Joseph Delaney is a retired English teacher. He has three children and nine grandchildren and is a wonderful public speaker available for conference, library and bookshop events. His home is in the middle of Boggart territory and his village has a boggart called the Hall Knocker, which was laid to rest under the step of a house near the church. Most of the places in the Spook's books are based on real places in Lancashire. And the inspiration behind the stories often comes from local ghost stories and legends.
Delaney's mastery of suspense will grip even reluctant readers with his dramatic, beautifully paced prose. -- Amanda Craig * The Times * . . . ideal for the reader who has outgrown Harry Potter. Be warned, these books are seriously scary . . . Beautifully produced and consistently surprising the weird and wonderful Wardstone Chronicles are an annual treat. * Amanda Craig, The Times * Wonderfully dark * The Bookseller * Another breathless thriller from the genius of magic and mayhem! * Pam Norfolk, Lancashire Evening Post * Fans of Joseph Delaney's fantastic Wardstone Chronicles will need no urging to buy the latest instalment... Gripping, moving and terrifying for anyone of 10+. * Amanda Craig, The Times *