Cry at Midnight

Past and present, success and failure, magic and courage are swirled together in a story that brings a new voice to the myths, legends and traditions of folk and fairy tales. Cry at Midnight is Book One of The Hag-stone Chronicles.

On their first night in Aunt Aggie's cottage on the Hebridean Isle of Tiree, Merryn and Hamish McQueen begin an exciting, but terrifying adventure to rescue Kester, a horse trapped in a fencepost by a witch.

Finding a carved box containing a necklace of sea-beans and hag-stones, Merryn discovers that she possesses The Gift. Inherited from her great-great-great-great-grandmother, Merryn McQueen, she is able to connect with magical beings, both benevolent and malevolent.

With her brother's help, she embarks on a mission to save Kester, who can be released by Merryn between midnight and sunrise. Riding through successive nights, she and Hamish have to overcome continual obstacles, from Aunt Aggie's strict rules to the witch's increasingly powerful spells. Selkies and Fairy Folk pledge their help, but not until seemingly impossible challenges have been met by the children. Kester and the children travel to the famous Ringing Stone and the beach of Traigh nan Gilean in pursuit of their goal. But will Merryn and Hamish succeed? Will Kester finally be freed and what is his true identity?

A gripping debut novel for children, Cry at Midnight is not the end of the story. Look out for Book Two, Clickfinger, in 2015, when our heroes will be re-united in a further quest that takes them to new locations and more adventures.