Usborne bags Alex Atkinson's 'chilling' middle-grade horror series

Usborne has bagged a "chilling" new middle-grade horror-mystery series from Alex Atkinson entitled Spooksmiths Investigate. 

Sarah Stewart, fiction associate editorial director, acquired world rights in a two-book deal from Lina Langlee at the North Literary Agency. Spooksmiths Investigate: The Cinderman, the first book in series, will be published on 10th October 2024 for readers aged between nine to 12 years old. The second book will follow in 2025. 

The Cinderman is a "creepy, pacey, funny" read following Indigo and Rusty who live in a funeral parlour. The pair don’t believe in ghosts, but then Indigo accidentally releases the Cinderman, a terrifying ash monster who will cover their town in ash and turn everyone into zombies. 

The synopsis adds: "Using their newly awakened Spooksmith skills, Indigo and Rusty set out to enlist the help of other spirits. But can the Blasted Banshee and Chuckles the Phantom Toddler really help them find the Cinderman’s true name and put him in his grave for good before Ashmageddon strikes?" 

"I have been desperate to work on a brilliantly spooky series for a long time, so when Lina pitched me a book about twins who live in a funeral home, my ears pricked up immediately," said Stewart. "And as soon as I read it, I totally fell for Alex’s pitch-perfect combination of squabbling siblings, a ghostly mystery and a truly terrifying monster. After all, what child (or adult) wouldn’t want to read about zombified parents battling a ghost army?”

Atkinson commented: “I wanted to re-create that trapped and cut-off-from-the-world feeling you get when it snows heavily, but with a new twist. The idea for a ghostly ash cloud came to me and The Cinderman was born. Spooksmiths Investigate: The Cinderman is full of fun scares, but lots of humour and heart too. Sarah and the team at Usborne have been so supportive. I feel lucky to be working with them and I can’t wait to introduce my spooky debut to middle-grade readers.”