Robby and his sister Karla beg their parents to take them to a big carnival that has opened on the other side of town. When they arrive, the two kids are delighted by the rides, the sideshow, the interesting displays, and the great food booths. They wander away from their parents and find themselves at a less-trafficked area at the back of the carnival. Inside a large penned-in area, they see a dejected-looking boy about their age sitting on the grass. A sign on the tall metal fence reads: PLEASE DO NOT FEED THE WEIRDO. The kids are reluctant to disobey the sign, but the boy seems really nice. Karla hands him her cone through the fence. He thanks her very politely. He eats the ice cream, delicately at first, then ravenously, noisily - and as Robby and Karla stare in horror, he transforms into a raging, hairy beast.

In an old-fashioned "trapped-in-a-haunted-house" story, twins Riley and Scarlett receive an interesting assignment from their teacher, Mrs. Stermon. Everyone in class needs to do a documentary video about an adventure, something exciting that they experienced. Mrs. Stermon gives them a suggestion, along with their friends Carter, Lee, Danitia, and Mia. She shows them a brochure about a scary old house on the edge of town, called Shudder Mansion. "If you six kids and your parents can stay there overnight, you'll all get A's," says the teacher. "I'll even give you extra credit." Just how scary is Shudder Mansion? It's terrifying.

Slither's Tale is the eleventh book in Joseph Delaney's terrifying Wardstone Chronicles - over 3 million copies sold worldwide! 'My name is Slither, and before my tale is finished you'll find out why . . .' Slither preys upon humans, gorging upon their blood while they sleep. But a desperate farmer needs Slither to save the lives of his two youngest girls. In return he can have the eldest daughter, Nessa, to do with as he wishes. Slither's promise takes him and Nessa on a treacherous journey - and into the path of Grimalkin, the terrifying witch assassin . . .

Fear Street - Where your worst nightmare lives... Delia and Karina are always competing. From getting the best grades, to being the most popular, to dating the cutest guys - they always fight for the top spot. This year, they both want Vincent - the hottest guy at Shadyside High. Karina's determined to get Vince. She'll do whatever it takes. And if she can't have him, she'll make sure no one else can either.... Including Delia.

In this twisty feminist historical thriller set in the 1850s, a teenage grave robber quickly becomes entangled in a murderer's plans. Now in paperback!

"Deliciously macabre and utterly decadent." -Kerri Maniscalco, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Stalking Jack the Ripper

Soon after her best friend Kitty mysteriously dies near their orphanage, seventeen-year-old Molly Green is sent away to live with her estranged aunt. Only, when Molly arrives, she discovers her aunt is holding more than one secret. She's built her incredible wealth by robbing graves and selling the corpses to medical students who need the bodies to practice surgical procedures. Now, Aunt Ava wants Molly to help her procure the corpses. As Molly learns her aunt's trade in the dead of night and explores the mansion by day, she is both horrified and deeply intrigued by the anatomy lessons held at the old church on the property. Enigmatic Doctor LaValle's lessons are a heady mixture of knowledge and power and Molly has never wanted anything more than to join his male-only group of students. But But the the o cost of inclusion is steep and with a murderer loose in Philadelphia, the pursuit of power and opportunity soon becomes a deadly dance.

STELLAR RECEPTION: With its page-turning mix of mystery and horror and gorgeously
evocative writing, The Corpse Queen has been a hit at both trade publications and commercial outlets (Girls Life, Buzzfeed, Hypable, and Pop Sugar), with Kirkus saying, "If Poe's daughter told a story, this might be it and a starred review from Booklist calling it "Stylishly smart and macabre." It also has garnered award buzz and was a 2022 YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults Pick, a 2023 Rhode Island Teen Book Award nominee, and a JLG selection.

PERFECT IN PAPERBACK: With a strong package and cover, combined with the mystery and horror elements we think paperback will be the perfect format to reach more readers, especially readers already enjoying towards the paperback only format of books like those of YA historical thriller writer Bryce Moore.

HAUNTING ATMOSPHERIC WRITING: Heather expertly captures the haunting, dark
underbelly of Philadelphia in in the 1850s and the slow-burn tension will have readers devouring her every word. Even at the creepiest and most unsettling moments there is an undeniable sense of wonder and beauty in her writing.

COMMERCIAL APPEAL: Full of twists and turns, this is a historical mystery that will keep readers on their toes and is perfect for fans of Kerri Maniscalco's Stalking Jack the Ripper series and Dana Schwartz's The Anatomy Duology. The light romance in the story is also immensely satisfying and has its foundation in mutual respect and consent between the characters.

FEMINIST THEMES: This is a powerful and layered story with potential crossover appeal. Rich with deep and thought provoking questions about what it means to be a woman, to have ownership over your own body, to live with agency, and thrive in a male-dominated society will have readers of feminist thrillers like The Invocations or gender-defying gothic horror like Andrew Joseph White's The Spirit Bares Its Teeth reaching for this next.

HISTORICAL INSPIRATION: While fiction, this story is rooted in history. Body snatchers, also
known as Resurrectionists, stole, shipped, and sold corpses on the black market for medical students to use for anatomy lessons throughout the 1800s in the US, England, and Scotland. The historical truth underlying the narrative makes the setting and mystery that much more compelling.

MORE TO COME: We have a new YA historical thriller standalone from Heather, this time set in the 1880s Wild West, titied Lady or the Tiger to publish a month after. We'll include an excerpt!

Fear Street - Where your worst nightmare lives... Selena has it all. She just scored the lead in her high school play, and everyone adores her. So when she starts receiving dead flowers from a secret "admirer" named The Sun, she just assumes it's a harmless fan. But Selena soon realizes that The Sun is serious... dead serious. First, her understudy is injured in a suspicious accident. Then, a speeding car almost kills her! Selena doesn't know what this psycho wants... All she knows is that her number-one fan has become her number-one nightmare.

The Peculiar Children are back in the third installment in the bestselling series of YA novels by Ransom Riggs. Time is running out for the Peculiar Children. With a dangerous madman on the loose, and their beloved Miss Peregrine still in danger, it's up to Jacob Portman to channel his newfound abilities and defeat Caul before he loses his friends--and their world--forever. This action-packed adventure features all-new Peculiar photographs from times and places all over the world.

This inspired collection of short stories is based on the original illustrations of Chris Van Allsburg in his much-loved picture book The Mysteries of Harris Burdick, and features many remarkable best-selling authors from the worlds of both adult and children's literature: Stephen King, Lemony Snicket, Sherman Alexie, M.T. Anderson, Kate DiCamillo, Cory Doctorow, Jules Feiffer, Tabitha King, Lois Lowry, Gregory Maguire, Walter Dean Myers, Linda Sue Park, Louis Sachar, Jon Scieszka and Chris Van Allsburg himself.

Four extraordinary children must avenge their friend's death, try to save their home, and unravel the secrets of their past . . . before their past unravels them. Pippa, Sam, Thomas, and Max are happy to be out of harm's way now that the notorious villain Nicholas Rattigan is halfway across the country in Chicago. But unfortunately their home, Dumfreys's Dime Museum of Freaks, Oddities, and Wonders, is in danger of closing its doors forever. But their troubles only get worse. The four friends are shocked when their beloved friend, famous sculptor Siegfried Eckleberger, is murdered. As they investigate, they find clues that his death may be tied to the murder of a rich and powerful New York heiress, as well as to their own pasts.

Two best friends. One goes missing. And a paranormal podcast that hopes to reunite them, but not before unleashing horror in many forms. When Zeus's best friend?gets trapped inside the House of Mystery and Mirrors at Carnival Nocturne, Tobin's existence is erased from the world, and Zeus is the only person who remembers that his best friend ever lived. Zeus is determined to return to the carnival and rescue his friend-that is, if he can only find it. Together with Tobin's sister, Jana, Zeus concocts a plan to conjure Tobin's captors on Halloween night via his paranormal podcast, Odd Occurrences. Listeners are invited to call in and share their supernatural experiences with the audience. From ghostly encounters to haunted dolls, terrifying escape rooms with deadly consequences to alien?lake creatures, Zeus hopes that someone's story will produce a clue that leads him to the mysterious carnival-and ultimately, back to Tobin. But little does Zeus know that Tobin is almost out of time.

A CHRISTMAS SKY ORIGINAL FILM, STARRING MARK GATISS, SIMON CALLOW AND TAMSIN GREIG AN ENTHRALLING GHOST STORY WITH A TIME-TRAVELLING TWIST 'When you come to the house, you will hear strange tales. They will tell you in the village that it is haunted, but you must not be afraid. When the time comes ... you will know what to do.' Mr Blunden's words echoed through Lucy's ears as she explored the house. It was such an old house that it seemed to Lucy as if all the past was gathered up inside it as if in a great box; as though it had a life of its own that continued to exist just beyond the reach of her eyes and ears. Did Mr Blunden, who went out of his way to offer their mother the job as caretaker, mean to help or hurt them? Could she and her brother Jamie really help those troubled ghosts from another age? 'Charming, magical and life-affirming, Antonia Barber's clever and moving tale has become a much-loved favourite. The Wheel of Time spins - and off we go into an unforgettable adventure!' MARK GATISS

This is the first book in the exhilarating new fantasy sequence from Joseph Delaney, the multi-million-selling author of The Spook's Apprentice.

Welcome to Arena 13. Here warriors fight and death is never far away...

Leif has one ambition: to become the best fighter in the notorious Arena 13. Here, punters place wagers on which fighter will draw first blood. And in grudge matches, they bet on which fighter will die. But the country is terrorized by the creature Hob, an evil being who delights in torturing its people, displaying his devasting power by challenging an Arena 13 combatant in a fight to the death whenever he chooses. And this is exactly what Leif wants...

For he knows Hob's crimes well, and at the heart of his ambition burns the desire for vengeance. Leif is going to take on the monster who destroyed his family. Even if it kills him.

HE DOESN'T KNOW IT BUT DOGNUT IS ABOUT TO SET OFF A CHAIN OF EVENTS THAT WILL AFFECT EVERY KID IN THE CITY. The sickness struck everyone over the age of fourteen. Mothers and fathers, older brothers, sisters and best friends. No one escaped its touch. And now children across London are being hunted by ferocious grown-ups . . . they're hungry. They're bloodthirsty. And they aren't giving up. DogNut and the rest of his crew want to find their lost friends, and set off on a deadly mission from the Tower of London to Buckingham Palace and beyond, as the sickos lie in wait. But who are their friends and who is the enemy in this changed world?

"You have been chosen to participate in a new Escape Room. You can bring one person. The one you trust the most. Your very best friend". When Lexi receives an invitation to participate in a brand-new escape room, along with her best friend, Tess, she's thrilled. They could both use the distraction after a recent tragedy. But once inside, they learn they must compete against one another. What do you when your best friend suddenly becomes your biggest adversary, and every choice you make puts her in danger? How far will you go?

Sometimes the monsters take us. Sometimes we become the monsters.

Mirabelle has always known she is a monster. When the glamour protecting her unusual family from the human world is torn and an orphaned brother and sister stumble upon Rookhaven, Mirabelle soon discovers that friendship can be found in the outside world.

But as something far more sinister comes to threaten them all, it quickly becomes clear that the true monsters aren't necessarily the ones you can see.

A thought-provoking, chilling and beautifully written novel, Pádraig Kenny's The Monsters of Rookhhaven, stunningly illustrated by Edward Bettison, explores difference and empathy through the eyes of characters you won't want to let go.

Regarded as one of the most influential horror stories of all time and the inspiration for countless literary spin-offs, the tale of the young Englishman Jonathan Harker's journey into the very heart of Count Dracula's evil realm remains a compelling read to this day. A thriller of hypnotic power, a dark exploration of human passion, mythology and the paranormal, and a plain old-fashioned masterpiece of storytelling, the nightmarish saga of Dracula is one of the enduring classics of supernatural fiction.

A stunning and original YA fantasy from a fantastic new talent. Perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Laini Taylor. 'Deft, dark and daring' MELINDA SALISBURY 'A stormer of a story' KIRAN MILLWOOD HARGRAVE In a city where magic is feared and the dead are worshipped, life is overshadowed by a powerful and devastating storm cloud. One young woman is running for her life. Another is trying to return home. Both are looking for a place where they belong. But what Lena and Constance don't realise is that the storm cloud binds them. Without it, neither can get what she desires.

Mrs. Jeepers may -- or may not -- be a vampire in this funny and spooky series from Graphix Chapters. Get drawn into reading with Graphix Chapters! Graphix Chapters are ideal books for beginning and newly independent readers aged 6-8. With approachable page counts, easy-to-follow paneling, and artwork that supports text comprehension, these engaging stories with unforgettable characters help children become lifelong readers. The third graders at Bailey Elementary are so hard to handle that all of their teachers have quit. But their new teacher, Mrs. Jeepers, is different -- to say the least. She's just moved from Transylvania into a spooky old house in Bailey City. She wears a mysterious brooch that glows as green as her eyes. Could Mrs. Jeepers be a vampire? Featuring a beloved story by Marcia Thornton Jones and Debbie Dadey and fresh artwork by Academy Award winner Pearl Low, Vampires Don't Wear Polka Dots is the first-ever graphic novel adaptation of Scholastic's classic chapter book series.

In this dark, action-packed fourth book in the New York Times bestselling Dorothy Must Die series, Amy Gumm travels from Oz to the twisted land of Ev, where she fights to free Oz from evil once and for all.

My name is Amy Gumm. You might remember me as the other girl from Kansas. When a tornado swept me away to the magical land of Oz, I was given a mission: Dorothy must die. That’s right, everyone’s favorite Wicked-Witch-slayer had let the magic of Oz corrupt her. She turned evil. So I killed her.

But just when we thought it was safe to start rebuilding the damaged land of Oz, we were betrayed. Now I’m following the Road of Yellow Brick as it helps me escape toward the mysterious land of Ev, where the Nome King rules a bleak and angry world. And what I’m about to find is shocking: My original mission may not have been successful.

I thought my job was over, but it’s only just beginning. And it’s up to me to foil Dorothy’s plans for revenge—and finally save the land I’ve come to love.