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The Ghost Locket
A captivating supernatural mystery set in a house haunted by secrets from the past.
Eleven-year-old Lolli must return to London and break a promise she made to herself — to never again enter the house in Spitalfields, an historic building managed by her family.
There, Lolli must face up to what she saw in the house several years ago and make things right for two ghosts, one friendly and one decidedly not, and open her heart to people in both the living and twilight worlds
Eleven-year-old Lolli must return to London and break a promise she made to herself — to never again enter the house in Spitalfields, an historic building managed by her family.
There, Lolli must face up to what she saw in the house several years ago and make things right for two ghosts, one friendly and one decidedly not, and open her heart to people in both the living and twilight worlds
- GenresMiddle GradeGhosts
256 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2022
2 people are currently reading
75 people want to read
About the author
Allison Rushby
44 books291 followersAllison Rushby adores cities with long, winding histories; wild, overgrown cemeteries; redbrick Victorian museums; foxes; tea; and ivy. She lives in Queensland, Australia.
http://www.allisonrushby.com.
http://www.allisonrushby.com.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 26, 2023
Had to read this book for Uni but was pleasantly surprised. This novel shared a really heart warming story about love, loss, self exploration and family. This book entwined the past and present beautifully, through a ghostly mystery that forces the protagonist to confront her fears and explore her strengths and weaknesses. Almost none of the characters in this book have a conventional family but it explores how to feels to choose your family and what it means to be loved. Such a sweet and slightly spooky story!
April 1, 2022
With thanks to ‘Books+Publishing’ magazine for the ARC and the opportunity to review.
Allison Rushby’s latest middle-grade offering is a creative, entertaining blend of the supernatural, spilling into an historical mystery, in a modern day setting. 12-year-old Lolli and her guardian Freya have travelled from Singapore to London, where they are helping friends set up a “walk through” Christmas display in an old terrace house. Lolli though, is reluctant and fearful, as three years earlier she’d experienced a terrifying ghostly vision within those walls.
As the story progresses, an interesting array of characters are introduced, all of whom make an impact on Lolli in different ways, and each other. The well-crafted dialogue moves the action swiftly along; and there are quite a few end-of-chapter cliffhangers that often, delightfully, led down different paths to what I’d predicted. Lolli’s introspections are gently articulated, and young readers will easily understand, and identify with her concerns and decision-making deliberations, in particular along the themes of self-confidence, trust, making friends and what ‘makes’ a family.
Suspenseful and hauntingly atmospheric, this book will absolutely appeal to readers of the mystery genre, and existing fans of Rushby’s, and with spirits and ghosts thrown in, it’s also a great introduction to horror and fantasy. There are some terrific, funny one-liners that will definitely generate laughs; lots of holding-breath moments; and the plot twists will not only surprise readers, but will no doubt leave them satisfied when they reach the final page.
Allison Rushby’s latest middle-grade offering is a creative, entertaining blend of the supernatural, spilling into an historical mystery, in a modern day setting. 12-year-old Lolli and her guardian Freya have travelled from Singapore to London, where they are helping friends set up a “walk through” Christmas display in an old terrace house. Lolli though, is reluctant and fearful, as three years earlier she’d experienced a terrifying ghostly vision within those walls.
As the story progresses, an interesting array of characters are introduced, all of whom make an impact on Lolli in different ways, and each other. The well-crafted dialogue moves the action swiftly along; and there are quite a few end-of-chapter cliffhangers that often, delightfully, led down different paths to what I’d predicted. Lolli’s introspections are gently articulated, and young readers will easily understand, and identify with her concerns and decision-making deliberations, in particular along the themes of self-confidence, trust, making friends and what ‘makes’ a family.
Suspenseful and hauntingly atmospheric, this book will absolutely appeal to readers of the mystery genre, and existing fans of Rushby’s, and with spirits and ghosts thrown in, it’s also a great introduction to horror and fantasy. There are some terrific, funny one-liners that will definitely generate laughs; lots of holding-breath moments; and the plot twists will not only surprise readers, but will no doubt leave them satisfied when they reach the final page.
July 15, 2024
I really enjoyed this middle grade book set at Christmas time in London. The mc Lolli returns to London with Freya, her guardian, and must confront a very mean-spirited spirit to try to help a ghost who has had part of her soul trapped in this realm so she can go to the twilight.
It had a wonderful twist I didn’t see coming and a very tense final scene that resolved beautifully.
Highly recommend for ages 9+
It had a wonderful twist I didn’t see coming and a very tense final scene that resolved beautifully.
Highly recommend for ages 9+
November 8, 2023
Alison Rushby is an author to read to zero for me. This beautifully written book will captivate and hold you from the moment you open it. The atmospheric prose will emmerse you into the story into Lolli's world and that of Spitalfields house. With Gothic Victorian terrace houses, ghosts spirits and mystery, what more could you ask for? Alison Rushby is an author who draws you in and keeps you there, her books stay with you long after you close the book.
Read
September 16, 202311-year-old Lolli returns to London to make things right for two ghosts. Can she help them to leave this house full of secrets? Another good book by Rushby. Ages 9-11.
May 30, 2022
I loved that the central character, Lolli (Olivia is her full name) tells the story herself, first person-style, and that she’s honest about her emotions and fears. I also appreciated that she came from a challenging background: father ‘unknown’, mother ‘flawed’ because of coming from the school of hard knocks, and living rough while pregnant; grandparents indifferent to her, until her mother’s best friend, Freya, takes on looking after her (and falls in love with the tiny babe that she was, then), at which point they contest Freya’s guardianship of her.
Lolli and Freya share a strong bond, as strong as had they been mother and daughter. Incidentally, Freya is lesbian, not that this makes any difference to the plot; it’s just another example of the book being modern and honest, reflecting real life scenarios.
The pair travel from their hometown of Singapore to London, where they are to help decorate a house they had inherited from ‘Aunt Elsie’ for Christmas, in Victorian style. But here is where the rub lies: the house is haunted, and only Lolli can communicate with its three ghosts: including the achingly poorly-treated Clara (as a child) and the awful, threatening, trouble-making Madame le Noir. Aunt Elsie’s spirit is desperate for Lolli to end the haunting hiatus within the Victorian terrace house, so troubled souls can be set free. Lolli resists because the house brings her terror.
There is heartache and family dysfunction, as well as the love and friendship of secondary characters. There is also Lolli’s fear of being in the haunted house, while she grows in herself and faces up to the terrors that once held her in their grasp. Lolli’s self-penned speech at the unveiling of a mosaic mural depicting Aunt Elsie, towards the end of the book, had me in tears.
Congratulations to Allison Rushby for writing a book that incorporates the supernatural in a believable way, within a modern setting. I am not a fan of fantasy as a genre, but this is not fantasy per se, even though ghosts abound in a haunted house. This is a real-life drama and mystery, with a dose of otherworldliness. We celebrate Lolli’s coming of age as she conquers her fears and shows kindness to many in the process. Lolli is a real and relatable character, and she’s by no means perfect (who is?!), yet she is perfectly wonderful just the way she is. Her increase in self-confidence is lovely to witness.
Bravo, Allison! Now that Covid is all but over, I’m keen to visit London again, and explore Victorian-era museums and the Borough Markets and Spital Fields areas. You’ve piqued my curiosity and I shall be on the look-out for good ghosts. Meanwhile, I shall recommend The Ghost Locket to the keen readers at my school library.
Lolli and Freya share a strong bond, as strong as had they been mother and daughter. Incidentally, Freya is lesbian, not that this makes any difference to the plot; it’s just another example of the book being modern and honest, reflecting real life scenarios.
The pair travel from their hometown of Singapore to London, where they are to help decorate a house they had inherited from ‘Aunt Elsie’ for Christmas, in Victorian style. But here is where the rub lies: the house is haunted, and only Lolli can communicate with its three ghosts: including the achingly poorly-treated Clara (as a child) and the awful, threatening, trouble-making Madame le Noir. Aunt Elsie’s spirit is desperate for Lolli to end the haunting hiatus within the Victorian terrace house, so troubled souls can be set free. Lolli resists because the house brings her terror.
There is heartache and family dysfunction, as well as the love and friendship of secondary characters. There is also Lolli’s fear of being in the haunted house, while she grows in herself and faces up to the terrors that once held her in their grasp. Lolli’s self-penned speech at the unveiling of a mosaic mural depicting Aunt Elsie, towards the end of the book, had me in tears.
Congratulations to Allison Rushby for writing a book that incorporates the supernatural in a believable way, within a modern setting. I am not a fan of fantasy as a genre, but this is not fantasy per se, even though ghosts abound in a haunted house. This is a real-life drama and mystery, with a dose of otherworldliness. We celebrate Lolli’s coming of age as she conquers her fears and shows kindness to many in the process. Lolli is a real and relatable character, and she’s by no means perfect (who is?!), yet she is perfectly wonderful just the way she is. Her increase in self-confidence is lovely to witness.
Bravo, Allison! Now that Covid is all but over, I’m keen to visit London again, and explore Victorian-era museums and the Borough Markets and Spital Fields areas. You’ve piqued my curiosity and I shall be on the look-out for good ghosts. Meanwhile, I shall recommend The Ghost Locket to the keen readers at my school library.
Read
August 8, 2022This book and I did not get along. Everything about it rubbed me wrong.
There was so much description of physical surroundings, of houses and rooms and vistas, but not a damned word about our main characters. I only knew that of the two Black characters, one had cornrows and the other was large. I knew what two ghosts looked like, but not the third. Our actual protagonist? Not a clue. Complete blank space. And her adoptive mum Freya? Also nothing. WHY. Did I miss all those bits? HOW.
There was way too much telling. It was so boring. So much that could have come out in conversations but nope, great masses of info dumps. And then there were all the conversations with nothing of any value, interactions which made me so damned impatient because they had nothing to do with the main plot.
Worst of all, the protagonist Lolli frustrated the hell out of me with her overpowering fear and reluctance to engage and general blindness. Lots of protagonists are afraid but they do the thing anyway, they push through so we can have an actual plot. I spent three-quarters of the book wanting to shake her and then the last quarter trying very hard not to roll my eyes at her sudden transformation.
The solve was quite weak too but by then I was so bored and annoyed that I had spent $15 on a shitty read that I didn’t care. Took me three days to read 182 pages. Ridiculous.
Clearly I am not the audience for this.
There was so much description of physical surroundings, of houses and rooms and vistas, but not a damned word about our main characters. I only knew that of the two Black characters, one had cornrows and the other was large. I knew what two ghosts looked like, but not the third. Our actual protagonist? Not a clue. Complete blank space. And her adoptive mum Freya? Also nothing. WHY. Did I miss all those bits? HOW.
There was way too much telling. It was so boring. So much that could have come out in conversations but nope, great masses of info dumps. And then there were all the conversations with nothing of any value, interactions which made me so damned impatient because they had nothing to do with the main plot.
Worst of all, the protagonist Lolli frustrated the hell out of me with her overpowering fear and reluctance to engage and general blindness. Lots of protagonists are afraid but they do the thing anyway, they push through so we can have an actual plot. I spent three-quarters of the book wanting to shake her and then the last quarter trying very hard not to roll my eyes at her sudden transformation.
The solve was quite weak too but by then I was so bored and annoyed that I had spent $15 on a shitty read that I didn’t care. Took me three days to read 182 pages. Ridiculous.
Clearly I am not the audience for this.
January 25, 2023
A very enjoyable read, I guessed pretty much everything that would happen but I'm not the audience this book was written for, I do however work with the age group this was written for and know several who will enjoy reading this. Even though I could see where this was going I enjoyed the journey- I liked the writing style and I very rarely felt like I was reading a "kids" book.
May 26, 2022
Loved the setting, the mysterious house, ghosts and back story of main character Lolli. So good to have a main character adopted. I found some parts confusing, will have to read again. Am also going to give to students to see what they think. Liked the twist near the end.
2022- pop sugar reading challenge- The Ghost Locket.
2022- pop sugar reading challenge- The Ghost Locket.
July 24, 2022
Very enjoyable. Spent the afternoon reading this one. I was a little worried at the beginning that Lolli was going to get annoying and not accept her fate. Thankfully, that passes quickly and Lolli is very likable. Good quality ghosting and friendships are formed. Also, can I get a gluten free matcha donut please!
April 22, 2022
Very enjoyable ghost story, which is also a finding oneself/growing up story. Extra points for being set in Spitalfields. Excellent.
August 1, 2023
Well written and well paced, immensely enjoyed by my 10 year old (I had a good time too!).
September 2, 2025
My 8 year old daughter chose to borrow this book from the Library for her summer reading challenge. She found the story quite slow going to start with and nearly gave up. As the plot got more exciting she started to really enjoy it and ended up reading for several hours in one go to find out what happened at the end!
June 29, 2025
I enjoyed this, although it had some flaws. First, I don't understand why Allison didn't tell us that Elsie was a ghost before. Also, Madam Lenoir kind of freaked be out. Thank you for your time.
P.S I give it 3.5 stars
P.S I give it 3.5 stars
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews