Tonight is a big deal for Eleonore, or Leo which she prefers to be called. It’s her 111th birthday and it’s the night for her Hunt for the Waxing Moon. This is an important rite of passage for every young vampire. The night of her first bite!

Leo lives with her mum, dad, little/big sister (I’ll explain that in a moment), and Marged – her nanny who Leo much prefers to call her butler. Mum is an ancient vampire and terrifying, even to her family, and is high up in the Vampiric Council. Dad is a scientist and prolific reader, quite happy pottering about Castle Motteberg perfectly fine in his own company. Little/big sister Emmeline is an older vampire than Leo, but just happens to be in a two year old body. Her and Leo have a continuing feud where Leo pranks Emmeline and she replies with a fury that rivals a hurricane.

Mum is preparing to leave for an important Vampiric Council meeting and tells Leo that no Motteberg has ever failed their first bite and she doesn’t believe Leo will either. So no pressure!

Castle Motteberg isn’t far from a little town called Otto’s End. On the outskirts is St Frieda’s Home for Unfortunate Children. Unfortunate indeed as many young vampires have found their first bite there. Leo plans to do the same. She prepares herself, chooses a victim and that’s where everything goes completely, utterly, stupendously wrong.

Her ‘victim’ is anything but. Minna is an orphan all right, but she has her own plans for the evening, thank you very much! Leo’s arrival ruins Minna’s plan and what results is a smouldering ruin and two very angry ghosts!

Minna is one of them and she insists that as Leo wrecked her plans to end the tyrannical boss of the Orphanage (the Orphan Master), she must help Minna do it now. The problem is, The Orphan Master has become even worse as a ghost and his power increases as every night passes. They only have seven moons to stop him and they have no idea how. His threats increase as time ticks by, ratcheting up the tension in this tale.

Leo is caught in a maelstrom of worry. If Mum finds out she not only didn’t take her first bite, but has made friends with Vampires’ worst enemy – a ghost, she will be toast. Emmeline is being particularly nasty, and Minna is piling on the guilt factor. Leo is torn between family duties, guilt and worry her secret will be discovered.

One of the best middle-grade vampire novels I have ever read. So much is happening, the characters are all fascinating in their own way, and it’s funny!

Leo is caught between a guilty secret, and her feelings to do the right thing. This is at odds with her vampiric beliefs, so in turn cranks up the tension and indecision she feels. Minna has a secret of her own and when revealed explains why the villain is so terrible. He too has a surprising revelation or two, adding more and more to this riveting, time-ticking, entertaining plot.

Illustrator Sara Ogilvie’s distinctive style introduces the characters’ likenesses and the plot action as you read, pulling you even further into the story.

Throw in a talking spider, a nanny in a suit of armour and the Rules for Vampires which are increasingly harder to stick to, and you have a great read!

Author – Alex Foulkes

Illustrator – Sara Ogilvie

Age – 9+

See the next in this wickedly fun series (Click on the Cover)

(2021, Simon & Schuster, Vampires, Undead, Spooky, Paranormal, Ghosts, Orphanage, Funny, Humour, Spider, Sibling Rivalry, Powerful mum, Doddering dad, Ticking clock, Evil, Secrets, Failed Plans, Castle, Scientist, Rite of passage, Spells, Ingredients, Friendship, Loneliness, Guilt)