Thomas Creeper and the Gloomsbury Secret

February 19, 2021
Grades 5-8 The sun rarely shines in Gloomsbury, a dismal town as uninspiring as its motto, "Live here. Work here. Die here." Thirteen-year-old Thomas navigates the gloom as son of the resident mortician, death permeating his dreary life: his family barely functions after the shocking demise of his older brother, a ghostly girl appears to be haunting his house, and a disquieting supernatural stranger is lurking about town. There's also the matter of the local priest's untimely death, which finally sets Thomas and his best friend, Jeni, off on a quest to unravel the mysterious goings-on and save their town--and themselves--from destruction. It's a delightfully dark story, hilariously and matter-of-factly morbid, that evokes a modern setting with a decidedly old-fashioned feel, mixing iPhones and email with Victorian turrets and disused dumbwaiters. There are umpteen plot points to follow (Garrulous ghosts! Steampunk submarines! Blossoming romance!), making it difficult to give all the wild turns their due. Still, it's great fun, especially combined with the slightly sinister illustrations, and readers will eagerly follow the marvelously macabre adventure.

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