cover image Ship of Death

Ship of Death

Benjamin Hulme-Cross, illus. by Nelson Evergreen. Lerner/Darby Creek, $4.99 trade paper (64p) ISBN 978-1-4677-8090-2

This wisp of a tale about a ghost ship helps launch the Dark Hunter series of thrillers, written at a third-grade reading level and starring demon fighter Mr. Blood and his young assistants. When a weather-beaten ship appears in the harbor and drops anchor with no apparent crew or passengers, Mr. Blood, Edgar, Mary, and the harbor master investigate. The sleuthing team finds a room full of human bones, as well as mysterious forces trying to do them in before they discover how to put the haunted ship to rest. Ample suspense and adventure, brief chapters, and Evergreen’s shadowy b&w illustrations will have readers sailing through this story and eager for Mr. Blood’s subsequent adventures. Simultaneously available: The House of Memories, The Marsh Demon, The Red Thirst, The Stone Witch, and Wolf Trap. Ages 9–14. (Sept.)