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    Lockwood & Co., Book 2: The Whispering Skull
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    Lockwood & Co., Book 2: The Whispering Skull
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    Lockwood & Co., Book 2: The Whispering Skull
    Audiobook11 hours

    Lockwood & Co., Book 2: The Whispering Skull

    Written by Jonathan Stroud

    Narrated by Katie Lyons

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    In the six months since Anthony, Lucy, and George survived a night in the most haunted house in England, Lockwood & Co. hasn't made much progress. Quill Kipps and his team of Fittes agents keep swooping in on Lockwood's investigations. Finally, in a fit of anger, Anthony challenges his rival to a contest: the next time the two agencies compete on a job, the losing side will have to admit defeat in the Times newspaper.

    Things look up when a new client, Mr. Saunders, hires Lockwood & Co. to be present at the excavation of Edmund Bickerstaff, a Victorian doctor who reportedly tried to communicate with the dead. Saunders needs the coffin sealed with silver to prevent any supernatural trouble. All goes well-until George's curiosity attracts a horrible phantom.

    Back home at Portland Row, Lockwood accuses George of making too many careless mistakes. Lucy is distracted by urgent whispers coming from the skull in the ghost jar. Then the team is summoned to DEPRAC headquarters. Kipps is there too, much to Lockwood's annoyance. Bickerstaff's coffin was raided and a strange glass object buried with the corpse has vanished. Inspector Barnes believes the relic to be highly dangerous, and he wants it found.

    The author of the blockbuster Bartimaeus series delivers another amusing, chilling, and ingeniously plotted entry in the critically acclaimed Lockwood & Co. series.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateSep 16, 2014
    ISBN9780804123198
    Unavailable
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    Reviews for Lockwood & Co., Book 2

    4/5

    210 ratings28 reviews

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    • 4/5
      For more reviews, gifs, Cover Snark and more, visit A Reader of Fictions.I hereby decree 2015 the year of series binging. Sure, this series isn’t finished, but I got through the audiobooks of the first two installments in about a week, which, I flatter myself, isn’t too shabby. People have told me great things of Stroud’s Bartimaeus books, but I wasn’t sure if they were my thing. The Lockwood and Co. books, however, are a delight and, yes, I do actually intend to get to Bartimaeus at some point as a result. The Whispering Skull wasn’t quite as compelling for me as The Screaming Staircase, but that could be due to the narrator change.Narrator swaps are one of the frustrating things about being an audiobook listener. Sure, I knew ahead of time that there was a change in narrator between books one and two, so I thought I was prepared. The thing is that I ended up really loving Miranda Raison’s narration. Katie Lyons does her best, keeping her accents and such well-aligned with Raison’s. However, Raison did a really nice job distinguishing between the characters, whereas I had trouble knowing who was speaking in The Whispering Skull sometimes. Schedules being what they are, it’s not always possible to get the same narrator, but it can be really sad.Coming along with a step down in my affection for the narration was a decrease in my attachment. Since I didn’t always know who was talking and the narration wasn’t as lively, the characters didn’t feel as real to me as they did in book one. They are, largely, unchanged. One of the things that tends to lose me in middle grade series is the lack of development that the kids go through, because, if they grow too fast, they’ll suddenly be young adults. The Whispering Skull avoids this with some nice arcs for George and Lockwood, which come up at the very end of the novel.The mystery also didn’t catch my fancy quite as much. It’s a bit more of a typical investigation with murders and clue-hunting, with less of the ghost hunting. The Whispering Skull has less of a paranormal horror vibe and is more of a straight up mystery. I actually didn’t realize until this moment that I prefer horror to mysteries apparently, which I don’t think I would have guessed.I think my favorite aspect of the book is the titular whispering skull. It begins talking to Lucy at the end of the previous book. First off, I’m all for Lucy’s new talent, and I want to know what she can do with it. Perhaps more importantly, I love what a gray area the skull is. It’s unclear whether it’s a malevolent force or an ally. So far, it sort of seems like both. Also, the skull totally finds undead pleasure in messing with Lockwood and Co., which amuses me very much.This all sounds quite negative, but The Whispering Skull IS a satisfactory follow up to The Screaming Staircase. I’d say that its main fault is really in following after such an excellent book that was narrated so well. My eagerness for the third book in the series is in no way diminished, though I hope Miranda Raison returns.
    • 4/5
      The Whispering Skull (Lockwood & Co. #2) by Jonathan Stroud may be made for middle grade kids but I enjoyed it too. I was sucked into the story right away and followed it like I did Harry Potter. I forgot it was a kid's book. Ghosts, action, adventure, mystery, and more. It was great. I didn't read book one but it didn't hinder my enjoyment of this book. I got this book from the library.
    • 5/5
      If you haven't yet read my gushing review of the first book in this series, let me sum up my feelings for you. Lockwood & Co. is brilliantly written fiction, with witty banter and a rich atmospheric setting. Is it any wonder that I was thrilled to be offered the second book in this series for review? I couldn't wait to join up once again with Lockwood, Lucy and George. To ramble about the ghost filled England they reside in, and solve dangerous mysteries with them. I adore these characters, and Jonathan Stroud for writing them.

      After their last case was solved successfully, things have definitely improved for Lockwood & Co. They may not be the highest paid agents, or the most well-dressed, but they more than make up for that with their ability to solve the toughest cases. I smiled at the fact that nothing had changed about about these three. Lockwood was still as debonair as ever, George just as lovably gruff, and Lucy maintained her ability to outwit any person who dared cross her. I loved the fact that these three characters were like a little family. Three pieces of a puzzle that fit together perfectly. Their lightning quick banter, their little scuffles, all of it just made them that more lovable. I couldn't wait to see what spectral enemy they took on this time.

      I wasn't disappointed! I learned in the first book that Stroud is not afraid of sharing shiver-inducing details. He writes in a way that wraps the reader up in a web of words. You'll be following the case right along with the characters, and suddenly realize that your nose has gotten quite close to the page as you devour the words leading up to the climax. Everything about this case was deliciously eerie. Rotting skeletons, a mysterious mirror, gruesome deaths, it all added up to an amazing story that was impossible to put down. Once you added in the fact that our fearless characters find themselves in very real danger, more than once? Well, you can see why I finished this so quickly.

      This series is spectacular so far! I gave the first book five stars, and I have absolutely no problem with giving this one the same stellar rating. There is nothing I don't love about these books. Much love to Jonathan Stroud. You've taken your rightful place on my shelf of favorite authors.
    • 4/5
      Another mystery, and another adventure for Lockwood & Co. I enjoyed this one too, however there was a change in Narrator and this did cause some issues for me. It affected my understanding of whats happening sometimes. Couldn't be sure which character was speaking a lot of the time, had to go back and listen again when I realized it was not who I thought. Their voices lost some of that feeling and personality I got from the characters from the first book. I did still enjoyed it a great deal, guess it's not going to be a given that we'll always be lucky to get the same narrator throughout a series. Overall, I loved seeing how they're camaraderie is getting stronger and more solid. Ready to go along on another ghost hunting adventure and see them grow and come into they're own even more.
    • 5/5
      I enjoyed it and I look forward to the next one. I'm very excited to have discovered a new series.
    • 4/5
      Great successor to the first book--if you liked The Screaming Staircase, rest assured that the narrative tone is very similar (I really don't like it when authors veer wildly from whatever make me like their book in the first place, not in the same series, and this one doesn't). All the characters are distinct and well-drawn, even minor ones, the plot is diverting, the surprises surprising (I mean, I can tell what's going to happen, but only 1/2 a chapter before, not much earlier than that!), and there was a bit of compelling set-up for future volumes, but not so much as to make the book feel unfinished or dissatisfying in any way.

      An enjoyable page-turner, by any measure.

      (Note: 5 stars = amazing, wonderful, 4 = very good book, 3 = decent read, 2 = disappointing, 1 = awful, just awful. I'm fairly good at picking for myself so end up with a lot of 4s).
    • 5/5
      I really enjoy this series, quite a reveal at the end of this one!
    • 4/5
      Another mystery, and another adventure for Lockwood & Co. I enjoyed this one too, however there was a change in Narrator and this did cause some issues for me. It affected my understanding of whats happening sometimes. Couldn't be sure which character was speaking a lot of the time, had to go back and listen again when I realized it was not who I thought. Their voices lost some of that feeling and personality I got from the characters from the first book. I did still enjoyed it a great deal, guess it's not going to be a given that we'll always be lucky to get the same narrator throughout a series. Overall, I loved seeing how they're camaraderie is getting stronger and more solid. Ready to go along on another ghost hunting adventure and see them grow and come into they're own even more.
    • 5/5
      Great story, even Creepier than the first one
    • 4/5
      Continues to be creepy and compelling. Well-read audio book, and gradually unfolding characters that I like more and more as the series goes on. In this episode Lucy's ability to hear and interact with the ghost jar intersects with its mysterious past. Each adventure more dangerous than the last!
    • 3/5
      This has a freaking awesome set up: something horrible has happened, and fifty years on the world is swimming with ghosts who are dangerous and can even kill the living, and the only people who can see/hear/sense them are children. (Not all children can, but no adults can, those who have the ability gradually lose it as they age). So there's a little independent ghost hunting company called Lockwood & Co operating out of Tony Lockwood's family home in London, and the three teenagers can do pretty much whatever they want and don't have to go to school and they don't have any adults watching over them. And, this is a great addition, this is: they use special swords with silver tips to fight ghosts.

      I almost really love it a lot. But the author kills much of my buzz with his own casual stereotypes. Every time I'd cruising along getting really into it he does something that kicks me out. Such as, I can accept that this particular trio of heroes are white, but so is everyone else. All right, I finally manage to suspend my disbelief again and I'm getting back into the concept and what does he do? Fat bashing. Wow, way to reach for the low-hanging fruit of characterization there: Lockwood, the hero is tall and handsome and charming. George, the foil, is shorter, and fatter, and so untidy and off-putting. And we have to be reminded of this good-looking = good unattractive = bad formulation repeatedly, both in our trio of ghost fighters and in bad guys, etc. I suppose I should be grateful he doesn't fall back on the lazy stereotyping of racists of old and just make all the bad guys "swarthy." So when I manage to get over just how cheap and cruel that is, and get back into the story, then the writer has to tell us that Lucy, the narrator of these tales isn't like all the other girls, no, she isn't interested in hair and makeup and fancy clothes, and that's why she doesn't get along with any females at all ever.

      I'll probably pick up the next book in the series. And I'll probably end up throwing it across the room and screaming in disgust when George eats the same food as Lockwood and Lucy but gets mocked for it, or when Lucy reveals that all girls except her love pink. Then I'll be done with Stroud. When I can't possibly recommend his books to my daughters.

      Library copy
    • 5/5
      interesting and fun
    • 4/5
      I liked this book even better than the first in the series. I enjoyed the humor and I was more drawn in by the plot as well. The author does a good job expanding the world and raising tension without making the reader feel lost.
    • 5/5
      Do you like scary stories? Adventures, thrilling new discoveries? This book is for you. THANK YOU, JONATHAN!
    • 3/5
      Listened to this on a car trip with my boys. We all enjoyed it.
    • 5/5
      Great story, even Creepier than the first one
    • 4/5
      In the six months since Anthony, Lucy, and George survived a night in the most haunted house in England, Lockwood & Co. hasn't made much progress. Quill Kipps and his team of Fittes agents keep swooping in on Lockwood's investigations. Finally, in a fit of anger, Anthony challenges his rival to a contest: the next time the two agencies compete on a job, the losing side will have to admit defeat in the Times newspaper.Things look up when a new client, Mr. Saunders, hires Lockwood & Co. to be present at the excavation of Edmund Bickerstaff, a Victorian doctor who reportedly tried to communicate with the dead. Saunders needs the coffin sealed with silver to prevent any supernatural trouble. All goes well-until George's curiosity attracts a horrible phantom. Back home at Portland Row, Lockwood accuses George of making too many careless mistakes. Lucy is distracted by urgent whispers coming from the skull in the ghost jar. Then the team is summoned to DEPRAC headquarters. Kipps is there too, much to Lockwood's annoyance. Bickerstaff's coffin was raided and a strange glass object buried with the corpse has vanished. Inspector Barnes believes the relic to be highly dangerous, and he wants it found
    • 5/5
      In the course of their investigations on Wimbledon Common, Lockwood & Co. have to be rescued from a number of hostile ghosts by their old rivals from Fittes. With Lockwood and Kipps keen to prove that theirs is the better agency, they enter a psychical investigation competition, with the loser having to take out an advert in The Times and publicly admit defeat. But with Inspector Barnes allocating a case involving an unrecorded burial and a dangerous psychic artefact in Kensal Green Cemetery to the two of them, Lockwood and Co. and Quill Kipps's team regularly cross each other's paths, each trying to solve the case first.This is a worthy follow-up to the first volume in the Lockwood & Co. series. Where the first title raced along at break-neck pace for large portions of the book, this second offering has a slower pace. At first I wasn't entirely sure about this change, but it soon became apparent that the author has concentrated on character development in The Whispering Skull, and we definitely learn more about each member of Lockwood & Co. I enjoyed it immensely and again finished the book in record time, and the only reason I deducted a half point was because the eponymous skull of the title has a certain connection with something/someone having a bearing on the present case, which in my opinion stretched credibility just a little - but that's an adult's point of view, and I doubt teenagers will feel the same. Certainly the connection adds an extra dimension to the case and is extremely well told, with our heroes in deathly peril. I can't wait for no. 3.
    • 5/5
      I'm completely hooked on this series. It's just creepy enough without going over the top for me. Can't wait for #3.
    • 3/5
      The Whispering Skull is a disappointing follow-up to Lockwood & Company's first book, The Screaming Staircase. While The Screaming Staircase kept me up at night with the light securely on, The Whispering Skull is dull in comparison. Not much happens in the way of ghostly activities, as the book focuses mainly on the competition between Lockwood and his competitors.
    • 4/5
      I really have enjoyed reading this series and I think I liked this second book even more than the first! The premise of ghosts as a constant and dangerous presence and children being utilized to hunt them, as adults can know longer see them, is wonderful, Lockwood and his company of Agents (ghosthunters) is a charismatic and interesting character with a lot of mysteries still to reveal. His friend and second in command, Geroge, is a researcher and compiler of facts and history, but is rumpled and messy to Lockwood's smooth elegance. Lucy, the newest member of them team has extraordinary psychic abilities, including the ability to actually talk with ghosts, something that is extremely rare. Together they are a resourceful and skilled team and their interaction and personalities mesh well and keep the novel littered with humour. The adventure this time around is even more horrific than the last one and seemingly much more dangerous, and threatens their friendship and trust. The book just zooms along with action on just about every page it seems. Horror, humour, mystery, and suspense - this book has it all and the ending doesn't disappoint! I can't wait for the next installment!!!
    • 4/5
      Lockwood and Company is back! Up against some spectacularly scary phantoms (ghost rats, anyone?), grave robbers, and a rival agency with a bet to drive them out of business, Lucy, George and the indomitable Anthony Lockwood are on the case of a missing artifact. The item in question is a mirror that shows its viewer “the other side.” What that looks like, however, is a mystery because those who gaze into the mirror die.

      The Whispering Skull is the second book in the Lockwood and Co. series by Jonathan Stroud, which began last year with The Screaming Staircase. I absolutely loved that book and happily, book two continues the ghastly adventures of this cool and courageous trio, who boldly go about their spectral business with a dash of humor and a spot of tea. Be warned, there’s enough references to jam donuts that readers may develop a craving. . . this one sure did!

      Like the first book, Lucy narrates the derring-dos of the group. The personal stakes are high when Lockwood bets a rival agency that he can be the first to recover the mirror that Scotland Yard is seeking. While the swords are sharp, the amusing dialogue is even sharper. There’s also the titled whispering skull, a nasty piece of work that was stolen long ago by George but which seems to have developed a psychic link to Lucy and which, surprisingly, seems to know quite a bit about their latest case.

      In addition to the requisite old abandoned house, there’s a classic creepy-catacombs-hidden-beneath-a-church setting. And lest readers think that my mention of donuts and humorous dialogue mean this is light on scary moments, rest assured that the author has included plenty of suspense and horror and gore (ghost rats, remember?).

      Best of all, The Whispering Skull ends with a teaser that promises a peek into the mysterious Anthony Lockwood’s past. The only downside is waiting another year for the next book!
    • 5/5
      Diese und weitere Rezensionen findet ihr auf meinem Blog Anima Libri - Buchseele

      Grusel und Spannung vom Feinsten! Genau wie im ersten Band „Die Seufzende Wendeltreppe“ von Jonathan Stroud geht es auch in „Der Wispernde Schädel“ wieder außerordentlich spannend, abenteuerlich und natürlich auch gruselig zu. Ich muss sagen, mich konnte JOnathan Stround mit der Fortsetzung seiner „Lockwood & Co.“ Serie eindeutig überzeugen.

      Erneut konnte mich Jonathan Stroud von der ersten bis zur letzten Seite in den Bann dieser Geschichte ziehen, allerdings sollte man sich als Leser wirklich noch relativ gut an die Ereignisse aus Band 1 erinnern können, denn auf diese wird Bezug genommen, ohne dass sie noch einmal großartig aufgearbeitet werden.

      Trotzdem ist man schnell wieder drin in der Geschichte um das Team von Lockwood & Co., denn der Autor versteht es einfach eine durchweg fesselnde Geschichte zu erzählen, die mich nicht nur mit den schaurigeren Handlungselementen überzeugen konnte, sondern vor allem auch mit den Charakteren, die mir allesamt sehr gut gefallen haben.

      Dazu kommt der herrliche Humor, den Jonathan Stroud in die Erzählung von „Der Wispernde Schädel“ einfließen lässt. Gerade die Dialoge zwischen den verschiedenen Figuren stecken voller Wortwitz und Situationskomik aber auch sonst scheut der Autor nicht davor zurück auch mal etwas böseren Humor in die Geschichte einfließen zu lassen.

      Alles in allem ist „Der Wispernde Schädel“ von Jonathan Stroud eine tolle Fortsetzung der „Lockwood & Co.“-Serie, die größtenteils in sich abgeschlossen ist, allerdings mit einem gewissen Cliffhanger daher kommt, sodass man als Leser schon gespannt auf den dritten Teil wartet, der aber wohl erst in einem Jahr erscheinen wird. Für alle Fans des ersten Teils ist auch dieser Band aber definitiv eine Empfehlung wert! ;)
    • 4/5
      While this one wasn't the emotional roller-coaster the first on was for me, I did enjoy it. Plenty of new surprises and twists! The characters seemed to grow up some, and even made a new friend or two. I loved the ghost in the jar almost as I enjoyed Lockwood and Co. themselves! Such a fun character!

      I enjoyed the narrator for this audiobook, and will gladly listen to more of her work.
    • 4/5

      A brilliant new series from Jonathan Stroud, although I will always be faithful to Bartimaeus. Full of magic and mystery, this really is action packed. the characterization is good and I actually remember the people and the plot.
    • 4/5
      “Well, I make that one murder victim, one police interrogation and one conversation with a ghost,” George said. “Now that’s what I call a busy evening.”Lockwood nodded. “To think some people just watch television.” Lockwood, Lucy and George are back and at it again, diving straight into another perilous assignment this time involving the most dangerous Visitor they have yet to go up against. After a recent job goes awry and the recently excavated burial site has been looted, including a most peculiar bone mirror, Scotland Yard hires the trio to track down the object as it seems to leave nothing but death in its wake. In addition to that adventure, the strange skull in the corpse jar is talking to Lucy much more frequently and he seems to actually be of some help with their latest case, but whether he can actually be trusted is the real question.‘There are other things in the house to fear, besides me.’ The skull’s communications with Lucy added a strange and mysterious side story to The Whispering Skull since this skull seems to know a bit about the secretive door that Lockwood has forbidden everyone from entering. It arouses her curiosity and she has enough on her mind as it is and can’t afford to be distracted. This case involving the bone mirror is far more intricate than any of them seem to think, and will involve many close calls before the final page is turned. I’m constantly enthralled with the cases of Lockwood & Co. and this one was no exception. Not quite as scary as I found their Screaming Staircase case to be, but it was certainly no less engrossing and was actually quite a bit more fascinating.‘And a quick word of advice. No cheap comments at her expense. She’s easily offended and would probably disembowel you.’ ‘Story of my life,’ George said. Once again though, I find myself completely smitten with this cast of characters. The stories themselves are phenomenal and will no doubt keep you entertained, but Lockwood, Lucy and George are characters you will wish could come to life and befriend you. The Whispering Skull succeeded in expanding our knowledge of the group and leading to tremendous growth in the characters themselves. The new addition to the trio was a surprising new favorite, but you can never go wrong with a hilariously snarky character even if he is a skull trapped in a jar. The skull had his malicious moments and certainly complicated things occasionally but really added a welcome level of hilarity to the story. I’m hoping we continue to see him in future installments.Such fun and entertaining stories, I look forward to more tales of the groups thrilling adventures and hope they take their time growing up. It will be devastating when they are forced to retire from ghost hunting. Once again, I must highly recommend this undervalued series that is perfect for all ages and for fans of mysteries, ghost stories and anything Victorian.
    • 4/5
      I got a copy of this book to review through NetGalley. This was an excellent follow-up to The Screaming Staircase. Lockwood and Co are commissioned to hunt down a bone mirror that has been stolen from a grave and kills anyone who looks into it. The Fittes company has also been hired to work with them. The two companies end up being in a competition of sorts to see who can solve the case first.The book is told from Lucy's point of view. She has grown in confidence some and seems a bit more certain of herself. Lucy is also growing in power and learning how to use her ghost sensing abilities. She is also learning how to manage Lockwood’s bluster and deal with him.Lockwood is still my favorite character. We do finally learn some more of Lockwood's secrets, although he still remains something of an enigma. Lockwood has such a chipper and confident exterior that it is hard to see past that and figure out who he is and what he thinks about things. I love how his secrets are slowly being revealed over multiple books.I continue to really really enjoy this alternate world. The story is set in modern London, but it is a London where ghosts are deadly and only children can see and protect the rest of society from them. The whole set up really changes the dynamics of society quite a bit and the social implications are really creative and interesting.To be honest I liked the horrible haunted house in The Screaming Staircase a bit more than the hauntings in this book. However, this story did a good job of building on the story started in the first book. It ties in with some things that happened in the first book, but also has a separate mystery for our heroes to solve.There are many creepy scenes and a mystery to be solved here. There were a couple scenes that were very creepy and scary, the story was incredibly engaging and hard to put down.Overall this was a wonderful addition to the Lockwood and Co series. All in all I enjoyed the story a lot and can't wait to read the next book! I love the world, the characters, and the creepy ghost stories. Highly recommended to those who love paranormal ghost stories.
    • 5/5
      In The Screaming Staircase and The Whispering Skull, the first two books of the Lockwood & Co. series, Jonathan Stroud makes excellent use of cliffhangers, suspense, mystery, and realistic characters to hook and reel in readers. He keeps you reading page after page, chapter after chapter, each sentence exhibiting a wide vocabulary and stunning imagery. The books each begin with several different, unconnected cases, but that all tie together later on. Stroud generally begins each novel with a present failure, then rewinds to some major previous event before beginning to rev up toward the major plot. The main story arc of each tale consists of a small opening event leading into a heart-stopping, thrilling main conflict, ending in a major success, before springing an eye-opening plot twist in the final pages. Stroud uses this organization to draw in the readers, make them feel closer to the characters, then lead them into some exhilarating all-or-nothing battle, sometimes not only with the dead, which he resolves beautifully before springing an irresistible cliffhanger at the very end of the book. The beginning of the book can be a bit confusing, but before you know it, you're on the edge of your seat, waiting to see what the brilliant characters will do next, how they'll deal with their seemingly insurmountable challenge. As suggested by the title, The Whispering Skull is a creepy ghost story, as is the rest of the series. These books are set in relatively modern-day London, but in a London plagued by hostile ghosts ("Visitors") which only children can see, meaning that the main characters are a trio of teens with especially strong gifts. The book is narrated from the view of Lucy Carlyle, a girl who joins charismatic Anthony Lockwood and grumpy, portly George Cubbins in running their small private ghost-fighting agency, entitled Lockwood & Co. The three of them proceed to overcome dangerous case after dangerous case, gaining fame and working seamlessly (usually), each of them with their own role. Lockwood and Lucy generally do the fighting, and subduing the ghost(s), especially since their ability to sense the Visitors is much stronger than George's, while George is responsible for researching the history of each location or murder to determine danger they will face. Lucy has the strongest Talent (ability to sense the ghosts), Lockwood possesses the ingenuity to help them escape any predicament, and George has the love for proper research. Together, they should be unstoppable. However, many cases are much harder or more perilous than they originally expect and they are forced to defeat spirits much stronger than what they were prepared for. In this second installment, they are pitted against their adversaries from a larger, more well-known agency (the Fittes Agency) in a race to solve the mystery of a terrible long-dead madman and his invention - a mirror that kills all who gaze upon it - and they must discover its whereabouts before it can kill anyone else.This series is certainly not for young children or those prone to nightmares, but if you enjoy mildly chilling ghost stories with vivid detailing, definitely give it a try. It has no shortage of terrifying, thrilling, memorable moments, so simply be wary and avoid reading it late at night, or you will be unable to sleep soundly until the unnerving story's conclusion. However, these unsettling, downright scary moments are punctuated with truly hilarious comic relief, the characters' black humor, and awe-inspiring mysteries. This is a truly gripping series and I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a rather dark paranormal page turner full of funny characters, brilliant plot twists, and dazzlingly clear imagery. Definitely one of my recent favorites.