Ropa has a very special skill, allowing her to chuck in school and work for herself. She can see ghosts wherever she goes and has many ghost customers who want to communicate with their loved ones. For a fee, Ropa will provide this service.

There is one ghost however that won’t leave her alone, no matter how often she insists she won’t work for free. When her infirm but wise spirit talker grandmother tells her that ghost talkers must also have compassion for their clients, Ropa finally gives in. The persistent ghost is the mother of a little boy who has gone missing in Ropa’s world. The ghost/mother cannot rest and begs Ropa to look for her son.

In the meantime, one of Ropa’s friends has a new job. Intrigued, Ropa wants to know more about it. She soon learns it is connected to an auspicious library – The Library of the Dead, filled with books and knowledge Ropa would kill for.

Through this connection to the library, she meets another young woman as brave, sarcastic and self-sufficient as herself.  Together they soon face not only the evil of the underworld but discover many other children have vanished from streets and homes recently.

To save lost children and fulfill promises made, Ropa must use all that she has learnt from her short time in a mentorship at the library, and dig deep into what her grandmother has taught her throughout her life.

The creature that has them is using them for their own evil gain and is someone Ropa never expected.

The Library of the Dead is a world set in our future in Edinburgh Scotland, after an event called the Catastrophe. Poverty is even more prevalent and spells a currency of their own.

The main character is only 14 but living the life of one much older with many responsibilities she shoulders without complaint. Ropa is an engaging character, strong, resilient and determined to run her own life. She seems tough but her love for her little sister and sick grandmother, and compassion for the children she has promised to save, shines through.

With lots of ghost talking, sass and action, mixed with creatures who slice off body parts without a blink, this is a great read for the ghoulish like me!

Author – T L Huchu

Age – 15+

(2021, Macmillan, Action, Family, Series, Ghost, Courage, Poverty, Fantasy, Magic, Mystery, Edinburgh, Future, Fear, Evil, Caravan, Library, Wheelchair, Scotland, Rescue, Mentor, Grandmother, Ghost talker, Medium, Music)