The Warm Hands of Ghosts

Hüte dich vor dem, was in den Wäldern haust ...In einem Dorf am Rande der Wildnis, weit im Norden Russlands, wo der Wind kalt bläst und der Schnee viele Monate des Jahres fällt, erzählt die alte Dienerin Dunja den Kindern des Grundbesitzers Pjotr Wladimirowitsch Geschichten über Zauberei, Folklore und den Winterkönig mit den frostblauen Augen. Verbotene Geschichten über eine uralte Magie. Doch für die junge, wilde Wasja sind dies weit mehr als Märchen. Sie allein kann die Geister sehen, die ihr Zuhause beschützen. Und sie allein spürt, dass sich in den Wäldern eine dunkle Magie erhebt ...

The spellbindingly creepy middle-grade debut from the bestselling author of The Bear and the Nightingale. 'Terrifying and fun.' - R L Stine, author of Goosebumps After rescuing a book from the river, eleven-year-old Ollie discovers a creepy ghost story about the Smiling Man, a fiendish trickster who can grant any wish - for a price. Luckily, it's just a story ... But when Ollie finds the characters' names carved into gravestones on a school trip to a farm, the story begins to feel terrifyingly real. And then the bus breaks down on the way home, under the watchful eyes of the scarecrows. And darkness starts to fall. 'Best get moving,' the bus driver warns the schoolchildren. 'At nightfall they'll come for the rest of you.' As Ollie and two new friends work to unravel a hundred-year-old mystery and save their classmates from the Smiling Man, they'll need quick thinking and even quicker feet if they're going to survive. Full of slow-burning tension, gloriously creepy writing and fantastically realised characters, this is horror at its best: a perfect read for fans of R L Stine, Jennifer Killick and Phil Hickes. (lib)

Discover the Sunday Times bestselling supernatural historical fantasy from the author of The Bear and the Nightingale, a spellbinding, sweeping novel set in the trenches of WW1.WATERSTONES SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY BOOK OF THE MONTH'Darkly beautiful and deeply humane.' Ava Reid, bestselling author of A Study in Drowning'One of the best historical fantasies I've ever read' Emma Törzs, bestselling author of Ink, Blood, Sister, Scribe'Wonderful storytelling. Inventive, haunting and deeply moving.' Sarah Winman, bestselling author of Still LifeAmid the falling shells of Flanders Field, magic and mystery fills the air...January 1918: Laura Iven, a Canadian nurse, returns home from the war, only to receive devastating news - her brother Freddie is dead. But something doesn't quite make sense.Determined to uncover the truth, Laura heads back to Belgium, volunteering at a private hospital. There, she encounters the eerie whispers of ghosts moving among those still living and a strange inn-keeper whose wine gives soldiers the gift of oblivion. Could this have happened to Freddie - but if so, where is he?November 1917: Freddie Iven wakes after an explosion to find himself trapped with a wounded German soldier. Against all the odds, they form a bond and claw their way to an escape.But in the chaos of No Man's Land, neither know where to turn to avoid persecution. Amidst the atrocity, they encounter a fiddler with the power to make their hellscape vanish - but at what price?With the power to both warm and break your heart, The Warm Hands of Ghosts is a breathtaking and spellbinding tale of love, survival, and the supernatural.Praise for The Warm Hands of Ghosts'Well-researched and beautifully written, this is a compelling, memorable novel.' The Guardian'A spectacular tour de force ... I love this book so much and want everyone to read it!' Naomi Novik, bestselling author of A Deadly Education'A wonderful clash of fire and ice ... A book you won't want to let go of.' Diana Gabaldon, bestselling author of the Outlander series'An exquisite, brilliant gem of a story.' Conn Iggulden, bestselling author of Nero'Arden is at the very height of her powers with this rich, heart-breaking and life-affirming supernatural journey through the darkest hours of WWI. I've never read anything like it.' Laura Steven, author of Our Infinite Fates'Visionary, imaginative and brilliantly written.' Anthony Horowitz, bestselling author of The Power of Five'Mixing historical fiction with the paranormal, this haunting, atmospheric tale of separated siblings is a real gem of a book.' Heat Magazine'A gripping tale of loss, mystery, ghosts and queer romance.' BBC Culture OnlineSunday Times bestseller, March 2024

Die große Fortsetzung des internationalen Erfolgsromans »Der Bär und die Nachtigall«Wasja hat es geschafft: Sie hat ihr Zuhause vor dem Untergang bewahrt, indem sie einen Pakt mit Väterchen Frost einging. Doch jeder Pakt hat seinen Preis, und nun muss Wasja bitter für die Hilfe des Winterdämons bezahlen. Als Hexe verschrien, wird sie aus dem Dorf gejagt und durchstreift fortan in Männerkleidung das riesige Zarenreich. Immer an ihrer Seite ist ihr geliebter Hengst Solowej, der schneller ist als der Wind. Als Wasja eines Tages eine berühmt-berüchtigte Räuberbande in die Flucht schlägt, ruft sie der Prinz an den Hof nach Moskau, wo sie als Held gefeiert wird. Schnell wird Wasja - dank der Ratschläge des Winterdämons - zur engsten Vertrauten des Prinzen. Doch niemand am Hof darf je erfahren, dass der tapfere Kämpfer aus dem klirrend kalten Norden eigentlich eine junge Frau ist ...