Although the town of Spindrift is in another world, where Shadow Mages, Witches, Sirens and Whisperers are commonplace, some things remain the same wherever people are. In Spindrift there is a strong rivalry between the poor children who live in the Orphanage, and the rich, entitled children who live in the Brathelthwaite Boarding School. The boarders believe they’re better than everyone else, but the orphans know, for a fact, that they aren’t. However, there is one thing that unites them: children keep disappearing and wealth, or the lack of it, makes no difference. Everyone knows someone who has gone. After enjoying their rivalry for a while, some of the boarders and some of the orphans – encouraged by two mysterious children from the future – decide to join forces to find the missing children and bring them home. Will a few brave kids manage to do what the rest of the world has failed to achieve? How will they overcome the mind-control power of the infamous Whisperers?

Moriarty’s distinctive voice resonates throughout this story, which is similar in tone to her other book: The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone. If you loved that book, you’ll love this one too. The characters are fun, the situation is dire and the adventure is a symphony of danger and intrigue. The only complaint I have is that the author takes a bit too long to get to the crescendo. This would be an ideal gift that could be savoured during school holidays.

Reviewed by Wendy Noble
Age Guide 10+