‘When the fairies arrived in Clonbridge town, the wind changed direction.’

 

For the first time in over fifty years, the Trooping Fairies arrive in the small town of Clonbridge for their annual revels. Their arrival awakens other creatures, who have mischief and chaos in mind.

Cat Donnelly and her friends spend their final day of school before midterm break swapping scary stories and planning the ultimate trick-or-treating strategy. But with the Fairies back in town, this Halloween will be one where Cat has to face real danger and use all her wits and bravery to save those she loves.

‘The whole world had turned upside down and she needed to fix it.’

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Winner of the Eilís Dillon Award for a First Book at the 2023 KPMG Children's Book Ireland Awards

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Praise for The Book of Secrets:

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'This fast-paced story inspired by Irish myth and folklore brilliantly intertwines the real and the magical...this is an exciting adventure with just the right level of creepiness – dark, but not too dark. There’s a real urgency to the writing, sweeping readers along through an original and imaginative tale of magic in contemporary Ireland.'

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- Judges citation at CBI Book Awards 2023

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'As a librarian, I'm constantly trying to put books into the hands of students that will keep them engaged and ignite their imagination, this is one of those books. Loaded with Irish folklore, it has a myriad of mythical creatures, all with their own peculiarities and eccentricities. Readers will be lost in the gorgeous, odd and frankly scary world of these beings...I recommend The Book of Secrets for ages 9+, school librarians looking for the next great adventure story do not need to look any further!'

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- Lucas Maxwell (former UK Librarian of the Year)

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'...for readers who find Irish fairylore appealing, Alex Dunne’s The Book of Secrets is an absolute page-turner … Dunne’s narrative is a fast-paced quest steeped in the lore of fairies and magic, but also touches on serious themes such as death, family breakups, and the loss of adolescent friendships. She explores the tensions between traditional values and modern technology, showing the value of both within society. The pacing of the plot is sustained by a cliffhanger at the end of each chapter which forces the reader to dive into the next! The richness of Irish magic and folklore beautifully woven within the narrative adds a sense of uniqueness to the novel which will particularly appeal to an Irish audience.'

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- RTEjr Book Club

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