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The Ghosts of Grey Towers
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Expected 8 Oct 26What evil is lurking in the shadows of Grey Towers? Secret organisation The Night House unravels the horrifying truth in this chilling mystery from master of sci-fi Dan Smith.
A storm rages across the moors the night that Damien Cooper arrives at the gates of Grey Towers Boarding School for Boys. As he struggles to settle in, tormented by his peers and the intimidating rule of Headmaster Grady, Damien also grapples with his unique ability to see the tragic destinies of those he touches. He quickly realises he is not just battling the harsh realities of school life but also dark forces within the house itself.
With a history steeped in tragedy, and supernatural forces at play, Damien must confront the malevolence that haunts Grey Towers and fight for his survival against an evil that seeks to claim him for ever.
A storm rages across the moors the night that Damien Cooper arrives at the gates of Grey Towers Boarding School for Boys. As he struggles to settle in, tormented by his peers and the intimidating rule of Headmaster Grady, Damien also grapples with his unique ability to see the tragic destinies of those he touches. He quickly realises he is not just battling the harsh realities of school life but also dark forces within the house itself.
With a history steeped in tragedy, and supernatural forces at play, Damien must confront the malevolence that haunts Grey Towers and fight for his survival against an evil that seeks to claim him for ever.
192 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication October 8, 2026
About the author
Dan Smith
324 books18 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
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August 27, 2026I received this book from the publisher on Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
I was so excited when I spotted this one up on Netgalley. So far I have read 2 books in the series and both were fantastic and I was already looking forward to this one, so it makes me super happy that I am able to read this one early. I will also be getting my own copy to add to my growing collection of Dan Smith books.
All in all, WOW, this is one book I couldn't stop reading. It was even more horrific than the other two books I read, and now I am curious what the next scary story will be! I cannot wait for the next Dan Smith!
Review to come on my blog during Spooktober!
I was so excited when I spotted this one up on Netgalley. So far I have read 2 books in the series and both were fantastic and I was already looking forward to this one, so it makes me super happy that I am able to read this one early. I will also be getting my own copy to add to my growing collection of Dan Smith books.
All in all, WOW, this is one book I couldn't stop reading. It was even more horrific than the other two books I read, and now I am curious what the next scary story will be! I cannot wait for the next Dan Smith!
Review to come on my blog during Spooktober!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Damien knows why his father has brought him to the crumbling school in the middle of nowhere. Grey Towers looms above him as his father drives off.
His first night is frightening as other students sleep around him, but there is much worse to come. Older students love to taunt new boys, especially when they see Damien act strangely the next day. Damien can't help it. If he touches another person, premonitions flash in his head. Usually, terrible ones. His parents couldn't cope with this strange ability either.
Grey Towers is ruled by a vicious headmaster, who loves to deal out punishments with his cane - giving boys what he believes, they deserve.
Other students love to follow their headmaster's example, and Damien is their target again and again. He knows he must escape to survive. He's realised quickly that although the headmaster and boys are bullies, something comes over them to make them even worse.
His attackers eyes rolling back in their skulls, and the savageness of their faces is something... other. Something coming from the school itself.
Seeing ghosts of children isn't helping Damien's state of mind, and more visions haunt him until he cannot take it any longer. He tries to flee, but will Grey Towers let him?
No.4 in this terrifying series of Horror stories for Dyslexic Readers. Grey Towers is terror itself, controlling those who live there, and punishing those who wish to leave.
His first night is frightening as other students sleep around him, but there is much worse to come. Older students love to taunt new boys, especially when they see Damien act strangely the next day. Damien can't help it. If he touches another person, premonitions flash in his head. Usually, terrible ones. His parents couldn't cope with this strange ability either.
Grey Towers is ruled by a vicious headmaster, who loves to deal out punishments with his cane - giving boys what he believes, they deserve.
Other students love to follow their headmaster's example, and Damien is their target again and again. He knows he must escape to survive. He's realised quickly that although the headmaster and boys are bullies, something comes over them to make them even worse.
His attackers eyes rolling back in their skulls, and the savageness of their faces is something... other. Something coming from the school itself.
Seeing ghosts of children isn't helping Damien's state of mind, and more visions haunt him until he cannot take it any longer. He tries to flee, but will Grey Towers let him?
No.4 in this terrifying series of Horror stories for Dyslexic Readers. Grey Towers is terror itself, controlling those who live there, and punishing those who wish to leave.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you so much to Barrington Stoke and Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.
Damien Cooper is sent to Grey Towers a boarding school for troubled boys on the moors. The instant he is on the grounds something feels wrong and off about it. Soon he’s seeing things that are to come and seeing ghosts everywhere. The house is targeting him and it wants to take him.
What a creepy story, so many creepy twists and turns within this book. It’s full of evil lurking in every corner, ghosts that want to possess and control the boys making them turn on him. Ghosts that lurk in the shadows and only show themselves to him. It was really creepy at every turn.
I liked the inclusion of articles, interviews getting other characters perspectives of the sinister events that unfolded at that school. It added a lot to the story as it was almost foreshadowing the events to come by what they said, events we were going to read soon. It was very clever and made you want to know more of what was to come.
This is a great horror book for young teens and upper middle graders, it’s sinister, it’s creepy, the setting will literally give you chills. The setting is the perfect backdrop to the whole story and really sets the scene so wonderfully. You’ll meet lots of evil people and lots of mysterious ghosts.
Damien Cooper is sent to Grey Towers a boarding school for troubled boys on the moors. The instant he is on the grounds something feels wrong and off about it. Soon he’s seeing things that are to come and seeing ghosts everywhere. The house is targeting him and it wants to take him.
What a creepy story, so many creepy twists and turns within this book. It’s full of evil lurking in every corner, ghosts that want to possess and control the boys making them turn on him. Ghosts that lurk in the shadows and only show themselves to him. It was really creepy at every turn.
I liked the inclusion of articles, interviews getting other characters perspectives of the sinister events that unfolded at that school. It added a lot to the story as it was almost foreshadowing the events to come by what they said, events we were going to read soon. It was very clever and made you want to know more of what was to come.
This is a great horror book for young teens and upper middle graders, it’s sinister, it’s creepy, the setting will literally give you chills. The setting is the perfect backdrop to the whole story and really sets the scene so wonderfully. You’ll meet lots of evil people and lots of mysterious ghosts.
August 17, 2026
Creepy. Spooky. Kinda terrifying. The house made me do it. Poor Damien. When he sent to a boarding school, things go from bad to worse. Kids bullying him, his friends not believing him, his head teacher being a really bad person. The storminess of this book really reflects how miserable Damien is and it’s brilliantly done. The illustrations are brilliant and add so much terror to this. This series continues to just shine (and terrify).
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was a weird but good read. I felt sorry for Damien. He had a really tough time in Grey Towers and I thought it would have got better for him but it didn't. It just got worse for him. It was creepy for a kids book and I was really invested in what would happen. Didn't really expect the ending either. Definitely a read for spooky season.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A short creepy read with a great recounting narrative as a "case file" by the Night House, with increasing suspicious activities in the Grey Towers orphanage ramping up though resolved in a strange and brief manner not quite befitting the previous setup.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
It gripped me from the first page. It is a spine-chilling read with accessible language. The simpler language does not mean that it is any less spine-chilling though, and that is exactly why I love the books by the author.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Another creepy read
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews