BLACK BOOK OF SECRETS (H/C)

"WONDERFUL. ANYONE LOOKING FOR THE NEXT BIG THING HAS COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE. HIGGINS HAS CREATED A UNIQUELY GRIM FANTASY WORLD THAT MORE THAN HOLDS ITS OWN WITH DICKENS OR PEAKE. HER CHARACTERS ARE BRILLIANTLY REALISED AND THE STORY GRABS AT THE READER WITH HOOKED TALONS" - EOIN COLFER. WHEN LUDLOW FITCH'S PARENTS CRUELLY BETRAY HIM, HE STEALS AWAY ON THE BACK OF A CARRIAGE AND LEAVES BEHIND THE STINKING CITY. HE ARRIVES IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT AT A REMOTE VILLAGE, WHERE HE CROSSES PATHS WITH THE TALL AND LIMPING FIGURE OF JOE ZABBIDOU - A PAWNBROKER WITH A DIFFERENCE. FOR JOE TRADES SECRETS, NOT GOODS, FOR CASH. EMPLOYED AS JOE'S ASSISTANT, LUDLOW RECORDS THE VILLAGERS' FIENDISH CONFESSIONS IN AN ANCIENT LEATHER-BOUND VOLUME "THE BLACK BOOK OF SECRETS". THERE'S THE GRAVEDIGGER WHO HAS BEEN RESURRECTING BODIES; THE BUTCHER WHO MADE A MOUSE-MEAT PIE FOR HIS BULLYING FATHER, WITH FATAL CONSEQUENCES; THE WIZENED BOOKSELLER WHO WENT TO MURDEROUS LENGTHS TO GET HER HANDS ON A PRICELESS TOME