After a space of four years Joan Aiken has written a wonderfully exhilarating new adventure in the 'Wolves Of Willoughby Chase' saga - the tenth book in the series.
A chilling welcome greets Dido Twite . . .
Returning to England from a visit to Nantucket, Dido is imprisoned by the evil werewolf Baron Magnus Rudh, his pesky son Lot and the Duchess of Burgundy, and is made witness to some macabre murders. The devilish trio, plotting to land an invasion force on the coast of Essex, hope Dido may lead them to her good friend Simon Battersea and King Richard, reputed to be on his death-bed.
But not even Dido knows the whereabouts of Simon, who is struggling to hide the gravely ill King in the flooded Wetlands (just where the Burgundians are planning to invade). With the added task of finding the ancient crown of Alfred so King Richard can pass it to his successor, Simon is hampered not only by the mischievous Jorinda, but also by a flock of sheep, Russian bears and the United Real Saxon Army, who choose to levitate rather than fight.
Will Dido escape in time to find Simon and the King before it is too late? Is Simon, Duke of Battersea, next in line to the throne or will Baron Rudh succeed in his plot to make his son king?
The indomitable Dido Twite and Simon Battersea are not easily defeated, and the wildly inventive mayhem in which they find themselves is the hallmark of Joan Aiken at her exhilarating best. This latest adventure - with a truly galloping plot and some breath-taking situations - will delight all fans of Joan Aiken, one of Britain's best-loved children's authors.
