Halloween Book Review: Spooksmiths Investigate: The Cinderman

Published by Usborne
Genre: Horror
Age: Middle Grade.
Published: 10th October 2024

There are three important things to know about this book.

1- It’s a debut book

2- It’s the first book of a series.

3- It’s in my top 2 favourite books of 2024.

Oh, and 4-it’s a brilliant, marvellous, fantastic read.

Indigo and Rusty might live in a funeral parlour, but they don't believe in ghosts. That is, until Indigo drops an old urn, accidentally releasing the Cinderman: a terrifying ash monster, who will smother their town in ashes and turn everyone into zombies, unless they can stop him by sunset.

What an amazing setting for a book, so we already know that this is going to have the right amount of spook. Spooksmiths are unique people who have the ability to see/hear and speak to ghosts. We also learn there are different grades of ghosts such as a grade 1 ghosts, who can’t leave the place they died.

Using their newly awakened Spooksmith skills, Indigo and Rusty set out to enlist the help of other ghosts. But can the Blasted Banshee and Chuckles the Phantom Toddler really help them find the Cinderman's true name and put him in his grave for good before Ashmageddon strikes?

Can the twins, and a misfit bunch of ghosts, really work together to save anyone, and is there anyone who can help The Cinderman?

This is such a great story and there are going to be so many children that will want to read this book.

We have a couple of side stories going on as well. Indigo is jealous of a new girl at school and is worried she will lose her best friend. Rusty is game obsessed and they are both mourning the loss of their grandad.

But the scenes with the ghosts are the best, and I adore how different all the ghosts are.

More and more primary aged children are looking for a scare in a storyline and this is perfect for these children.

I can’t wait to see what happens next, I just hope the wait isn’t too long.

Review by Helen