During a school trip, Travis and Zayd being paired up with Danielle and Seline for their project is met with much consternation - they don't get along and there is history between Travis and Danielle. It's Saline who instantly takes control which is not unexpected as she's always bossy, but when she announces they'll be researching the legend of Blood-Eyed-Mary, the boys begin to have their doubts, especially when she announces that their work will involve a field-trip into the heart of Mary's Woods. Just a quick trip in, long enough to get some evidence for their project; but all is not what it seems and strange things are afoot. Is the legend of Blood-Eyed-Mary just that or is there more to things than they know? One thing's for certain, their trip into the woods is going to be one they will never forget.
There is a reason that Jennifer Killick is known as the queen of MG horror. Her Dread Wood series propelled her to that title and enabled her to wear the crown with pride, and Serial Chillers clearly shows why she is so deserving of the title.
Serial Chillers The Witch In The Woods is a book I've been anticipating since first hearing about it, so arriving home on Friday evening to find a copy waiting for me (huge thanks to the lovely folks at Farshore) meant that my plans for Saturday were immediately changed as curling up with the book became my priority.
Serial Chillers is set in the small town of Hazard where the place is famous for its sinkhole, its numerous tragedies and its unsolved mysteries; in fact the town actively encourages tourists to visit because of these things. By the end of chapter one, you get the distinct impression that life in Hazard is not a jolly holiday but one that comes with risk and a constant sense of darkness. Jennifer builds an image of a macabre (to steal Mrs Tiwana's word) place that's better to visit for a few hours than live in. The chills build from the very start of the book.
Then there are the characters. Jennifer has a real knack for creating believable, multi-layered characters that readers will want to get to know. Travis and Zayd, Danielle and Seline are very different and I loved the disdain between them at the idea of working together; the dialogue between them feels very real.
The plot is fast paced, gripping and a master-class in horror writing for kids: the town's history woven into the present day; the visit to the woods at dusk; unexplained events; phones low in charge; chapters that end in cliff-hangers ... the whole thing is brilliantly crafted to keep readers on their toes and on the edge of their seat. The chills are there in abundance and I jumped on more than one occasion, but in true Killick fashion, there is also humour woven in that will definitely make readers chuckle!
Serial Chillers The Witch In The Woods is a book that will scare and delight in equal measure. I can absolutely see it being an epic book to read aloud to a class (and those cliff-hanger chapter endings will guarantee cries of, 'Just one more chapter!').
My class is completely obsessed with the Dread Wood series and we're currently in the depths of Deadly Deep (they're determined to get through the entire series as class readers by the end of the academic year!). I know that taking Serial Chillers into the classroom on Monday morning is going to cause all sorts of squealing and chaos, and I'm looking forward to seeing their excitement.
Serial Chillers The Witch In The Woods publishes on the 27th March and I'm already desperate for more! This series is going to be my new obsession!
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