A photo of a couple of the Lockwood books on a grey background next to a fake sword, torch, teapot and coat

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Crafts & activities

Dress up as a ghostbusting agent from Lockwood

8 books to get you in the Halloween spirit

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Children's reading lists

7 scary stories to tell in the dark

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Best kids’ books for superhero fans

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Bake some ghost Halloween cupcakes

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Get messy with this Lockwood DIY Halloween pumpkin activity

Ptolemy's Gate

Ptolemy’s Gate is the final title in the New York Times bestselling Bartimaeus series by Jonathan Stroud, author of Lockwood & Co. - a global No.1 show on Netflix. 
 
**Note: There is a chance the book cover you receive may differ from the cover displayed here.** 
 
Two thousand years have passed since the djinni Bartimaeus was at the height of his powers – invincible in battle and befriended by the great magician Ptolemy. Now, trapped on earth and treated with disdain by his master, Nathaniel, Bartimaeus finds his energies fading fast. 
 
Elsewhere, undercover in London, the fugitive Kitty Jones has been stealthily completing her research on magic and demons. She has a plan that she hopes will break the endless conflict between djinn and humans – but first she must uncover the secrets of Bartimaeus’s past. 
 
And time is running out. As a horrific conspiracy threatens everything, can Nathaniel, Kitty and Bartimaeus team up to save the world? 
 
Set in an alternate London controlled by magicians, this hilarious and electrifying bestseller will enthral readers of all ages. 
 
The triumphant conclusion to a fantastic trilogy – Daily Mail 
 
Showstopping – Sunday Times

Bartimaeus' razor-sharp wit is as irresistible as ever and this is a fantastic conclusion to the series

There are many delights to savour in this series. First and foremost, the wonderful, sardonic voice of the all-knowing and all-weary Bartimaeus

As witty and orginal as the first two books in the series, Ptolemy's Gate is fast, funny, inspired writing for children at its best

Stroud demonstrates here that what and how he writes should never be taken for granted

The return of one of my favourite ever characters . . . Completes the brilliant Bartimaeus trilogy

Jonathan Stroud goes from strength to strength . . . Dramatic tension and coruscating wit never falter

Jonathan Stroud was born in Bedford in 1970. After studying English Literature at York University, he moved to London, where he worked as an editor at a publishing firm. He is the author of the best-selling Bartimaeus series; the much-beloved Lockwood & Co. series (now a major Netflix series) as well as The Notorious Scarlett & Browne; Heroes of the Valley; The Last Seige; The Leap and Buried Fire. He lives in Hertfordshire with his family. He has yet to see a ghost, but is keeping his eyes open.

Two thousand years have passed since the djinni Bartimaeus was at the height of his powers – invincible in battle and befriended by the great magician Ptolemy. Now, trapped on earth and treated with disdain by his master, Nathaniel, Bartimaeus finds his energies fading fast. 
 
Elsewhere, undercover in London, the fugitive Kitty Jones has been stealthily completing her research on magic and demons. She has a plan that she hopes will break the endless conflict between djinn and humans – but first she must uncover the secrets of Bartimaeus’s past. 
 
And time is running out. As a horrific conspiracy threatens everything, can Nathaniel, Kitty and Bartimaeus team up to save the world? 
 
Set in an alternate London controlled by magicians, this hilarious and electrifying bestseller will enthral readers of all ages.

The Golem's Eye

The Golem’s Eye is the second title in the New York Times bestselling Bartimaeus series by Jonathan Stroud. 
 
**Note: There is a chance the book cover you receive may differ from the cover displayed here.** 
 
Two years have passed since the events surrounding the Amulet of Samarkand, and the young magician Nathaniel is rising fast through the ranks of London’s elite magical government. 
 
But his career is suddenly threatened by a dangerous golem making random attacks on London, and Nathaniel is forced on a perilous quest to save his reputation and the city. When he finds his life in danger he has no choice but to call upon the troublesome 5,000 year old djinni, Bartimaeus, to do his magical bidding once more . . . 
 
Set in an alternate London controlled by magicians, this hilarious and electrifying series will enthral readers of all ages. 
 
Fresh, witty and wise, this novel is a worthy sequel to The Amulet of Samarkand – Times Educational Supplement 
 
Readers can rest easy: this sequel is no pale imitation of its predecessor. Fast paced, frightening and funny, and you don't want it to end – The Bookseller

The alternating perspective between the three central characters adds depth, detail and humour to the action-packed thrills

A vast plum pudding of a novel that improves with each mouthful

Fresh, downbeat, witty and wise, this novel is a worthy sequel to The Amulet of Samarkand

Readers can rest easy: this sequel is no pale imitation of its predecessor. The Golem's Eye is another sophisticated, sardonic satire . . . Fast paced, frightening and funny, and you don't want it to end

Two years have passed since the events surrounding the Amulet of Samarkand, and the young magician Nathaniel is rising fast through the ranks of London’s elite magical government. 
 
But his career is suddenly threatened by a dangerous golem making random attacks on London, and Nathaniel is forced on a perilous quest to save his reputation and the city. When he finds his life in danger he has no choice but to call upon the troublesome 5,000 year old djinni, Bartimaeus, to do his magical bidding once more . . . 
Set in an alternate London controlled by magicians, this hilarious and electrifying New York Times bestselling series will enthral readers of all ages. 
 
Fresh, witty and wise, this novel is a worthy sequel to The Amulet of Samarkand – Times Educational Supplement 
 
Readers can rest easy: this sequel is no pale imitation of its predecessor. Fast paced, frightening and funny, and you don't want it to end – The Bookseller

The Ring of Solomon

The Ring of Solomon is a prequel to the New York Times bestselling Bartimaeus series by Jonathan Stroud, author of Lockwood & Co. - a global No.1 show on Netflix. 
 
**Note: There is a chance the book cover you receive may differ from the cover displayed here.** 
 
It is 950 BC, and King Solomon rules Jerusalem with a steely hand on which gleams a mystic ring of immense and unforgiving power. 
 
One of Solomon’s magical slaves, the irrepressible djinni Bartimaeus, is stuck doing dead-end jobs for the king. But when Asmira, a young Sheban assassin, arrives to kill Solomon, steal the ring and save her country from his attack, she makes Bartimaeus an offer he can’t refuse. If he helps her succeed, she will give him his freedom. 
 
What could possibly go wrong? 
 
Set in an alternate world controlled by magicians, this hilarious and electrifying bestseller will enthral readers of all ages. 
 
As funny as ever. Stroud has lost none of his dazzle – Financial Times 
 
Deservedly shortlisted for the Costa Prize – Sunday Times

It is 950 BC, and King Solomon rules Jerusalem with a steely hand on which gleams a mystic ring of immense and unforgiving power. 
 
One of Solomon’s magical slaves, the irrepressible djinni Bartimaeus, is stuck doing dead-end jobs for the king. But when Asmira, a young Sheban assassin, arrives to kill Solomon, steal the ring and save her country from his attack, she makes Bartimaeus an offer he can’t refuse. If he helps her succeed, she will give him his freedom. 
 
What could possibly go wrong? 
 
Set in an alternate world controlled by magicians, this hilarious and electrifying bestseller will enthral readers of all ages. 
 
As funny as ever. Stroud has lost none of his dazzle – Financial Times 
 
Deservedly shortlisted for the Costa Prize – Sunday Time

Lockwood & Co.– Now a major Netflix series

Now a major Netflix series from the production company of Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead) and Joe Cornish (Attack the Block) 
 
'The Screaming Staircase?' Lockwood edged forward in his chair. 'Please, Mr Fairfax, tell us more.' 
 
For more than fifty years, Britain has been terrorised by an epidemic of murderous ghosts. A number of Psychic Investigations Agencies have sprung up to destroy them - with mixed results . . . 
 
Lucy Carlyle, a talented young agent, arrives in London hoping to begin a shining new chapter in her career. Instead she finds herself joining Lockwood & Co., the most ramshackle agency in the city, whose ineptitude is matched only by the charisma of its owner. 
 
But Lockwood & Co. have one last chance for redemption. All they have to do is spend the night in one of the most haunted houses in England . . . and come out alive. 
 
The first book in an amazingly addictive, binge-worthy series, this is an electrifying, witty and brilliantly spooky thriller, perfect for fans of Rivers of London and Good Omens.

Genuinely spooky and suspenseful . . . all shot through with Stroud's dry wit

One of those books you take with you to the bath . . . Packed with bloodcurdling spectral incident

'The Screaming Staircase?' Lockwood edged forward in his chair. 'Please, Mr Fairfax, tell us more.' 
 
For more than fifty years, Britain has been terrorised by an epidemic of murderous ghosts. A number of Psychic Investigations Agencies have sprung up to destroy them - with mixed results . . . 
 
Lucy Carlyle, a talented young agent, arrives in London hoping to begin a shining new chapter in her career. Instead she finds herself joining Lockwood & Co., the most ramshackle agency in the city, whose ineptitude is matched only by the charisma of its owner. 
 
But Lockwood & Co. have one last chance for redemption. All they have to do is spend the night in one of the most haunted houses in England . . . and come out alive.

Book 5

Lockwood & Co: The Empty Grave

Join Lucy, Lockwood, George and Holly as they battle ghosts and humans for truth and justice in this breathtaking finale to the bestselling Lockwood series - now a major new Netflix show!

Now a major Netflix series! 
 
Want to hear a ghost story? That's good. I know a few . . . 
 
After their recent adventures, the Lockwood & Co team deserve a well-earned break . . . so naturally they decide to risk their lives breaking into a heavily-guarded crypt. A building full of unsettled souls, it's also the final resting place of Marissa Fittes, the legendary and (supposedly) long-dead ghost hunter - though the team have their suspicions about just how dead she might be. 
 
What they discover changes everything. 
 
Pitched into a desperate race to get to the truth behind the country's ghost epidemic, the team ignite a final, epic battle against the Fittes agency. A battle that will force them to journey to the Other Side, and face the most terrifying enemy they have ever known. 
 
Can everyone make it out alive? 
 
Join Lucy, Lockwood, George and Holly for one last time as they battle ghosts and humans for truth and justice in this breathtaking finale to the bestselling series. 
 
'Stroud is a genius' - Rick Riordan

A brilliant culmination to a splendidly scary series

Stroud’s prose is evocative . . . and his horrors, pattering in the footsteps of M. R. James, depend more on the reader’s imagination than the writer’s gruesome welter. His humour is also perfectly judged, never undermining the terror, but allowing the reader to bask in the camaraderie of London’s smallest, most slapdash and unlikely ghost-hunting agency, the eponymous Lockwood and Co. Throughout the series, he has achieved great feats of ­characterisation.

A devilishly good combination of engaging cast, memorable locations, comforting food and delicious pace all sewn together with seriously good, unaffected writing, The Empty Grave is the full monty; entertainment, excitement and intelligence sprinkled with wit and verve and sparkling throughout with an endorphin-laced exploration of a liminal frontier – in this case the very boundary between the living and the dead. The Empty Grave is a fitting and extraordinary end to a remarkable series; I am very envious of those who are yet to discover Lockwood &amp; Co. for themselves.

[T]he thrilling finale to the multi award-winning series, and the excitement and tension are held right to the very end. Sad to see a great series reach its conclusion, but better to go out on a high note, as this does.

Stroud brings his intricate, series long storyline to a close with a complex, dramatic climax followed by a simple, satisfying conclusion. A first-rate adventure, full of memorable, original characters

Jonathan Stroud was born in Bedford in 1970. After studying English Literature at York University, he moved to London, where he worked as an editor at a publishing firm. He is the author of the best-selling Bartimaeus series; the much-beloved Lockwood &amp; Co. series (now a major Netflix series) as well as The Notorious Scarlett &amp; Browne; Heroes of the Valley; The Last Seige; The Leap and Buried Fire. He lives in Hertfordshire with his family. He has yet to see a ghost, but is keeping his eyes open.

Book 4

Lockwood & Co: The Creeping Shadow

Ghouls and spectres beware! London's smallest (but best) psychic detection agency Lockwood & Co. is back with a fourth deliciously terrifying tale - now a major new Netflix series!

Now a major Netflix series! 
 
Lucy has left Lockwood & Co. A freelance operative, she is hiring herself out to other agencies - agencies that might value her ever-improving skills. 
 
But now Lockwood needs her help. 
 
Penelope Fittes, leader of the well-renowned Fittes Agency wants Lockwood & Co. - and only them - to locate and remove the 'Source' for the legendary Brixton Cannibal. 
 
It's a tough assignment. Made worse by the tensions between Lucy and the other agents - even the skull is treating her like a jilted lover! 
 
What will it take to reunite the team? Black marketeers, an informant ghost, a Spirit Cape that transports the wearer, and mysteries involving their closest rivals may just do the trick. 
 
But not all is at it seems. And it's not long before a shocking revelation rocks Lockwood & Co. to its very core . . . 
 
'Stroud is a genius' - Rick Riordan, author of the Percy Jackson series.

like the Famous Five fused with HP Lovecraft [...] cosy and terrifying

Stroud's nerve-shredding ghouls, laconic hilarity and intelligent character development make him a must for fiction aficionados with an iron nerve

this spine-chilling adventure is the perfect ghostly read

All the books in the series have been excellent, but in The Creeping Shadow, Stroud manages to pile mystery on top of suspense, leaving me with the feeling that a year is far, far, too long to wait for the concluding part of a series that instantly shot to the very top of my reading pile. This is young adult writing of the very highest quality.

If you’re in the market to have your pants scared off this Halloween, this atmospheric tale, finely balanced between horror and humour, will definitely do the trick . . . There are few writers whose work I look forward to more.

Publication of a new Lockwood and Co. adventure must qualify as one of the literary events of the year. Jonathan Stroud not only writes like a dream, he creates some of the most inventive, most exciting storylines around.

I enjoyed it so much, I hope there will be yet another book soon to follow in this fabulously told series.

Amazed Earthling, with Guardian Children's Books

I love this series so much, the characters are funny . . .  the ghosts are awesome.

Jonathan Stroud

When a young magician’s apprentice secretly summons an irascible 5,000 year old djinni to do his bidding, neither are prepared for the peril that ensues. 
 
Nathaniel is plotting the downfall of his nemesis – a ruthless magician by the name of Simon Lovelace – and tasks Bartimaeus to steal the powerful Amulet of Samarkand from him, in order to exact his revenge. 
 
But before long, Nathaniel and Bartimaeus are caught up in a terrifying adventure much bigger than either of them anticipated, involving intrigue, rebellion and murder… 
 
Set in an alternate London controlled by magicians, this hilarious and electrifying series will enthral readers of all ages.

Jonathan Stroud

The Amulet of Samarkand

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