Mallory Vayle and Maggoty Skull in... The Beast from Beneath

by Martin Howard, Pete Williamson (Illustrator)

The second in a spooky and hilarious new series about a talkative skull and a necromancer-in-training. Full of brilliant illustrations!



Perfect for fans of Lemony Snicket and Wednesday.



Mallory Vayle and her talkative skull, Maggoty, star in another fabulous adventure!



Mallory is getting to grips with her new powers and her new talkative friend, Maggoty. But when Maggoty sees a wig in Les Wigs shop, he just won't shut up about it! It's expensive, and no one seems able to pay Mallory properly for her cosmic services.



So her Aunt Lilith takes matters into her own hands, but in her quest to increase her own supernatural skills, she accidentally summons a Nightmare. It, inevitably, goes HORRIBLY wrong and Mallory must take a perilous journey into the bowels of Carrion Castle in search of the solution to Aunt Lillith's problem... But it's only when a bony fella with a scythe turns up (that's Death – himself! – by the way) that she knows she and Maggoty are in for some terrifying fun and games!



With proper laughs and proper scares, this series is not only the perfect Halloween treat but a side-splitting and spine-tingling year-round read.



Have you read the spooktastic...
Mallory Vayle and the Curse of Maggoty Skull (Waterstones Children's Book of the Month, October 2024)



Praise for Mallory Vayle and Maggoty



"Effortlessly blends outrageous humour and genuine creepiness" - The Guardian



"Skullduggery pleasant meets A Series of Unfortunate Events. Do not miss! Spooky AND funny, a killer combo!" - Louie Stowell

Genres: Horror, Middle Grade, Childrens, Fantasy, Humor

258 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 25, 2025

Reviews

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kids insisted we listen to this as soon as we finished the first book. I would argue it was better than the first, even if Maggoty called Mallory “bumcrack” too much lol!

[Kim Tyo-Dickerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommend this excellent British series that is equal parts truly creepy and hilarious! Edgar Gorey-esque illustrations punctuate and drive the reading to the darkest secrets hidden in the bowels of Carrion Castle! If you enjoy Wednesday or Jonathan Stroud's Lockwood and Company series The Screaming Staircase / The Whispering Skull / The Hollow Boy / The Creeping Shadow / The Empty Grave, this second book is a hit and foretells more fun and necromancy to come.

[Charley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just so good. It’s not often I prefer a sequel, but this one really delivered. Fabulous returning characters, some great new villains, a cleverly spooky plot, and a serious pace that keeps you glued to the page. I completely devoured this hilariously haunting middle grade story just as fast as the first one, & I will be waiting on the edge of the sofa for the wonderfully dulcet tones of Maggoty Skull to return. Not sure how he’s gonna top that wig though! 💀

[Fab Draka · Rating 2 out of 5]

This sequel is not as good as the previous book. I really enjoyed the first novel, this one though missed the mark a little bit. I found it less exciting and the characters (especially Maggoty which I loved in the first book) a little annoying. It seems there may be a following book, considering the ending. Hopefully it will be better than this and more like the original story.

[Mousellina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This got darker and scarier than the first book. Eldritch terrors for children 😉 it took me a while to get into it but I was glued to the book towards the end. Absolutely worth it. It also seems like there will be a book 3? Can’t wait!

P.S. Book has a chapter that can be challenging for people with claustrophobia

[Vonprice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Comedy-horror for middle grade readers! You can read a review on my blog: http://vsviewfromthebookshelves.home....

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love these books. They always make me smile. it's very rare I read a book that makes me laugh but both of the books in this series have. I've been eagerly waiting for this book to come out and it didn't disappoint.

looking forward to more adventures with Mallory and Maggoty.

[Emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

way off the mark compared to the first one