Michelle Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 I love Jonathan Stroud, so I was very happy to hear he has a new book due later this year. The following is from the press release, and if I'm lucky enough to get an early copy, I shall be reporting here first! LOCKWOOD & CO. : THE STORY BEGINS Lockwood & Co. is Stroud’s first series since his bestselling Bartimaeus sequence, which has sold over 6 million copies worldwide and is available in 36 languages. The first title, The Screaming Staircase, will be published in the UK on 2nd September 2013 and introduces readers to the charismatic Anthony Lockwood, his sidekick George and their new young employee, Lucy. London has never been spookier, and Lockwood & Co, a small, ramshackle psychic detection agency, is up against murderous spectres, terrifying apparitions and dastardly rivals. Stroud’s invention, energy and stylish wit make this superb new series something to be enjoyed by readers of all ages. Fans of Bartimaeus will be overjoyed to see Stroud is returning to London as the setting for his new story, but this time it’s a much darker city. An epidemic of ghosts – known as The Problem – is causing chaos and Lockwood and his colleagues must seek a solution. Stroud’s readers will welcome a new cast of characters and his characteristic masterly blend of humour, suspense and adventure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted January 24, 2017 Share Posted January 24, 2017 I was just doing a search to see if anyone else had read this, and came across this thread. I asked for this one for Christmas, and started it yesterday, and I'm already half way through (and it's not a short book! ). I'm thoroughly enjoying it, and I'm definitely going to be looking for more of Stroud's books to read after this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted January 24, 2017 Author Share Posted January 24, 2017 Unfortunately I had trouble getting into this, but I love his other books.. and I loved meeting him at the first YALC I attended. Have you not read anything else by him? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 No, he seems to have passed me by. I've looked at this one a lot, as the cover and blurb looked like my sort of thing, but I've never really noticed him before. I'll definitely be going back to look at his other books soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted January 25, 2017 Author Share Posted January 25, 2017 The Bartimaeus books are wonderful - with the last, The Ring of Solomon (my review) being the best, in my opinion. I also personally really liked Heroes of the Valley (my review), but that one doesn't seem to be talked about much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 I've just had a look on fantasticfiction.co.uk at all his books - there are already four more books in the Lockwood & Co. series, and one more out this year, as well as the Bartimaeus series. Looks like I'm going to be busy catching up with his work this year! It's interesting you had trouble getting into it. I was initially sceptical, despite having asked for the book, as I couldn't place the stories in a particular time period. For some reason, I'd assumed they were Victorian/Edwardian, but once I realised they were much more contemporary, I got on fine as I wasn't worrying about it any more. Having said that, it only took a couple of chapters for me to be hooked, and I've even read it during the evening, which is not like me - usually I'm a daytime only reader. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted January 25, 2017 Author Share Posted January 25, 2017 I have, over the past few years, become much more of a 'mood reader'.. which is one of the reasons I rarely review now. I didn't get on well having to read and review a book at a particular time. So, it may well be that if I pick it up again at some point, I'll do just fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 I know exactly what you mean - I think I've always been a bit of a mood reader, and it's only over the last ten or so years that I've been happy to put a book aside. I'm glad I've never got into reviewing officially, and just stick to putting my thoughts down here, it means there's no pressure to read anything I don't want to, or I'm not enjoying. If you do pick it up again, I hope you get on better. That said, I'm only judging it on what I've read so far ... we all know the ending can completely change our view on a book we've been loving! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 I love Jonathan Stroud so really happy to hear about this (albeit late ) Sorry to hear that you couldn't get on with it Michelle .. we all have days/books like that You've reminded me though that I must read The Ring of Solomon as I love, love, love the Bartimaeus trilogy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 Well, I'm definitely going to have to read the Bartimaeus books now, aren't I? Did you lend me the first one last year, Kay? Bizarrely, I think you did, and I gave it back without reading because all our books were about to go into storage, but I might be completely misremembering that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 Well, I'm definitely going to have to read the Bartimaeus books now, aren't I? Did you lend me the first one last year, Kay? Bizarrely, I think you did, and I gave it back without reading because all our books were about to go into storage, but I might be completely misremembering that Yes that happened .. might have been the year before, I can't remember You are most welcome to borrow them at any time Claire. They really are excellent and the audiobooks are excellent too. I think I have them on CD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 Thank you - I might well take you up on that offer in the future, but I'm going to stick to the Lockwood & Co series first Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 Thank you - I might well take you up on that offer in the future, but I'm going to stick to the Lockwood & Co series first Okay Claire .. well, just say the word Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted February 4, 2017 Share Posted February 4, 2017 Although I've posted this in my book log, I thought I'd post here as well just to give my thoughts on the book after I bumped the post. The story starts with a team of psychic investigators trying to rid a haunted house of a malevolent ghost. Although it's present day London, we're immediately in a setting where the country has been afflicted with the presence of spirits, and only children and young adults are able to sense them, whether it's through sight or sound or feelings. Lucy has joined the Lockwood & Co agency, and as their story progresses we find out about Lucy's background, as well as those of her boss, Lockwood and his deputy, George, as well as how this initial investigation leads them to the most haunted house in England, and the case of the screaming staircase. Initially, I found it difficult to place the period where the books were set, as it had a Victorian looking cover, and it wasn't immediately obvious that this was actually meant to be in the modern day. Once I'd got my head around that though, I settled into the mystery of the ghost story. Some of the elements of the ghosts and their manifestations were quite creepy, and I thought it was a thrilling story with spills and chills aplenty, and I was absolutely gripped by it. I even read it late in the evening, which is a time I don't usually read, but I just wanted to keep going and find out what would happen next in the story. I'll definitely be going on to read the next book in the series (of which there are currently five books with another due later this year) and hope that the cases that Lockwood & Co investigate will carry on in the same vein. Most enjoyable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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