We buried the Spook in what I guessed must be one of his favourite locations, next to the seat in the western garden – the place where we had often sat for my lessons. It was full of happy memories, with a view of the fells in the distance and the sound of birdsong filling the air. I was the thirtieth and last of his apprentices, and he must have spent many satisfying years here as he trained boys to fight the dark.
One day, perhaps, I will have an apprentice of my own. Maybe this is the place where I will also be buried.
I had the local mason craft a gravestone, and on it carve the following:
HERE LIETH
JOHN GREGORY OF CHIPENDEN,
THE GREATEST OF THE COUNTY SPOOKS
It was a fitting epitaph. What I had ordered to be written there was true; there was no exaggeration. For over sixty years my master had fought the dark and kept the County safe. He had always done his duty, and done it well, displaying great skill and courage. Finally he had laid down his life in order that the Fiend might be destroyed.
But life goes on. Last week I had good news from Jack. Ellie has given birth to a healthy baby boy. They’ve called him Matthew, and now Jack has a son to help with the farm when he is older.
My job now is to keep the County safe from the dark.
If I achieve half as much as my master, I will be satisfied.
Thomas J. Ward
THOMAS WARD NOW BATTLES AGAINST THE DARK ALONE. READ ON FOR A SNEAK PEEK AT JOSEPH DELANEY’S NEXT BOOK, THE FIRST IN A BRAND-NEW SERIES . . .
There was a cold draft coming from somewhere; maybe that was making the candle flicker to cast strange shadows onto the wall at the foot of the bed. The floor was uneven; perhaps that was why the door kept opening by itself as if something invisible was trying to get in.
But those ordinary, commonsensical explanations didn’t work here. As soon as I’d walked into the bedroom I’d known that there was something badly wrong. That’s what my instincts told me and they’ve rarely let me down.
Without doubt the room was haunted by somebody or something. And that’s why I was there, summoned by the landlord of the inn to sort out his problem.
My name is Tom Ward and I’m the Chipenden Spook. I deal with ghosts, ghasts, boggarts, witches and all manner of things that go bump in the night.
After all, someone has to do it.
I walked over to the window and used the sash to raise the lower half. It was about an hour after sunset and a crescent moon was already visible above the distant hills. I was looking down on a graveyard shrouded by trees. This was the village of Kirkby Lonsdale and it was less than twenty miles northeast of Caster, in an isolated location not being on the most direct route from that city to any sizeable town.
I went downstairs, leaving the inn by walking through the front room where three locals were drinking ale by the fire. They stopped talking and all turned to watch me but not one called out a greeting. No doubt any stranger to the village would have received a similar response – silence, curiosity and the drawing together in common defence against the outsider.
Of course, there would be an additional factor here. I was a spook, and although I was needed to deal with threats from the dark I made people nervous and often afraid. Some folk crossed over to the other side of the street to avoid me just in case something from the dark was hovering close to me.
And it was the way of things in the County that, by now, all in the village would know my business here.
A voice did call me as I walked through the front door and out onto the street. ‘Master Ward, a quick word in your ear!’
I turned and watched the landlord approach. He was a big hearty man with a florid face and a loud voice full of forced good-cheer – something that he had, no doubt, cultivated for the benefit of his customers. But although I was spending the night in one of his rooms he had an air of impatience and superiority that I’d noted when he dealt with his staff and also the man who’d delivered fresh casks of ale soon after I’d arrived.
I was counted as the hired help and he obviously expected a lot for his money.
‘Well?’ He raised his eyebrows. ‘What have you found out?’
I shrugged. ‘The room’s haunted all right, but by what I don’t know yet. Maybe you could speed things up a little by telling me everything that you know. How long has this been going on?’
‘Well, young man, isn’t it up to you to find out the situation for yourself? I’m paying you good money so I certainly don’t expect to have to do your job for you. I’m sure your former master, John Gregory, God rest his soul, would have had the job done by now.’
With his last sentence the inn-keeper had got to the heart of the problem; and it was his problem, not mine. My master was dead. He had died the previous year in a battle near the Wardstone, fighting to destroy the Fiend who’d threatened to bring an age of darkness and fear to the world.
I had inherited John Gregory’s role and was functioning as the Chipenden Spook. But, in truth, I hadn’t really completed my apprenticeship and was young to be plying my trade alone like this.
I’d met quite a few people over the past few months who shared the attitude of this landlord. I’d learned quickly that it was important to put them right and get off on the right foot.
‘Mr Gregory would have asked you the same question that I just did, make no mistake about it,’ I told him. ‘And I’ll tell you something else – if you’d failed to answer he would have picked up his bag and gone straight home.’
The inn-keeper glared at me, a touch of anger twitching his brows. He clearly wasn’t used to being spoken to like that. I stared back without blinking but I kept my expression mild and my tongue still. I waited for him to speak.
‘A girl died in that room exactly a month ago tomorrow,’ he said at last. ‘I employed her in the kitchen and sometimes, when it got busy, she helped out by serving ale. She was fit and strong. One morning she didn’t get up and we found her dead in bed with a look of terror on her face and blood all down the front of her nightgown. But there was no sign at all of a wound on her body. Since then her ghost walks and I can’t let the room – or any others, for that matter. We can hear her pacing back and forth even down in the ale room. By now there’d have been a dozen people in there with more to come. It’s affecting my business badly.’
I nodded and offered him my best sympathetic expression. ‘What about the cause of death?’ I asked. ‘What did the doctor have to say?’
‘He seemed as puzzled as everyone else but thought it might have been some sort of internal haemorrhage and that she’d coughed up blood. But it was the look of horror on her face that made us all uneasy. The doctor said seeing all that blood coming out of her mouth might have terrified her and caused her heart to stop. Or she might have carried on bleeding inside. To my way of thinking, he didn’t really know why she’d died.’
‘Well maybe I’ll be able to tell you more tomorrow,’ I replied, ‘after I’ve talked to her ghost. What’s her name?’
‘Her name was Miriam,’ he replied.
A special Q&A with Joseph Delaney about The Spook’s Revenge and his brand new series . . .
How do you feel now that the Wardstone Chronicles are finally complete?
I find it incredible that I have managed to write a series that contains thirteen books and two spin-offs. I only thought there would be three! I am happy with this final book and hope I have tied up most of the loose ends.
Was writing the final chapters an emotional experience for you?
Not really. I am the ‘pilot’ and the readers are the ‘passengers’. When turbulence strikes I’m not worried because I have experienced it all before. So I hope the readers feel some emotion because of what happens. I want them to be scared, happy and sad – to experience a whole range of reactions and emotions.
Was it difficult trying to give all of your characters a satisfying ending?
Yes, but at one level I think the story itself decides what has to happen. I
know that not everybody will be pleased with the way the book ends. Certain characters come to the end of their story and others may not behave in the way that everybody would like!
You have said before that you ‘discover’ your plots rather than carry out detailed planning in advance, but are there parts of the final book that have been in your head for a long time?
I always intended to visit the Wardstone at the end of the series. How could I avoid going there when it is mentioned at the beginning of every book and Tom Ward is the hero? But the truth is that I even began this final book of the series still not knowing fully how it would end.
Has it been difficult to keep the ending secret from curious fans? Are you excited to see their reaction to it?
Yes, many readers have tried to find out the ending from me. They were easy to resist because I didn’t know myself! I am excited to see how the final book is received.
Of the 13 main books in the Wardstone Chronicles, is there one that stands out to you as a favourite?
I have always preferred The Spook’s Battle to the others. It marked the point when I realised that the Wardstone Chronicles would be a long series. Grimalkin comes into the story for the first time and the Fiend is summoned to earth – these are two important elements that help drive the ongoing narrative and generate subsequent books.
What can you tell us about your brand new series?
I don’t want to give too much away. I know how the first book ends and I am happy with it. The new series is scheduled to be a trilogy but my writing method is still that of ‘discovery’. There could be more than three – but I am certain that there will not be thirteen!
How will it differ from The Wardstone Chronicles?
It will have some of the same elements and is from the world of spooks and witches. However a new darkness is rising. Those of you who have read Slither’s Tale will know what I mean!
After nine years the story of Wardstone Chronicles is finally complete. We asked the fans of the series from Joseph Delaney’s Facebook page to tell us what the books have meant to them over the years.
Here is a selection of their answers . . .
‘I was in Year 8 when the first book in the Wardstone Chronicles was introduced to me by my best friend. Ever since then I have been in love with the series. I know that I will always love these books, the characters and the adventures that they go on. To Joseph Delaney, I am forever thankful for making my teenage years so special.’ Virginia Cole
‘I first discovered the Wardstone Chronicles when I was about 13 and wandering around WH Smith with my Mam, looking for a new book to read. I then saw an ominous-looking, leather-bound book staring back at me. I was already captivated and bought The Spook’s Apprentice straight away. On my holiday to Melbourne in 2007 I remember being jet-lagged and (foolishly) ignored the ‘do not read after dark’ warning, while reading The Spook’s Curse and I definitely couldn’t sleep that night. I’d like to thank Joseph Delaney for the many wonderful and beautiful stories he has left me with, as well as useful information on how to deal with boggarts – always remember the salt, iron and tinderbox!’ Sam Hutchinson
‘I discovered the series on the internet. When I read the book synopsis I realized that I had to have that book. I bought it. It was the best thing I ever did. Thank you for sharing this amazing adventure with all of us.’ Anderson Estevam Lopes
‘The Spook’s series pulled me in from the very first book. I have read all the books so far and really could not pick a favourite. The characters are awesome and the plot is original and each book is even better than last if that’s even possible!’ Edel Waugh
‘I live in the Netherlands and I think I discovered the books in the Netherlands. I was totally creeped out by the first book. I love the series with all my heart, it is amazing and I am a big fan. I really love Joseph Delaney for making this series: it is creepy, exciting and so fun to read.’ Roos Busink
‘The Wardstone Chronicles became my favourite series a long time ago, seven years to be precise. I discovered them at my local library and I immediately fell in love with the book covers, which looked like old, leather diaries (needless to say, I borrowed them immediately!). This series means a lot to me, it’s actually the great part of my teenage-hood (I’m 21 now!). When I read the Wardstone Chronicles I relive all my happy memories and I still discover new details.’ Alexandra Vivarelli
‘I have loved the Spook’s series for as long as I can remember, eagerly anticipating every new book and then reading them far too quickly but loving every second of them. I am turning 20 this year and these books will always be a favourite of mine, they helped me through a difficult time in my life and knowing I could always escape into them was a great comfort to me. Knowing that the last one is coming out soon makes me very sad, but excited at the same time. It will be the end of a fantastic series!’ Rebecca Rankin
‘As a northern exile with plenty of family buried all over Pendle’s churchyards I love the series because it reminds me of home and the places of my childhood. As a teacher I love the Spook’s books because I’ve been able to use them to get so many of my students into reading. If only the series didn’t have to end.’ Paul Hargreaves
‘I’ve grown up with these books and have loved them for years. I feel like when the series ends my childhood finally will with it. Thanks for the memories!’ Sam Ball
‘I love Spook’s because it takes a new perspective on horror, medieval and narrative books. I found it on the net and instantly loved it to the core. THANK YOU J.DELANEY!’ Ghayur Haider
‘My favourite series ever. I could hardly put them down. Day by day, page by page, the characters become real to me. I got to know them and followed their journeys like they’re my old friends.’ Supakanya, Tennessee, USA
‘I LOVE THE SPOOKS BOOKS! They are by far the most amazing books I’ve ever read. I love all the different creatures and mythologies! I wish that the series would never end!’ Phoenix Steinfeldt
‘I am 20 years old and I have been following these books since I was 11. I have never missed a release date. The Wardstone Chronicles is a series I have always loved to escape to. Following Tom, Alice and the Spook will always be a very fond part of growing up for me. Having spent a lot of time in Lancaster the last couple of years I can see why they are set in that beautiful county. Great series and I really cannot wait to finish the series, if only to re-read them. Thanks for the memories.’ Stephanie Swann
‘I think the Spook’s series is the best I’ve ever read! The storyline is phenomenal and the characters have amazing personalities! I think this series has an excellent structure to it and it has beautiful cover art that makes me want to read it just by looking at it! These are amazing books!’ Steven Johns
‘The Spook’s book series is a very important series to me. Since I have ADD and dyslexia I never was a really good reader and reading was frustrating for me. I wanted to read books but it was too hard for me. I could never finish them and that made me sad. However when I started reading the first of the Spook’s books, it was completely different. I found myself stuck reading for hours and hours and I managed to finish the book in just a few days. I was shocked and very happy. I borrowed the second book and I read that also in just a few days. I never knew that I could read that fast and that much. The books are so amazingly written that you get completely sucked into the story and you don’t just read the story, you feel it. Not many writers have managed to get me this excited and involved in a book series. Thank you Joseph Delaney for making this life-changing tale. I am and will always be your diehard fan.’ Leo Lampinen
‘The Spook’s books are amazing and I guess I never thought they would end. Joseph Delaney has created a whole other world in his readers’ minds. Tia Patricia Flanagan, 12
‘I first came across The Spook’s Apprentice in a small bookshop in Devon. It was tucked between other books, but the spine immediately caught my attention. Ever since I have been immersed in Joseph Delaney’s writing and the world
of the Spook. Growing up with these books, alongside Tom Ward, has been exciting and spooky. It’s been a pleasure to read them. Now I’m ready to face anything from the Dark.’ Sam Whitehouse
‘As a 22-year-old, who has been reading these books since I was 13 or 14, they’ve been a huge part of my life, and whenever one of these books is released, I’m always incredibly excited, and finish it on the day I get it. Always a pleasure to read. Thank you Joe.’ Ryan Hoskin
‘I was walking down to the shop when I passed a bookstore and saw The Spook’s Apprentice I knew straight away I wanted that book. The Spook’s series even inspired me to write a short story.’ Taylor Collopy
‘The reason I love Spook’s is because I have been reading them since number 1 and I love the idea of the Spook and the job.’ Yeseen
‘When the Spook’s books end I don’t know what I will do. It has kept me entertained and on the edge of my seat and they have to be the best books I have ever read. I recommend them to everyone! Thank you Joseph Delaney for all of the books, I will be thoroughly sad when they end.’ Daniella Wilson
‘The way I discovered the Spook’s books was much the same as many other people. I was on holiday, browsing a book store, intrigued by the cover and decided to buy it. By the evening I had finished the book and enjoyed it so thoroughly that I went back to the store. It quickly became one of my favourite book series of all time.’ Toby Causon
‘The Spook’s series are a chilling read. They have great imagination put into them and are quite fascinating. The books are certainly not be read after dark as I found out the hard way!’ Darren McCahey
‘I like the Spook’s books because . . .
1. They make me believe in witches and boggarts and all that.