Fright Bite (Dread Wood, Book 5)

By Author / Illustrator

Jennifer Killick

Genre

Horror

Age range(s)

Publisher

Farshore

ISBN

9780008657031

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

18-01-2024

Synopsis

The brand new must-read middle-grade novel from the author of super-spooky Crater Lake. Perfect for 9+ fans of R.L.Stine's Goosebumps and Stranger Things.

It's Colette's birthday and the friends are spending an evening at Neon Perch - an epic entertainment spot where they can eat pizza, play mini golf and - best of all - take part in Project Z - an epic new escape room experience. It's going to be the best night ever! Or is it . . . ?

Somehow, the escape room somehow seems to know each player's greatest fears. And worst of all, there are creatures locked up with them. Creatures from their darkest nightmares . . . giant, poisonous RATS!

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Reviews

Club Loser are heading to Neon Perch, the place to go, for a night of celebrating Colette's 13th birthday. With Songbird Karaoke, Galactic Golf, Battle Karts and a kitty of cash to spend, they are set to have the best night ever! However, as usual, nothing goes to plan and when the friends decide to experience Project Z, the brand-new, immersive, zombie escape room experience in the basement, they quickly realise that their old adversaries are back with more unpleasant surprises and horrors, including some vicious creatures with a poisonous bite…tick, tock.

A new book from Jennifer Killick is always a celebration - a new Dread Wood book doubly so! Each book seems better than the last and although I might have been heard to say that Dread Wood: Deadly Deep was my favourite, I can now reveal that Dread Wood: Fright Bite has knocked it off the top spot!

One of the joys of these books is that you really feel part of 'Club Loser' and so are fully invested in the adventure before it starts. This unlikely group of friends prove that opposites attract and show the importance of getting to know others. Each of the gang is unique, each is flawed, but they really bring out the best in each other!

The story starts calmly enough. There is plenty of banter and if you haven't read the previous books (why haven't you read the previous books?), you quickly build a picture of each personality, including the very loveable Mr C, and the dynamic of the group. Having initially lulled you into a (very false) sense of security, Jennifer Killick quickly starts to build tension until the inevitable realisation dawns and the Latchitts are back!

As Club Loser face a series of terrors, culminating in venom-dripping rats controlled by Hickory Dickory Dock, the mixture of tension, humour and action keeps the reader on the edge of their seat, only breathing a sigh of relief in the last few pages when safety and sanity are once more restored. It's a cracking read - and I can't wait for the next one!

336 pages / Reviewed by Sue Wilsher, teacher