Flossie Birdwhistle is the Turnkey at Highgate
Cemetery. Her job is to see that all her dead residents are at rest, for in the
twilight world, things are different. The ghosts can see the living but not the
other way around. In the land of the living, WW11 rages.
Flossie encounters the German officer Victor Brun,
known as one of Hitler’s most trusted men. He carries with him a strange object
that resembles a crystal ball.
Something is brewing and it concerns two of the
main cemeteries. Flossie must find out what, for not only are the resting
places in danger, but so is the whole of England.
From Highgate in London to the Invalid Cemetery in
Berlin, Flossie seeks to uncover the insidious plans that threaten to destroy
her country. She is unprepared for what she finds. Her father’s past is somehow
linked to Brun whose ghostly presence is like poison.
What part do the ancient
artefacts of the Mayan civilization play in the schemes being plotted? What is
the Ahnenerbe? With the help of
Violet, a twilight spiritualist, Flossie discovers the horrors perpetrated in
Germany and the additional horrors awaiting them in England should Brun’s plans
succeed.
This is a highly imaginative, well-crafted ghostly
crime story full of mystery, with many layers to it. It is about two wars: one in the land of the
living and the other in the place of the dead. Themes of love and sacrifice,
unity and the warring of good and evil, fill the main story and extensive
sub-stories. Its strong female characters, especially the protagonist Flossie,
generate a powerful energy in the novel. The historical and supernatural plot
is filled with surprises, breathtaking twists and turns, and sudden revelations
that will keep the pages turning. Prepare to read this in one sitting!
The
Turnkey won the Best Children’s Crime Novel at the Sisters
in Crime18th Davitt Awards.
Title:
The Turnkey
Author:
Allison Rushby
Publisher:
Walker Books, $18.99
Publication
Date: March 2017
Format:
Paperback
ISBN: 9781925126921
For
ages: 9+
Type:
Mystery/Crime
