Reviews from 7—11 years

The Black Book of Secrets by F E Higgins (Macmillan, £5.99 HB)

On the run from a brutal tooth surgeon, urchin, Ludlow Fitch, seeks shelter in the small village of Pagus Parvus. Here, he encounters Joe Zabbidou – a mysterious pawnbroker who invites the inhabitants of Pagus Parvus to trade their secrets for money. To Ludlow’s amazement, one by one people come forth to unburden themselves – shameful midnight confessions of theft, murder and bodysnatching, all recorded in ‘The Black Book of Secrets’. However, the ease of mind Joe grants his clients invites a confrontation with Jeremiah Ratchet, the vicious landowner whose malign influence has Pagus Parvus on its knees… This is an enthralling book, cleverly constructed around a thoughtful and original premise. Despite a foundation of historical detail, Joe’s impassive character gives The Black Book of Secrets an other worldly, almost dreamlike, feel.