It is 1900, and Sarah Trevelyan, a pupil-teacher, is desperate to reclaim her family home, Darkwater Hall. Lost by her grandfather in a gambling wager, its present owner, John Azrael, is a mysterious man who draws her into a bizarre bargain … the fulfilment of her dreams … if she will only give up her soul.
In 2000, Darkwater Hall is a private school for boys. Tom Hughes longs for the education found within its walls, but instead goes to the local school and has trouble with unpleasant bullies. His twin brother, Simon, who died at birth, is his constant companion, unseen or heard by anyone else. When Tom meets the strange girl Sarah, and a new teacher, Azrael, he finds himself embroiled in their deadly deal …
In 2000, Darkwater Hall is a private school for boys. Tom Hughes longs for the education found within its walls, but instead goes to the local school and has trouble with unpleasant bullies. His twin brother, Simon, who died at birth, is his constant companion, unseen or heard by anyone else. When Tom meets the strange girl Sarah, and a new teacher, Azrael, he finds himself embroiled in their deadly deal …
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Reviews
A gripping story that'll keep you guessing
Another novel from a seriously good author...nail-biting reading
A gripping story that'll keep you guessing!
... creates a thrilling, chilling world of magic and menace
Catherine Fisher has an outstanding capacity for the spinning and weaving of the slenderest threads into a stout and flawless tapestry.
Another novel from a seriously good author who always writes convincing fantasy without any of the accompanying overblown rhetoric ... makes for some nail-biting reading.
Catherine Fisher has an extraordinary imagination, always coming up with some new twist that is both weird yet utterly convincing.
A rich and rewarding read
Catherine Fisher reworks the Faustus story with extraordinary power and skill...the narrative carries the weightier matter without strain and with pace and excitement