And that’s before you even read the prologue!
After their parents are killed in a car accident, Charlotte and her younger siblings, Jack and Emily, find themselves on a train to Cornwall – a place they’ve never been – to live with a grandmother they never knew they had.
Right from the start, there's something off about the solicitor, Mr Frankelweiss. And from that point on, nothing seems to add up.
There’s nobody to take them to train station, let alone accompany them on their journey. If it wasn’t for the appearance of a random boy, who helps them onto the moving train, they would’ve missed it.
Once they arrive in Cornwall, it seems there’s no-one there to meet them, until they realise a man with a horse and cart is waiting outside. But even he refuses to take them the whole way, instead leaving the three children to make their way across the causeway, racing against the rapidly incoming tide, to the house on Black Island.
Then there’s the fact that nobody seems to be home. In fact, the only living creatures seem to be the ravens.
With no other options, the children stay in the house, alone – save for a cat that Charlotte was sure was dead when they arrived.
Then their grandmother appears out of nowhere. Suddenly, the house is clean and the cupboards are full of food.
Don’t Let Them Leave is not a story for the faint-hearted. If you don’t like ghosts, curses or nail-biting tension in your stories, this book is not for you. However, if you do, and you also like Gothic tales steeped in history and legend – along with a dry-mouthed, wide-eyed sensation as you read – then you will love Mike Lucas’ storytelling style in this Young Adult horror thriller.
The main story is set in the 1930s; however, there is also a historical component that reaches centuries back. The story opens with a nod to the Knockers, the subterranean, gnome-like creatures from Cornish folklore. Later events are inspired by the legends of Cornish giants, and Mike Lucas mixes these tales beautifully with references to the ‘Black Prince’, King Edward III’s eldest son, and the recently surfaced rumours about his behaviour that have tarnished the prince’s otherwise positive background and achievements.
Once they arrive in Cornwall, it seems there’s no-one there to meet them, until they realise a man with a horse and cart is waiting outside. But even he refuses to take them the whole way, instead leaving the three children to make their way across the causeway, racing against the rapidly incoming tide, to the house on Black Island.
Then there’s the fact that nobody seems to be home. In fact, the only living creatures seem to be the ravens.
With no other options, the children stay in the house, alone – save for a cat that Charlotte was sure was dead when they arrived.
Then their grandmother appears out of nowhere. Suddenly, the house is clean and the cupboards are full of food.
Don’t Let Them Leave is not a story for the faint-hearted. If you don’t like ghosts, curses or nail-biting tension in your stories, this book is not for you. However, if you do, and you also like Gothic tales steeped in history and legend – along with a dry-mouthed, wide-eyed sensation as you read – then you will love Mike Lucas’ storytelling style in this Young Adult horror thriller.
The main story is set in the 1930s; however, there is also a historical component that reaches centuries back. The story opens with a nod to the Knockers, the subterranean, gnome-like creatures from Cornish folklore. Later events are inspired by the legends of Cornish giants, and Mike Lucas mixes these tales beautifully with references to the ‘Black Prince’, King Edward III’s eldest son, and the recently surfaced rumours about his behaviour that have tarnished the prince’s otherwise positive background and achievements.
While Mike Lucas has taken elements of truth into his story, much is fictionalised, providing intriguing insights into the history and mythology of Cornwall along with a nudge to explore more – which the accompanying teaching notes do very well.
There is a certain amount of skill required by an author to truly draw a reader into the world of their characters – and Mike Lucas definitely has it. As a reader, you feel the growing weight of Charlotte’s responsibility, the stubborn but childlike determination of Emily and Jack’s sense of overwhelm as he realises he has impossible memories. You wade through the tide and scramble along the cliffs with the children, and are drawn into the house itself, experiencing the same desperate need to leave and get as far away as possible.
If you like a bit of history, a taste of mythology and a good dose of trepidation in your YA reading, Don’t Let Them Leave will not disappoint.
Title: Don’t Let Them Leave
Author: Mike Lucas
Publisher: Penguin Random House, $19.99
There is a certain amount of skill required by an author to truly draw a reader into the world of their characters – and Mike Lucas definitely has it. As a reader, you feel the growing weight of Charlotte’s responsibility, the stubborn but childlike determination of Emily and Jack’s sense of overwhelm as he realises he has impossible memories. You wade through the tide and scramble along the cliffs with the children, and are drawn into the house itself, experiencing the same desperate need to leave and get as far away as possible.
If you like a bit of history, a taste of mythology and a good dose of trepidation in your YA reading, Don’t Let Them Leave will not disappoint.
Title: Don’t Let Them Leave
Author: Mike Lucas
Publisher: Penguin Random House, $19.99
Publication Date: 5 May 2026
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781761355462
For ages: 12 +
Type: Young Adult Fiction
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781761355462
For ages: 12 +
Type: Young Adult Fiction
