The Longest Night of Charlie Noon

Having moved from London to the countryside, Charlie Noon makes a new friend in Dizzy, a gentle boy who knows all about birds. However, Charlie also makes a new enemy – Johnny.

When Johnny plays a trick that leaves the three of them stranded in the woods, Charlie fears that they will be trapped by Old Crony, the monster who is said to live there… and eat children. As the night in the woods turns ever stranger and more nightmarish, Charlie begins to realise that there are bigger secrets than they could ever have imagined, at the end of the longest night Charlie ever experienced.

Skilfully written and structured for maximum tension, this short but powerful novel keeps the reader guessing throughout. There are some fantastic twists and turns (one of which seems reminiscent of The Turbulent Term of Tyke Tiler by Gene Kemp) and plenty of guessing games and riddles that will ensure the reader is caught and pulled along with Charlie.

It all leads to a stunning conclusion that overturns the reader’s expectations. There are some terrifying moments, so this book might need to be handled with care by readers who are sensitive to horror.