Kicking off in a graveyard with an apparently chance meeting with a stranger, this is a gripping thriller packed with unexpected twists and turns thrown up by Ben’s newly acquired special powers. How Ben is recruited to the top-secret Ministry by the ever-changing Mr October and how his special powers change the way he sees the world is a roller coaster read packed full of powerful insight.
When Ben Harvester meets the mysterious Mr October in Highgate Cemetery, nothing could have prepared him for the strange and dramatic turn his life is about to take. Soon Mr October is leading him towards his true calling - his work at the Ministry of Pandemonium, helping to guide the dead to the afterlife. But Ben quickly discovers that there are terrifying forces keen to thwart the work of the Ministry and lead the newly-dead astray. And when Ben's mum suddenly becomes seriously ill, he questions whether he can continue with the important job he has been given. This spine-tingling, magical book is an exciting return for author Chris Westwood and a thrilling read from start to finish.
'A marvellously well-written thriller for older children' - Literary Review
'There are some deliciously dark moments in this .. fantasy
by Chris Westwood and the central idea of a Ministry existing to help
ghosts pass on to the afterlife is well executed and very believable.' -
Caroline Hooton, Book Blog
Author
About Chris Westwood
Chris Westwood was born in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, the son of a coal miner and a school teacher. His first published writing was for the London music paper Record Mirror, where he worked as a staff reporter for three years. His first children's book, A Light In The Black, was a runner-up for the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize. His second, Calling All Monsters, was optioned for film three times by Steven Spielberg. After a break from writing, spending seven years caring full-time for his father, Chris returned with Ministry of Pandemonium, the first in a series of novels set in a secret, alternative London. He now lives part of the time in East London and the rest of the time in a world of his own.
