What do you think?
Rate this book
The Nightmares of Finnegan Quick
'I absolutely loved this book! Genuinely chilling and a little bit gory … such a fun read' – Jennifer Killick, author of Crater Lake.
By night, Finn has horrible nightmares. By day, they come TRUE! A gripping horror story for readers of 10 and over.
Finnegan Quick is haunted by nightmares. They're so bad, he's terrified of going to sleep. Because Finn's dreams change the waking world too. He's already lost his mum, his dad, his dog, even his shadow. And now they're coming for his gran, the only family he's got left.
Then a mysterious girl starts appearing in his dreams, helping Finn fight back against the creatures in his nightly adventures. On the first day of the new term, she turns up at school, right there in real life, in the lunch queue!
Cass tells Finn that she has come to solve the mystery of Finn's missing parents. Together with Finn's geeky best friend Squid, they travel through the nightmare world, battling goblins, ghosts and zombies. Finn, Cass and Squid are a sparky, wise-cracking trio, but even together, can they prove to be a match for the creatures of the night?
If Finnegan Quick is to save the people he cares about most, he has to remember the lesson his gran has been teaching him all his life. He must learn to face his fears – or be destroyed by them!
'Stuffed full of awesome adventure and superior supernatural chills' – Keith Gray, author of The Climbers and Creepers
By night, Finn has horrible nightmares. By day, they come TRUE! A gripping horror story for readers of 10 and over.
Finnegan Quick is haunted by nightmares. They're so bad, he's terrified of going to sleep. Because Finn's dreams change the waking world too. He's already lost his mum, his dad, his dog, even his shadow. And now they're coming for his gran, the only family he's got left.
Then a mysterious girl starts appearing in his dreams, helping Finn fight back against the creatures in his nightly adventures. On the first day of the new term, she turns up at school, right there in real life, in the lunch queue!
Cass tells Finn that she has come to solve the mystery of Finn's missing parents. Together with Finn's geeky best friend Squid, they travel through the nightmare world, battling goblins, ghosts and zombies. Finn, Cass and Squid are a sparky, wise-cracking trio, but even together, can they prove to be a match for the creatures of the night?
If Finnegan Quick is to save the people he cares about most, he has to remember the lesson his gran has been teaching him all his life. He must learn to face his fears – or be destroyed by them!
'Stuffed full of awesome adventure and superior supernatural chills' – Keith Gray, author of The Climbers and Creepers
256 pages, Paperback
Published August 5, 2025
2 people are currently reading
23 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 30, 2025
I received a gifted copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via Bloomsbury Creators Circle.
The Nightmares of Finnegan Quick is an amazing middle grade book mixed with horror, humour, jump-scares, and friendship.
Finnegan has nightmares, but when he awakens, he finds they have changed things in his world in major ways. First, his dog was taken in a dream, then his mum and then his dad. Each time he awoke from these dreams, he found they had gone in real life too - and not just gone but erased completely with no trace of them ever existing at all. Now Finnegan only has his Nan and his best friend Squid.
When he returns to school after the school holidays, he meets a new girl, Cass, who he's met before - in his dreams all summer! As the trio of friends join forces to find and save Cass's father, save Finnegans Nan and try to find his parents, they come face to face with the most dangerous monsters in his dreams; the one who makes those he loves dissappear.
This was such a fun and thrill filled read, and any child who loves a bit of darker humour and wants to get into reading scarier stories will absolutely love this. Fans of goosebumps, point horror, and FNAF will love this book, and I can't wait to read book 2!
The Nightmares of Finnegan Quick is an amazing middle grade book mixed with horror, humour, jump-scares, and friendship.
Finnegan has nightmares, but when he awakens, he finds they have changed things in his world in major ways. First, his dog was taken in a dream, then his mum and then his dad. Each time he awoke from these dreams, he found they had gone in real life too - and not just gone but erased completely with no trace of them ever existing at all. Now Finnegan only has his Nan and his best friend Squid.
When he returns to school after the school holidays, he meets a new girl, Cass, who he's met before - in his dreams all summer! As the trio of friends join forces to find and save Cass's father, save Finnegans Nan and try to find his parents, they come face to face with the most dangerous monsters in his dreams; the one who makes those he loves dissappear.
This was such a fun and thrill filled read, and any child who loves a bit of darker humour and wants to get into reading scarier stories will absolutely love this. Fans of goosebumps, point horror, and FNAF will love this book, and I can't wait to read book 2!
November 1, 2025
AD-PR product -Gifted from Bloomsbury Children as part of Bloomsbury Creator Circle
A spooktacular read perfect for the upcoming Halloween season. The Nightmares of Finnegan Quick is the perfect read for young people who are ready to read stories that are that little bit more creepy and spinechilling; Ideal for fans of series like Goosebumps, or Aveline Jones. The book is pitched at the perfect level of eerie, with an equal measure of adventure quest and a dash of dark hunour. As an adult, i experiwnced moments of the hair rising on my skin and shivers as the central character Finnegan talks about his nightmares changing his reality. He begins with early memories of his dog Biscuit; after dreaming of a menacing female increasingly stalking the dig in his dreams with her "rasping, grating voice that seemed somehow less than human" the creature appeared again "smelling of death" and dragged the terrified dog away. Next, she took his mother and father, screeching into oblivion. The strange thing is that no one remembers they even existed after the disappearances; like they never lived. Finnegan only has his beloved gran left, so when the nightmares start involving her, he knows it is time to face his fears. A new girl Cass has started at school, and Finnegan has met her in his dreamland adventures for weeks. If they can work togwther in this dream state, maybe they can battle the nightmare creatures and even recover their loved ones. Thia story is packed with adventures and creepy creatures, like zombies, mummies and goblins. It is lots of fun with a squeeze of scare and gore. The Finnegan Quick series is an exciting new scare series for middle school and sure to be hugely popular. I absolutely devoured this story. It reminds me if my favourute Point Horror tales from the 90s. #thenightmaresoffinneganquick #larryhayes #bloomsburychildren
A spooktacular read perfect for the upcoming Halloween season. The Nightmares of Finnegan Quick is the perfect read for young people who are ready to read stories that are that little bit more creepy and spinechilling; Ideal for fans of series like Goosebumps, or Aveline Jones. The book is pitched at the perfect level of eerie, with an equal measure of adventure quest and a dash of dark hunour. As an adult, i experiwnced moments of the hair rising on my skin and shivers as the central character Finnegan talks about his nightmares changing his reality. He begins with early memories of his dog Biscuit; after dreaming of a menacing female increasingly stalking the dig in his dreams with her "rasping, grating voice that seemed somehow less than human" the creature appeared again "smelling of death" and dragged the terrified dog away. Next, she took his mother and father, screeching into oblivion. The strange thing is that no one remembers they even existed after the disappearances; like they never lived. Finnegan only has his beloved gran left, so when the nightmares start involving her, he knows it is time to face his fears. A new girl Cass has started at school, and Finnegan has met her in his dreamland adventures for weeks. If they can work togwther in this dream state, maybe they can battle the nightmare creatures and even recover their loved ones. Thia story is packed with adventures and creepy creatures, like zombies, mummies and goblins. It is lots of fun with a squeeze of scare and gore. The Finnegan Quick series is an exciting new scare series for middle school and sure to be hugely popular. I absolutely devoured this story. It reminds me if my favourute Point Horror tales from the 90s. #thenightmaresoffinneganquick #larryhayes #bloomsburychildren
April 26, 2025
WOAH. The only place I can start this book is with the PACING! I read this book in one sitting because there was literally 0 point where I wanted to put it down. Larry Hayes has accomplished a magical feat in crafting a writing style where every sentence flows effortlessly into its successor yet also cliffhangs in the right places to keep you intrigued. What started as ‘I’ll read a few chapters’ became ‘just one more’ to ‘I’ve got to finish it’ to ‘Oh my gosh, I can’t believe I finished it’. If this is going to be the pacing of all of Finnegan’s adventures, then I cannot wait!
The concept really intrigued me, especially with the amount of fiction out there that deals with dreams and nightmares in Middle Grade, and it’s safe to say that Hayes delivered! There’s an element of premonition, multiverse, astral projection, magic, and more entwined in the idea of Finnegan Quick and, as someone who loves all of those things, I adored it. I mean what human, irrespective of age, wouldn’t be terrified if their worst nightmare was just occurring in their mind but in real life in real time too. I was suitably creeped out and that’s perfect!
Whilst Finnegan is the star of the show and a brilliant protagonist, I want to applaud the characters of Cass and Squid and ensure they get their moments of glory too. Squid transcends the usual tropes of sidekick, so much so there’s something that happens in the final act of the book to show he’s more than just a sidekick in the novel (No spoilers here!). Cass fascinated me. She was such a gloriously misleading and eel-like character (in the best way possible). I call her that because every time I thought I was getting to grips with where I thought her character was going next, Hayes veered off in a direction I hadn’t even considered. I LOVE when a book can keep me guessing, ESPECIALLY a children’s book as there’s even plenty Adult books that I predict too easily.
The Gran storyline (again, no spoilers here) tugged at my heartstrings – a dream I’ve had a million times over, so there were a couple tears hunched at the corner of my eyes by the end of the book. Whilst there are, hopefully, few kids that will understand the prominence of that narrative, I think a lot of parents will feel a little inner child yearning at that point. Again, commendations to Hayes for embedding heart into the action.
A story of grief, anxiety, adventure, rising to the occasion, friendship, and more, The Nightmares of Finnegan Quick launches a new series by @larryhayesauthor that I, for one, am incredibly excited to see more of. The beam on my face when I realised the back of the book included the first chapter of the second book was unmissable. The Fate of Finnegan Quick launches in September of THIS YEAR and I will be front and centre to get it on release… Now, wish me luck that I don’t have any nightmares tonight!
The concept really intrigued me, especially with the amount of fiction out there that deals with dreams and nightmares in Middle Grade, and it’s safe to say that Hayes delivered! There’s an element of premonition, multiverse, astral projection, magic, and more entwined in the idea of Finnegan Quick and, as someone who loves all of those things, I adored it. I mean what human, irrespective of age, wouldn’t be terrified if their worst nightmare was just occurring in their mind but in real life in real time too. I was suitably creeped out and that’s perfect!
Whilst Finnegan is the star of the show and a brilliant protagonist, I want to applaud the characters of Cass and Squid and ensure they get their moments of glory too. Squid transcends the usual tropes of sidekick, so much so there’s something that happens in the final act of the book to show he’s more than just a sidekick in the novel (No spoilers here!). Cass fascinated me. She was such a gloriously misleading and eel-like character (in the best way possible). I call her that because every time I thought I was getting to grips with where I thought her character was going next, Hayes veered off in a direction I hadn’t even considered. I LOVE when a book can keep me guessing, ESPECIALLY a children’s book as there’s even plenty Adult books that I predict too easily.
The Gran storyline (again, no spoilers here) tugged at my heartstrings – a dream I’ve had a million times over, so there were a couple tears hunched at the corner of my eyes by the end of the book. Whilst there are, hopefully, few kids that will understand the prominence of that narrative, I think a lot of parents will feel a little inner child yearning at that point. Again, commendations to Hayes for embedding heart into the action.
A story of grief, anxiety, adventure, rising to the occasion, friendship, and more, The Nightmares of Finnegan Quick launches a new series by @larryhayesauthor that I, for one, am incredibly excited to see more of. The beam on my face when I realised the back of the book included the first chapter of the second book was unmissable. The Fate of Finnegan Quick launches in September of THIS YEAR and I will be front and centre to get it on release… Now, wish me luck that I don’t have any nightmares tonight!
March 5, 2025
Finnegan Quick has been plagued by nightmares for most of his life, the difference being when he wakes up things he has dreamt about come true!
Hayes strikes just about the right balance between horror and story, describing some quite horrific scenes in places, but balancing that with some exploration into the why of what is happening to Finn - and what he can do about it! Juxtaposing that with the pressures and tribulations of school issues for the average 13-year-old boy, seeing friendship issues, mean teachers, bullies and even the reality of missing a day of school! Finn is also a believable character, it takes time for him to stand up and face the creatures from his nightmares, as he is just a young boy dealing with quite traumatic circumstances after all. Removing most adult interactions in a realistic way Hayes keeps the three main characters of Finn, his friend Squid and new girl Cass front and centre. While the story is wrapped up a little quickly towards the end, this is just the beginning of Finn and friend's adventures (with a sequel already on the way) and is sure to be a hit with horror and adventure fans alike!
Hayes strikes just about the right balance between horror and story, describing some quite horrific scenes in places, but balancing that with some exploration into the why of what is happening to Finn - and what he can do about it! Juxtaposing that with the pressures and tribulations of school issues for the average 13-year-old boy, seeing friendship issues, mean teachers, bullies and even the reality of missing a day of school! Finn is also a believable character, it takes time for him to stand up and face the creatures from his nightmares, as he is just a young boy dealing with quite traumatic circumstances after all. Removing most adult interactions in a realistic way Hayes keeps the three main characters of Finn, his friend Squid and new girl Cass front and centre. While the story is wrapped up a little quickly towards the end, this is just the beginning of Finn and friend's adventures (with a sequel already on the way) and is sure to be a hit with horror and adventure fans alike!
January 2, 2025
A perfect, gentle horror story to entertain readers around 10 and up. Larry Hayes has found the right mix of chills and thrills, with a dash of humour, friends, and nightmares to satisfy his audience. Thank you to Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (Uk & ANZ) and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.
January 5, 2025
Humour and horror combined for an upper middle grade readership! You can read my full review here: http://vsviewfromthebookshelves.home....
January 22, 2025
Well that was a while book of WOW! A great mix of horror, humour and the importance of friendship. Think this is a great one for those kids who like a bit of the dark side!
September 21, 2025
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Finnegan's life has been oddly and silently tragic. When he was four, his dog Biscuit was dragged away by a pale hand dripping blood, and before too long his mother, and then his father, were gone. No one seems to notice any of these absences but him! They always occurs after months of dreaming about horrible things, so when he starts to dream about his Gran being attacked by a goblin, he knows things are dire. In his dreams, he's also met a girl with whom he has adventures, so when he meets her at school at the beginning of 8th grade, he knows he needs to talk to her. Cass' father is a paranormal investigator, and it turns out that Finnegan was born on the day Cass' mother died. Along with Finnegan's best friend, Squid, the two start to investigate dreams and try to figure out why they are able to travel in them. This takes them to a tomb near a country church, where they see the woman who took Biscuit, and she's not happy! Squid has done some research, and thinks she is a maere, a demon who sucks out souls. Armed with a crucifix, prayer book, holy water, and a peanut, the three manage to destroy a demon, but it's not enough. Cass' reveals that her father is in a state of sleep paralysis, and is currently in a coffin at the creepy former psychiatric hospital where they two are living, having come from the US. It looks like Finnegan will be able to settle things and destroy the demon, but when secrets are revealed, not everyone is safe. We need another book to find out what happens to Cass and her father, and especially to Finnegan's Gran!
Strengths: This reminded me a bit of Currie's X Marks the Haunt, but with a very British setting. There are plenty of creepy graveyards and crypts, as well as evil demons and creatures. The best part of the book for me was Squid, who took his research very seriously, and was just very exuberant. At one point, a bully is about to beat up Finnegan, and Squid shows up, playing a flute and dancing a jig. Everyone records his antics, but he silences the bully and sends him on his way. He calls this an "irrational behavior strategy", which I absolute loved! Gran is a fantastic character, and I was amused when she gets a little vague at one point, and this is explained by her possibly having an infection. So true, but not something most young readers would know. There are some good twists and turns that I don't want to ruin as well.
Weaknesses: Cass' father is paralyzed rather suddenly, and it's treated very casually. Just an odd inclusion, especially since he could be very useful in a subsequent book. Also, this is only available in paperback and is NOT in the Tales from Cabin 23 series, even though the font made me think it was.
What I really think: This feels very much like a British Goosebumps book, and will be a popular choice with readers who like scary tales Jreije's Bashir Boutros and the Jewel of the Nile or Fournet's Brick Dust and Bones.
Finnegan's life has been oddly and silently tragic. When he was four, his dog Biscuit was dragged away by a pale hand dripping blood, and before too long his mother, and then his father, were gone. No one seems to notice any of these absences but him! They always occurs after months of dreaming about horrible things, so when he starts to dream about his Gran being attacked by a goblin, he knows things are dire. In his dreams, he's also met a girl with whom he has adventures, so when he meets her at school at the beginning of 8th grade, he knows he needs to talk to her. Cass' father is a paranormal investigator, and it turns out that Finnegan was born on the day Cass' mother died. Along with Finnegan's best friend, Squid, the two start to investigate dreams and try to figure out why they are able to travel in them. This takes them to a tomb near a country church, where they see the woman who took Biscuit, and she's not happy! Squid has done some research, and thinks she is a maere, a demon who sucks out souls. Armed with a crucifix, prayer book, holy water, and a peanut, the three manage to destroy a demon, but it's not enough. Cass' reveals that her father is in a state of sleep paralysis, and is currently in a coffin at the creepy former psychiatric hospital where they two are living, having come from the US. It looks like Finnegan will be able to settle things and destroy the demon, but when secrets are revealed, not everyone is safe. We need another book to find out what happens to Cass and her father, and especially to Finnegan's Gran!
Strengths: This reminded me a bit of Currie's X Marks the Haunt, but with a very British setting. There are plenty of creepy graveyards and crypts, as well as evil demons and creatures. The best part of the book for me was Squid, who took his research very seriously, and was just very exuberant. At one point, a bully is about to beat up Finnegan, and Squid shows up, playing a flute and dancing a jig. Everyone records his antics, but he silences the bully and sends him on his way. He calls this an "irrational behavior strategy", which I absolute loved! Gran is a fantastic character, and I was amused when she gets a little vague at one point, and this is explained by her possibly having an infection. So true, but not something most young readers would know. There are some good twists and turns that I don't want to ruin as well.
Weaknesses: Cass' father is paralyzed rather suddenly, and it's treated very casually. Just an odd inclusion, especially since he could be very useful in a subsequent book. Also, this is only available in paperback and is NOT in the Tales from Cabin 23 series, even though the font made me think it was.
What I really think: This feels very much like a British Goosebumps book, and will be a popular choice with readers who like scary tales Jreije's Bashir Boutros and the Jewel of the Nile or Fournet's Brick Dust and Bones.
November 1, 2025
Sorry it took me so long to read it.
I picked up The Nightmares of Finnegan Quick thinking it’d be a fun Halloween read, and I wasn’t disappointed. It’s the ideal mix of creepy and exciting — just enough scares to give you shivers without being too much for younger readers. My 9-year-old son read it after me and absolutely loved it. He couldn’t put it down and has already asked when the next book is coming out!
Larry Hayes does a brilliant job balancing the horror with humour and heart. Finnegan is such a likeable character, and the friendship between him, Cass and Squid really shines through. There are some genuinely spooky moments (that eerie woman’s voice still gives me chills), but also touching scenes, especially with Finnegani’s gran.
If your child enjoys Goosebumps or Aveline Jones, this is a must-read. A wonderfully creepy adventure that both kids — and parents — will enjoy!
I picked up The Nightmares of Finnegan Quick thinking it’d be a fun Halloween read, and I wasn’t disappointed. It’s the ideal mix of creepy and exciting — just enough scares to give you shivers without being too much for younger readers. My 9-year-old son read it after me and absolutely loved it. He couldn’t put it down and has already asked when the next book is coming out!
Larry Hayes does a brilliant job balancing the horror with humour and heart. Finnegan is such a likeable character, and the friendship between him, Cass and Squid really shines through. There are some genuinely spooky moments (that eerie woman’s voice still gives me chills), but also touching scenes, especially with Finnegani’s gran.
If your child enjoys Goosebumps or Aveline Jones, this is a must-read. A wonderfully creepy adventure that both kids — and parents — will enjoy!
December 11, 2025
A fun, TV horror show-like book featuring three outcast friends. What more could a middle school reader want? Writing drew me in from page one. For those 11-13 year olds who just want to get lost in a book with quirky yet relevant characters trying to fight monsters--this one is for them!
October 9, 2025
Short review to come~
January 26, 2025
A dreamworld meets our world, or it does for Finn, who is so powerful in his weird talent that he can mistakenly force a nightmare to come true. So if, for example, a pale woman with wounds for eyes snatches the family dog, or Finn's mother or father, they're gone from our world to such an extent that only Finn is left with any memory of them whatsoever – all souvenirs vanish. His hapless but brainboxy friend knows nothing of this, but surprisingly the newcomer at school, the beautiful American Cass, is fully aware – and has already been seen in the better dreams of Finn's night-times. The unlikely trio will have to face no end of weird to find and reclaim Finn's parents (and dog), best the woman, and sort a lot more out besides – and all with the oddball talent of mutual, coming-true nightmares…
This was a clever dark fantasy, which often turns into full-on horror, by suddenly slipping in details of wounds to eyes, faces and suchlike. It does that in quite PG yet quite effective fashion, with the matter-of-fact bluntness one of the book's merits. The piece is also quite strong on the myth, too – although it never really convinced me how other people could enter dreams as if they were zoom meetings, or what happened if the dreamer left the dream first – other books have covered that, this ignored the issue.
Another minor hiccup is how a specialist is ignorant of the Malleus Maleficarum but a 'layman' character becomes an expert overnight – that's possibly married to the issue of the three kids being a year or two too young for what's in this. The other, much larger issue, is that you get to realise this is not self-contained a long way from the end, which always clouds my opinions somewhat. But that's not to say more from this world is unwelcome – far from it. There is invention, some level of chutzpah in the telling – and a repeatedly exploding goblin, and you can't tell me that's not a fun cameo to have. The message that we all have superpowers in our dreams, so think big to make things come true, is there, but worn lightly. I think the only thing in the way of me returning would be the lack of firm logic about it all where it was needed – many others will just not think of hesitating. From me, three and a half appreciative stars.
This was a clever dark fantasy, which often turns into full-on horror, by suddenly slipping in details of wounds to eyes, faces and suchlike. It does that in quite PG yet quite effective fashion, with the matter-of-fact bluntness one of the book's merits. The piece is also quite strong on the myth, too – although it never really convinced me how other people could enter dreams as if they were zoom meetings, or what happened if the dreamer left the dream first – other books have covered that, this ignored the issue.
Another minor hiccup is how a specialist is ignorant of the Malleus Maleficarum but a 'layman' character becomes an expert overnight – that's possibly married to the issue of the three kids being a year or two too young for what's in this. The other, much larger issue, is that you get to realise this is not self-contained a long way from the end, which always clouds my opinions somewhat. But that's not to say more from this world is unwelcome – far from it. There is invention, some level of chutzpah in the telling – and a repeatedly exploding goblin, and you can't tell me that's not a fun cameo to have. The message that we all have superpowers in our dreams, so think big to make things come true, is there, but worn lightly. I think the only thing in the way of me returning would be the lack of firm logic about it all where it was needed – many others will just not think of hesitating. From me, three and a half appreciative stars.
December 7, 2025
I was kindly sent a free copy of this by Bloomsbury in exchange for an honest review. This book is the first in a new series and I really enjoyed getting to the know the titular character Finnegan Quick, who has nightmares so terrible they have an influence upon the real world as well. The book is aimed at 10-11 year old readers but I was also sucked into the universe of this tense and creepy middle grade horror and am eager to read the sequel. The pace of this book is on point and I inhaled this book in a day. I didn’t want to put it down and the horror elements were pitched just right. I also really liked getting to know the supporting characters of Cass and Squid and can’t wait to read more about them in future. It’s got lots of humour to it - there is a goblin that gets exploded multiple times - and lots of scare factors and drama and also several poignant moments as well with the storyline of Finnegan’s parents disappearing and the nightmares coming after his Gran next. There is also a little bit of a romance potential between Cass and Finn so ultimately this book had got it all.
February 22, 2025
I enjoyed this horror comedy and I think my students will too. It has a fresh take on nightmares and throws in some references to the etymology of the word, as well as including some mythical creatures. The main characters were likeable and the story is well paced. I'm not sure the whole thing would stand up to a lot of scrutiny but it was an enjoyable quick read.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews