle, who firmly believes that their family home should come to him now their father is missing, believing that long lost pirate treasure is hidden there. It falls to Faith to keep everything together but then how will she cope when Noah goes missing? Can she find him, save their house, bring her dad home and work out where the treasure is hidden?
I'd heard good things about this book so I was looking forward to it and I wasn't disappointed. There's a mysterious feel to the plot that builds from the beginning: the old house, with strange noises during the night; Noah's talk about ghosts and their mum's behaviour all contribute to the atmosphere.
Faith is a strong character who is obviously managing a lot for anyone, least of all somebody her age. She is terrified to ask for help, for fear of the police coming to take them away from the house of which she is incredibly protective. I feel there is a metaphor there: she is clinging to the house like she is clinging to her family as it used to be. She is terrified of change.
The setting is also rather spectacular, with a rugged coast-line, an ancient house full of history and the lure of the sea just itching to lay claim to the house; you will find yourself transported there, feeling the tug of the wind on your hair.
With pirates, smugglers tunnels and ghosts, this book tingles with mystery and adventure that will have you gripped throughout!
Out now, The House on the Edge has already gone down well with my book group and is a brilliant summer read.
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