The Boggart Fights Back

Feb 5, 2025 4:39 PM

Author:Susan Cooper

A brand new, funny Boggart mystery from Susan Cooper, renowned author of the Dark is Rising sequence.

Once again, there's magic afoot in Scotland when Allie and Jay visit their grandfather and are eagerly greeted by the Boggart, an ancient sprite, and his cousin Nessie, formerly known as the Loch Ness Monster. Things are rarely peaceful with two boggarts around, but this time a real estate developer is the one causing a disturbance - a man named Trout.

Trout is building a luxury resort, and is desperate to buy up everything in town - including Allie and Jay's grandfather's shop. He's willing to do almost anything to raze the store to the ground, but with his beloved family under attack, the Boggart doesn't stay silent for long: soon bulldozers are mysteriously driving themselves into the loch, and surveying flags are floating off into the sky, but Trout is unmoved. When Nessie tries to scare him by transforming into the Loch Ness Monster, Trout is delighted - what a sensational tourist attraction he's found!

Allie, Jay, and the boggarts will have to use all of their wits to outsmart the developers and save their home - even if it means waking up all the Old Magic creatures. Even the deadly ones...

Reviews

A writer of great integrity and skill, whose influence and importance in the field of children's fantasy will be felt for a long time

—— Philip Pullman

Terry Pratchett kicks the bejaysus out of JK Rowling . . . If you haven't read Pratchett before then give yourself a treat and buy this book

—— In Dublin

Exhuberant energy and humour

—— The Children's Bookseller

Charming in every sense of the word. Beautifully written and at times highly comic, it is an extraordinary achievement

—— Books for Keeps

Sure to be as popular with both children and adults as all his other books

—— Croydon Advertiser

Lively wit, sly wisdom and compelling narratives

—— Leicester Mercury

Pratchett's usual mix of uproarious comedy and deceptively serious thought

—— Southern Daily Echo

He's probably the funniest writer in English today . . . great themes with huge doses of comedy

—— South Wales Evening Post

Funny and winning as ever

—— Nottingham Evening Post

Crackles with energy and humour

—— Leicester Mercury

From the shadow of dementia, a brilliant novel shines: Terry Pratchett's last book is a funny, fearless farewell . . . This is a book worth reading twice in quick succession.

—— Christopher Stevens , Daily Mail

A joyful sign-off from a master of fantasy fiction . . . High-octane literary enjoyment.

—— Nicholas Tucker , Independent

Terry Pratchett was never so witty, direct and generous as in this, his final Discworld novel.

—— Amanda Craig , Guardian

The Shepherd’s Crown is a sometimes sad, often funny and eminently suitable testament to the life and career of Terry Pratchett.

—— David Barnett , Independent

A crowning achievement for Terry Pratchett and his Discworld . . . This is a book for all ages, the tour de force of one of the English language’s greatest authors, who, in the midst of encroaching darkness and facing so many terrors of his own, has contrived to astound us one last time with his craft.

—— The Conversation

Pratchett's final work is a tour de force of compassion, great wit, and gleeful storytelling.

—— Publishers Weekly (starred review)

A worthy crown to Terry Pratchett’s phenomenal artistic achievement.

—— Michael Dirda , Washington Post

The last Discworld offering is a poignant farewell, both to Pratchett's readership and to his extraordinary world.

—— Imogen Russell Williams , Metro

As ever in Pratchett's work, empathy and compassion are foregrounded. With its humour and humaneness, it reminds us, too, that its author, as Tiffany says of her deceased friend, 'is . . . was . . . unfollowable.'

—— James Lovegrove , Financial Times

Something to treasure

—— Kirkus Reviews

Funny, sad and extremely moving . . . most will likely consider it one of the strongest, and certainly one of the most – possibly the most – moving [of the Discworld novels].

—— Juliette Harrisson , Den of Geek

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