Levi Galante doesn’t have any friends at his new school. Even his little sister Twila as made new mates since their move from the city. They used to spend most of their free time together, but now she’d rather play lacrosse with her friends.

Then there is Kat. Kat Bombard, daughter of one of the richest men in their tiny town of Cowslip Grove, and also the class tearaway. To Levi’s dismay, Kat latches onto him even though she is his polar opposite. She’s into Cryptids like Bigfoot and The Loch Ness Monster, and has personal tales of alien abduction that she regales Levi with. He’s quiet and shy and not quite sure what to say to her.

When Twila claims there is a real monster invading her bedroom at night, Levi and Kat take notice. And then suddenly Twila has gone! Vanished. Along with all her belongings and any evidence that she ever existed. What’s even worse is that it seems only Levi and Kat remember her at all. Kat is keen to catch a monster, and plans a stake-out that very night – in Twila’s bare, empty room.

Suddenly Levi and Kat are victims themselves of this bizarre disappearing trick and they become strangers in their own town. Little do they know that there are people who know about the strange goings on in the neighbourhood, and that there are many more monsters than Levi or even Kat would ever have believed possible.

They are all soon swept up in more than one rescue mission when they learn Twila’s, and even more children’s, fate.

This middle-grade novel captured me from the first page with it’s design. Every page holds detailed illustrations, immediately drawing me into a tale of terror, creep factor, and courage. Characters Levi and Kat are complete opposites, which serves the story well – adding action, compulsiveness and bravery, but also calm and kindness that aids them in a dangerous quest to save a sister.

The illustrations of the monsters are often an entire page and full-on freaky as the story builds to a thrilling crescendo deep under a town hiding an incredibly disturbing secret. Monsters are REAL after all!

Loved the unexpected ending too.

Author / Illustrator – Kory Merritt

Age – 9+

(2022, Chicken House Books, Scholastic,  Terror, Horror, Monsters, Friendships, Courage, Empathy, Kindness, Rash, Compulsive, Careful, Thrilling, Mystery, Secret, Vanish, Missing Children, Betrayal, Action, Bullies, Fantasy, Small Town, Loner, School, Spine-tingling, Series)