Ghost: A chilling story of the supernatural from the author of Witch

By Author / Illustrator

Finbar Hawkins

Genre

Supernatural

Age range(s)

11+

Publisher

Zephyr

ISBN

9781837933075

Format

Hardback

Published

06-11-2025

Synopsis

What calls across the centuries to three girls drawn together to lay to rest an ancient evil in the woods?
60 AD: A blackbird calls a warning. Aine, a slave girl running away from her Roman masters, pauses to listen as she lifts a totemic, druid carving she's found in the tunnel where she's hiding. The last thing she sees is a tangle of matted fur, a sheaf of claws, a flash of fangs, as she unleashes a hungry animal presence.
1783 AD: Centuries later, white witch Sarah Gibson wanders the woods in search of refuge. She's at ease here with the changing seasons, the plants and animals, until one moonlit night, she senses Aine's terror. The blackbird calls a warning, but Sarah wants to help Aine's restless spirit.
Present day: Marie has dropped out of art college and is staying with her aunt for a while. But the woods nearby are hiding something. Marie can feel it. She hears the local gossip about tragic happenings there. Hopelessly caught by the ghostly voices of the past that echo uneasily in her present, Marie must pit her wits against powerful old magic.

Find out more in ReadingZone's indepth Q&A with Finbar Hawkins, introducing Ghost. 'Compelling, intense storytelling' Julia Green. 'Spectacularly good' Jonathan Stroud.

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Reviews

Sue

In 60 AD, Aine finds herself captured and enslaved by the Romans. Fleeing her new master, she hides in a tunnel where she finds an altar and unwittingly unleashes something dark. Centuries later, Sarah Gibson takes refuge in the woods after the death of her mother. Seeking to help others with her knowledge of healing, she is at ease with nature, sensing Aine's restless spirit and wishing to help her. In the present day, Marie has 'burned out', dropping out of art college. She goes to stay with Jen, her aunt, following the death of her much loved Uncle Matty and senses that there is something wrong in the woods and yet is drawn to them by the connection she feels with the girls from the past.

Ghost is one of those books which is really hard to offer a summary for! Inspired by legends surrounding 'Sally in the Woods' in Wiltshire, it is an evocative read, celebrating connections through time and place, the beauty of the natural world and family love. Perfect for anyone looking for something a little bit different, Finbar Hawkins effortlessly weaves together the stories of Aine, Sarah and Marie, creating an eerie and compelling narrative, steeped in folklore and old magic.

Each girl has lost loved ones and each finds courage in the face of adversity, combining across time to overcome evil and find peace. Each girls' voice is heard in turn as the reader discovers more about their individual background before their stories merge and they vanquish the spirit haunting the woods.

Mesmerising is an excellent word to describe this story which is hard to do justice to in a review! It is more than 'just' a ghost story - it is a book which just has to be read!

240 pages / Ages 12+ / Reviewed by Sue Wilsher, teacher

Rachel

Ghost is a beautifully written story. It's lyrical in tone and its language conjures spirits and magic throughout. Three girls, Aine, Sarah and Marie, are separated by centuries, but all connected to some woodland where evil lurks. Through the voice and dreams of each, they are drawn together to fight it in order to return to their worlds in peace.

I enjoyed this mix of folklore, magic and time travel. It is an unusual tale but perfect to be read on dark winter days or if you are seeking just a touch of spookiness. I felt that Marie's story (in the present) provided a recognisable marker for the reader as we dipped back and in between to 60 AD and 1783. It served to draw all three girls together even though there were times when I thought that the voice of each was too similar.

Finally, a word about the descriptive language which stands out for its richness and which masterfully evokes the tense mystical atmosphere. Read with your curtains drawn…

240 pages / Reviewed by Rachel Bolton