What do you think?
Rate this book
Sjæletyven
Spooky fantasy fuld af humor og skøre skabninger Det kommer noget bag på PIP, at hans nye naboer er vampyrer, zombier, varulve – og en sjæletyv!
Sjæletyven stjæler folks personlighed, og blandt ofrene er PIPs forældre, der pludselig ikke laver andet end at se tv og spise takeaway.
Men hvem er sjæletyven?
Det forsøger PIP og hans ven, FLISS, at opklare, så ofrene kan få deres sjæle tilbage.
Mysteriet skal løses, inden de to venner få dage senere fylder tretten. Ellers bliver de Sjæletyvens næste ofre .
Sjæletyven stjæler folks personlighed, og blandt ofrene er PIPs forældre, der pludselig ikke laver andet end at se tv og spise takeaway.
Men hvem er sjæletyven?
Det forsøger PIP og hans ven, FLISS, at opklare, så ofrene kan få deres sjæle tilbage.
Mysteriet skal løses, inden de to venner få dage senere fylder tretten. Ellers bliver de Sjæletyvens næste ofre .
273 pages, Hardcover
Published September 5, 2024
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
October 14, 2025
Review to follow
October 29, 2023
4.5 stars
Another wonderful magical tale by Cat Gray and this one is perfect for Spooky Season. I really enjoyed following Pip, and his new friend Fliss, along on their adventure. But the whole of Elbow Alley was full of interesting ghouls, vampires, banshees, werewolves and much more. We are presented a smorgasbord of unique characters. Even Pip’s very human parents are flamboyant - until they are not.
A spirit snatcher has targeted the new kid on the block but he isn’t eligible for spirit snatching until he turns 13 on Halloween. But a monster has to eat in the meantime - and what better way to get parents out of the way of an adventure than to make them the reason for the adventure to occur.
The mystery was fun, spooky and sometimes a bit scary but when you have a dog called Splodge on your side what can’t you face?
Really hoping that we get to hear more from Pip, Fliss and all the other residents of Elbow Alley - and if you spy any secret streets in London beware there may be magical folks living there that don’t take too kindly to outsiders.
Huge thanks to Bee at Kaleidoscopic Tours and the publisher Usborne for the gifted copy for the purposes of an honest review. As ever pop along to everyone else’s blog to see what they thought too.
Another wonderful magical tale by Cat Gray and this one is perfect for Spooky Season. I really enjoyed following Pip, and his new friend Fliss, along on their adventure. But the whole of Elbow Alley was full of interesting ghouls, vampires, banshees, werewolves and much more. We are presented a smorgasbord of unique characters. Even Pip’s very human parents are flamboyant - until they are not.
A spirit snatcher has targeted the new kid on the block but he isn’t eligible for spirit snatching until he turns 13 on Halloween. But a monster has to eat in the meantime - and what better way to get parents out of the way of an adventure than to make them the reason for the adventure to occur.
The mystery was fun, spooky and sometimes a bit scary but when you have a dog called Splodge on your side what can’t you face?
Really hoping that we get to hear more from Pip, Fliss and all the other residents of Elbow Alley - and if you spy any secret streets in London beware there may be magical folks living there that don’t take too kindly to outsiders.
Huge thanks to Bee at Kaleidoscopic Tours and the publisher Usborne for the gifted copy for the purposes of an honest review. As ever pop along to everyone else’s blog to see what they thought too.
January 10, 2025
Virkelig fin fortælling! Passer perfekt til efteråret eller de mørke og regnvåde vinteraftener 👻
Læst i næsten én sitting - fra kapitel 4 og frem. Hurtigt tempo, gode beskrivelser, fine omend klassiske tematikker, spændende verden, dog lidt for hurtig kamp mod sjæletyven. Klar anbefaling. ☺️
Læst i næsten én sitting - fra kapitel 4 og frem. Hurtigt tempo, gode beskrivelser, fine omend klassiske tematikker, spændende verden, dog lidt for hurtig kamp mod sjæletyven. Klar anbefaling. ☺️
July 17, 2023
This is proper Halloween reading! Ghouls, ghosts, spirit snatchers, secrets, lies and a massive chunk of searching! Thoroughly enjoyed this: great characters, great setting (not that I’d visit) and a wonderful sense of community! Pip’s great!
October 1, 2023
Be careful what you wish for, here, as Pip wants a more level-headed, normal couple of parents than the ones he has – the optimistic antiques dealer with bad taste in clothes, and his notably-coiffed scientist mother with the ridiculous ideas about vegan pickled cuisine, and their PDAs. He frets about fitting in so much he wears the same drab clothes every day so as to not ever stand out. Anyway, they've found a new job/antiques store/flat in London, so he has a chance to start over at their new home, and – after the half-term break – a new school. But lorks a mercy, when they move to their dump of a new place, they certainly do stand out. They are the only humans on the street, and when Pip gets immediately warned of something nasty, it's bound to happen. Overnight his parents are soulless couch potatoes, stuck watching the daytime and mobile phone mince they've spent their lives ignoring most happily up to now. What has happened, and can they be put right? And can Pip get them back to abnormal before Hallowe'en, when his reprieve from school ends – but he comes of the age when he too can be attacked in the same way?
Normally you get books with Hallowe'en theming that sit on a storage shelf in the library for eleven months of the year, and they just get on with their pumpkinny spookiness for the season and that's it. This certainly doesn't over-play the time it's set, but it does give a really strong deadline for Pip and his new friend Fliss, with what seems to be a danger nobody can do anything about, and one nobody can even identify. The story the two of them follow involves potential death at the hands of ghouls, screeching harpies needing revenge, vampires – I mean sometimes you really need to think about this fact, as it's the most bloodless, mild peril kind of book at times, but it certainly puts the characters through the mill while the days tick down.
And luckily I think this is a strong enough monster fantasy drama for it to be read other times of the year as well. The setting, a weirdly Dickensian sort of enclave of non-humans, is distinctive, and the leads are engaging characters. And the lesson here, about what you want from your parents and what you want from life – both as regards standing out, embarrassment, conformity, etc – is decently done, and not over-played. All told it's a lively piece, easily giving enough entertainment when read in the specific October week it's set, but a strong four stars any time of the year.
Normally you get books with Hallowe'en theming that sit on a storage shelf in the library for eleven months of the year, and they just get on with their pumpkinny spookiness for the season and that's it. This certainly doesn't over-play the time it's set, but it does give a really strong deadline for Pip and his new friend Fliss, with what seems to be a danger nobody can do anything about, and one nobody can even identify. The story the two of them follow involves potential death at the hands of ghouls, screeching harpies needing revenge, vampires – I mean sometimes you really need to think about this fact, as it's the most bloodless, mild peril kind of book at times, but it certainly puts the characters through the mill while the days tick down.
And luckily I think this is a strong enough monster fantasy drama for it to be read other times of the year as well. The setting, a weirdly Dickensian sort of enclave of non-humans, is distinctive, and the leads are engaging characters. And the lesson here, about what you want from your parents and what you want from life – both as regards standing out, embarrassment, conformity, etc – is decently done, and not over-played. All told it's a lively piece, easily giving enough entertainment when read in the specific October week it's set, but a strong four stars any time of the year.
August 3, 2023
Thank you so much to Usborne and Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.
Pip’s family have just moved to a small alley in London, but something is off with the place. The first night there and his parents spirits are snatched in the middle of the night. His neighbour Fliss and her dog Splodge help him with the mystery to figure out who the spirit snatcher is and to get his parents, all whilst back meeting an array of magical characters.
I loved all the characters that we meet along this mystery, from ghouls, werewolves, shapeshifters, ghosts, harpy’s and many more. I loved how they interacted with each other, how we came to discover them so casually as though they were no different to anyone else. I found meeting them and discovering them whilst also unfurling the mystery was so much fun and probably my favourite element in the book was meeting all these supernatural beings.
I really enjoyed the friendship that formed between Fliss and Pip, neither of them had experience with friendship so they formed a really tight bond almost instantly and helped the other grow and learn about themselves. They worked really well together and were able to bounce off the clues and tactics for figuring out who the snatcher was and how they were going to approach it when they found them. I liked that as each day went by they got closer and more connected and that Pip wouldn’t let Fliss down when things went a little wrong.
The mystery itself was really clever, I was so certain from the start who it was and I was pleasantly surprised and agasp when I found out who it actually was. It was a clever derailing tactic on the authors part and I enjoyed being tricked and given a ploy to drift away from who it really was. I loved trying to piece together everything and seeing the adventure and the danger that these two kids kept getting themselves into, all to end the snatchers rein.
I really liked this book, it was a fun read and a great Halloween read, or if you love supernatural themed stories then it’s great anytime of year. Children are going to really really enjoy this book, it got so many different elements to it and the characters are all wonderfully created and the mystery and story are very craftily written.
Pip’s family have just moved to a small alley in London, but something is off with the place. The first night there and his parents spirits are snatched in the middle of the night. His neighbour Fliss and her dog Splodge help him with the mystery to figure out who the spirit snatcher is and to get his parents, all whilst back meeting an array of magical characters.
I loved all the characters that we meet along this mystery, from ghouls, werewolves, shapeshifters, ghosts, harpy’s and many more. I loved how they interacted with each other, how we came to discover them so casually as though they were no different to anyone else. I found meeting them and discovering them whilst also unfurling the mystery was so much fun and probably my favourite element in the book was meeting all these supernatural beings.
I really enjoyed the friendship that formed between Fliss and Pip, neither of them had experience with friendship so they formed a really tight bond almost instantly and helped the other grow and learn about themselves. They worked really well together and were able to bounce off the clues and tactics for figuring out who the snatcher was and how they were going to approach it when they found them. I liked that as each day went by they got closer and more connected and that Pip wouldn’t let Fliss down when things went a little wrong.
The mystery itself was really clever, I was so certain from the start who it was and I was pleasantly surprised and agasp when I found out who it actually was. It was a clever derailing tactic on the authors part and I enjoyed being tricked and given a ploy to drift away from who it really was. I loved trying to piece together everything and seeing the adventure and the danger that these two kids kept getting themselves into, all to end the snatchers rein.
I really liked this book, it was a fun read and a great Halloween read, or if you love supernatural themed stories then it’s great anytime of year. Children are going to really really enjoy this book, it got so many different elements to it and the characters are all wonderfully created and the mystery and story are very craftily written.
October 28, 2023
The Spirit Snatcher begins with Pip Ruskin and his parents. His parents are a little eccentric to say the least, and Pip often finds himself embarrassed by them. The Ruskin family are moving house, and their new home is the flat above what will become Mr Ruskin’s antique shop, in a little London alley called Elbow Alley. But Elbow Alley has hidden secrets, and when Mr and Mrs Ruskin have their spirits snatched on their first night in the flat, Pip is left to solve the mystery and fix his parents with only the help of his new friend, Fliss.
This book is filled with fun and exciting magical creatures that are a joy to read. They really are an interesting bunch, and I loved getting to know each of them a little individually, along with Pip. Fliss and Pip developed such a lovely friendship, which blossomed throughout the story, throughout their journey to find the Spirit Snatcher. They put themselves in danger for each other, and always had each other’s back. Before, they were both lonely, but once they found each other that was all they really needed. There’s also Splodge, the trusty cannine sidekick. Who doesn’t love a cute dog side character?!
The message within the story that it’s okay to be different, and to embrace your differences is one that I think is very important, especially for children. Being yourself is far more important than fitting in, and there will always be plenty of people who love you exactly the way you are. Normal is boring anyway, right?
There were a couple of twists at the end of the story that I hadn’t been expecting, the biggest one being revealed in the final showdown. The ending of the book wrapped the story up so nicely, but I’m hoping that there are more books involving these characters to come, because I would love to continue their story. This is a very fun little read that I highly recommend, and it’s perfect for spooky season.
I give The Spirit Snatcher a 4.5 star rating!
This book is filled with fun and exciting magical creatures that are a joy to read. They really are an interesting bunch, and I loved getting to know each of them a little individually, along with Pip. Fliss and Pip developed such a lovely friendship, which blossomed throughout the story, throughout their journey to find the Spirit Snatcher. They put themselves in danger for each other, and always had each other’s back. Before, they were both lonely, but once they found each other that was all they really needed. There’s also Splodge, the trusty cannine sidekick. Who doesn’t love a cute dog side character?!
The message within the story that it’s okay to be different, and to embrace your differences is one that I think is very important, especially for children. Being yourself is far more important than fitting in, and there will always be plenty of people who love you exactly the way you are. Normal is boring anyway, right?
There were a couple of twists at the end of the story that I hadn’t been expecting, the biggest one being revealed in the final showdown. The ending of the book wrapped the story up so nicely, but I’m hoping that there are more books involving these characters to come, because I would love to continue their story. This is a very fun little read that I highly recommend, and it’s perfect for spooky season.
I give The Spirit Snatcher a 4.5 star rating!
November 23, 2023
Pip Rushkin's family live in Norwich,. He is thoroughly embarrassed by his parents: their clothes, their car, their food, and the kissing!
But now they're moving - to Elbow Alley in London so his father can run an antique shop. his mother is so excited by her new job at a university she goes in on the Sunday. Pip is hoping to blend in more....but the people that live here are a little different.
On the first day Pip is told by a girl they don't belong here. The house is odd, it's clearly not been lived in for a while.
That first night Pip has a weird dream....when he wakes up his parents are very different...and they are watching TV - they never watch TV!
The girl, Fliss, lives at the pub, she explains to Pip that his parents have moved to a mysterious Alley, inhabited by supernatural beings. (she won't say what she is). And that his parents have been Spirit -Snatched.
From that point Pip and Fliss are in a rush against the time - they can be spirit snatched when they are 13! On the 31st October, in just a few days - the same birthday as Fliss. In that time they must find the Spirit Snatcher and destroy him or her. They are warned to be very careful - and thank heavens for Fliss's amulet dog who keeps them safe. But it doesn't all go well....
Can Pip save his parents before he is snatched?
Really good book about magical beings with the added mystery of a need to destroy the Spirit Snatcher, but no-one knows who it is.
Thanks to Cat Gray herself for the copy of this book which is donated to our school.
TA, ESCP.
But now they're moving - to Elbow Alley in London so his father can run an antique shop. his mother is so excited by her new job at a university she goes in on the Sunday. Pip is hoping to blend in more....but the people that live here are a little different.
On the first day Pip is told by a girl they don't belong here. The house is odd, it's clearly not been lived in for a while.
That first night Pip has a weird dream....when he wakes up his parents are very different...and they are watching TV - they never watch TV!
The girl, Fliss, lives at the pub, she explains to Pip that his parents have moved to a mysterious Alley, inhabited by supernatural beings. (she won't say what she is). And that his parents have been Spirit -Snatched.
From that point Pip and Fliss are in a rush against the time - they can be spirit snatched when they are 13! On the 31st October, in just a few days - the same birthday as Fliss. In that time they must find the Spirit Snatcher and destroy him or her. They are warned to be very careful - and thank heavens for Fliss's amulet dog who keeps them safe. But it doesn't all go well....
Can Pip save his parents before he is snatched?
Really good book about magical beings with the added mystery of a need to destroy the Spirit Snatcher, but no-one knows who it is.
Thanks to Cat Gray herself for the copy of this book which is donated to our school.
TA, ESCP.
October 28, 2023
My first read by Cat Gray and I have to say, I throughly enjoyed The Spirit Snatcher.
A magical bookshop in London and a spooky adventure, what's not to love?
If you enjoy Harry Potter type books, this will be right up your street.
An absolutely perfect autumn/ winter read.
I found The Spirit Snatcher to have great atmosphere, lots of fun and great characters.
We meet ghouls, werewolves, shapeshifters, ghosts and many more.
Our story is set around a boy moving into a house with neighbours that are, you guessed it, werewolves and banshees.
His task is to stop the spirit-snatcher in time to save his own soul.
Sounds like a crazy plot, right? Well it's that craziness that I absolutely love about The Spirit Snatcher.
All In all, I love this read and flew through it in two sittings.
A big five 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.
A magical bookshop in London and a spooky adventure, what's not to love?
If you enjoy Harry Potter type books, this will be right up your street.
An absolutely perfect autumn/ winter read.
I found The Spirit Snatcher to have great atmosphere, lots of fun and great characters.
We meet ghouls, werewolves, shapeshifters, ghosts and many more.
Our story is set around a boy moving into a house with neighbours that are, you guessed it, werewolves and banshees.
His task is to stop the spirit-snatcher in time to save his own soul.
Sounds like a crazy plot, right? Well it's that craziness that I absolutely love about The Spirit Snatcher.
All In all, I love this read and flew through it in two sittings.
A big five 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.
October 20, 2023
A fun and spooky middle grade read, perfect for October.
Pip has just moved from Norwich to London, but all is not as it seems in his new street. There are strange goings on and no one is entirely human.
I really liked how brave Pip was as a character, his investigation leads him to make friends and this was lovely to read. There was also a dog and we all know how much I love a doggy character.
There are some heart racing moments, so might be one to read with a child together.
A book about learning to love your differences and being brave.
Pip has just moved from Norwich to London, but all is not as it seems in his new street. There are strange goings on and no one is entirely human.
I really liked how brave Pip was as a character, his investigation leads him to make friends and this was lovely to read. There was also a dog and we all know how much I love a doggy character.
There are some heart racing moments, so might be one to read with a child together.
A book about learning to love your differences and being brave.
April 24, 2025
This book is incredible and entertaining. It also included problem solving and mystery. Cat Gray is my favourite author. This book made me feel curious on what might happen next, and is one thousand percent the best book. {In my opinion of course.} 💩💕💝 BEST BOOK EVER!!!
October 26, 2023
Final rating 4.5 full review once digested
January 19, 2026
simple 💕
April 27, 2025
En magisk historie om ensomhed, venskab, mod og retten til at være anderledes.
Tag en lille sjat Familien Addams, bland med et mål Chihiro og heksene og en knivspids Harry Potter, kog ved lavt blus og lad det simre ved fuldmåne, så du til sidst får en grøn, tåget substans. Hæld op i store glas og nyd denne skønne børnebog, som er velegnet for mellemtrinnet og op.
Vi mødes masser af magiske væsner i en dyster sidegade midt i London og ikke alt er, som det ser ud på overfladen. Især ikke, da en sjæletyv er på spil og suger sjælen ud af beboerne. Pip og hans nye (og eneste) ven, Fliss, prøver at stoppe sjæletyven, inden alle omkring dem er blevet til tomme skaller, der ikke laver andet end at stirre ud i luften uden livsgnist.
Det bliver en spændende og farefuld færd mellem sagnvæsner og magiske personer, som kræver alt børnenes mod og kløgt.
Læs den, hvis du er til spændende historier med overnaturlige væsner og venskaber.
Tag en lille sjat Familien Addams, bland med et mål Chihiro og heksene og en knivspids Harry Potter, kog ved lavt blus og lad det simre ved fuldmåne, så du til sidst får en grøn, tåget substans. Hæld op i store glas og nyd denne skønne børnebog, som er velegnet for mellemtrinnet og op.
Vi mødes masser af magiske væsner i en dyster sidegade midt i London og ikke alt er, som det ser ud på overfladen. Især ikke, da en sjæletyv er på spil og suger sjælen ud af beboerne. Pip og hans nye (og eneste) ven, Fliss, prøver at stoppe sjæletyven, inden alle omkring dem er blevet til tomme skaller, der ikke laver andet end at stirre ud i luften uden livsgnist.
Det bliver en spændende og farefuld færd mellem sagnvæsner og magiske personer, som kræver alt børnenes mod og kløgt.
Læs den, hvis du er til spændende historier med overnaturlige væsner og venskaber.
October 3, 2023
Yet another amazing book by this author. From the very beginning I was just pulled in to this weird and wonderful world. Lots of twists and adventure throughout. Can honestly say I did not have even the slightest clue about the HUGE reveal! Amazing from start to finish.
January 27, 2024
Watch out, there is a spirit snatcher about, and you might not realise it is there until it is too late. There are clues. You see that wispy looking smoke, becoming a little like the tail of a tornado as we move from chapter to chapter in the story? Look closely each time it reappears. It’s a clue to how close the spirit snatcher is coming. Then remember to look at the charming little pictures of Splodge the dog too. Everything is a clue, and you are going to need all the clues you can find if you are going to be able to make it to the end of the story intact, along with Pip, Fliss, and Splodge too, of course. But we should really start at the beginning, with a few introductions. Pip and his parents are moving to London. To a flat above a shop in a place called Elbow Alley. Pip is not looking forward to it, in fact that could be an understatement. After all he has more than this unwanted move to London to contend with. At the grand age of 12 he has lived every single one of those twelve years blighted by his parents and their ‘unrelenting weirdness’ as Cat Gray describes it. This move and the car snacks of pickled Brussels sprouts may give you some clue as to how accurate this is…
Now, as if all of that were not enough Pip and his new-found friend Fliss may have stumbled upon a frightening mystery and it is not yet even Halloween… Pip is about to discover that the neighbours he thinks he sees, the neighbours who seem to mysteriously appear and disappear, are not necessarily human. There are vampires, banshees and even ghosts among them but that is not the worst of it. There is a wispy smoke that seems to be following him and a mysterious spirit snatcher who is appearing from nowhere, sucking away people’s personalities and then disappearing back into the nowhere. All too soon it attacks Pip’s parents and as much as they may be incredibly weird and frustrating, he would actually like them back. The only way he is going to get them back is by finding and destroying this spirit snatcher. The only problem. No one knows who it is or where it goes. Ghouls, werewolf attacks and some seriously mouldy cheese need to be faced and the mystery solved before Pip and Fliss turn 13 and find themselves spirit-snatched too…
Now, as if all of that were not enough Pip and his new-found friend Fliss may have stumbled upon a frightening mystery and it is not yet even Halloween… Pip is about to discover that the neighbours he thinks he sees, the neighbours who seem to mysteriously appear and disappear, are not necessarily human. There are vampires, banshees and even ghosts among them but that is not the worst of it. There is a wispy smoke that seems to be following him and a mysterious spirit snatcher who is appearing from nowhere, sucking away people’s personalities and then disappearing back into the nowhere. All too soon it attacks Pip’s parents and as much as they may be incredibly weird and frustrating, he would actually like them back. The only way he is going to get them back is by finding and destroying this spirit snatcher. The only problem. No one knows who it is or where it goes. Ghouls, werewolf attacks and some seriously mouldy cheese need to be faced and the mystery solved before Pip and Fliss turn 13 and find themselves spirit-snatched too…
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews