Review: The Crowfield Curse by Pat Walsh

Waterstones Children's Book Prize

When a mysterious fire leaves Will an orphan, he is taken in by the monks at the abbey, but life there is hard work, and the monks are not particularly kind to him, apart from one or two. In the harsh winter, while gathering firewood, Will finds an injured hob which he rescues. The hob reveals a secret about an angel killed and buried in the woods, with the arrival of two strangers, and overheard conversations, Will’s curiosity is awakened. This is when the book starts to really take off.

With its wonderful mix of history and fantasy, a great mystery, and characters that endear, scare, and engage the reader by turns, the reader is gripped from the first page. I loved this story filled with dark foreboding and suspense.