Mysterious warning messages are appearing on the blackboards at Wickergate Primary School, in northern England. They appear when the classrooms are locked and unoccupied, and warn that the new head, Mrs. Killfeather is a witch. Ashley must face his own demons, as he tries to solve the mystery of who the Phantom Scribe is and what he wants Ashley to do. More accustomed to facing dangers in a book, Ashley must face supernatural challenges where no one is to be trusted. The cost of failure is unimaginable horror on a personal and global scale. Riddles, puzzles and danger face Ashley at every turn as he seeks for answers from the past to ensure there is a future. A tense, fast paced ride for children and those young at heart.
David M Cameron was born in Leeds, Yorkshire. He is married with four sons and three grandchildren. David has lived in England, Papua New Guinea, and Perth Western Australia, where he has been for the last thirty years. He has written two novels for children, Wickergate and Soulmare, and For All Time is his fifth and final book in the Moondial Series for adults. David also has a weekly blog of his ‘Cup of Tea Tales’ that tell some of his life’s stories on growing up in Leeds during the 1950s. He has published two thrillers Dead Men Don't Snore and A Trembling of Finches in the Gordon Bennet series. More recently he released Just After Midnight and They Are Back, science fiction YA thrillers. His latest book is Slipshod which is a thriller/whodunnit with a twist. More information on both David's music and books can be found on his website/blog:
KindleUnlimited review. Follow Ashley’s adventures in Wickergate Primary School. The protagonist is a ten-year old boy named Ashley. He is described as an atypical hero: “he was short, with thick brown hair, brown eyes, thin legs and rather thick glasses. When others excelled at sport, Ashley always did well at homework… righting wrongs, solving mysteries...”
This suspenseful mystery story has the protagonist investigating the truth about Covenfield. Is the school principal, Mrs Killfeather, a strict disciplinarian or a sinister administrator. The Phantom Scribe alleges the principal is s witch! The wicked rumor as well as the identity of the Phantom Scribe is the talk of the classroom and playground. Is it a simple prank or more nefarious?
The Wickergate chapters are fast pace and contain an engaging story. The reader will undoubtedly make comparisons between Ashley’s adventures with witches and another famous wizard named Harry. Also, there is a nod to the Scarlet Pimpernel and Frankenstein which might encourage the reader to explore other classic stories. The target audience is 9-18 year olds but anyone who enjoyed the Hogwarts wizard series will like the Wickergate Primary School mystery.
Though I do get tired of school stories because all the same things happen (but that’s school isn’t it?) However, as things spice up, so do the unexpected events. And even a little smidgen of Tolkien here in there so I highly recommend this book.
This book reminded me of middle school and the many Goosebump books I consumed at that age. After reading the book, and looking into the author info, I ended up loving the book even MORE. The author happens to be a school principal/headmaster too!! If you read this book, you’ll appreciate the irony.
As a book categorized as a ‘children’s book’ I expected a picture book to share with my kids. Nevertheless, I am happy I kept reading. I could see myself reading this book as a fifth or fourth grader. If you're into mystery and supernatural vibes, "Wickergate" is worth a read.
While this book is aimed at 10+, as an adult, I enjoyed it very much. Sometimes I like to mix it up, and I love a good mystery. The book has it all, suspense, red herrings, and an evil witch disguised as the new head of school. And there are humorous moments too. Ten-year-old Asley decides to solve the puzzle of those messages and finds himself tasked with saving the world from evil. From the moment the first mysterious message from the Phantom Scribe appears on the blackboard to the moment Ashley figures it out, the author maintains good pacing, well-sprinkled clues, and humor.