Download the ‘Under Loch and Quay’ Press Release PDF.
A Mysterious Family Adventure.
The new fast-paced children’s novel from Alice Westlake tells the story of a family’s adventure after a week’s holiday in Scotland. When their car runs out of petrol, Esther, Martin and their mother are forced to check into a mysterious abandoned guesthouse on a deserted road. Soon, Esther and Martin discover some suspicious clues, and they realise that not everything is what it seems in Loch Bàth…
Westlake’s well-rounded characters and sharp dialogue set the story up for success from the very first page. The witty yet mysterious style of writing is distinctly reminiscent of the thirteen well-loved Lemony Snicket novels that made up ‘A Series of Unfortunate Events’. The dark yet believable intentions of the adult antagonists give the book a sinister undertone that will keep pre-teen readers enticed throughout. It is a wonderful half-way point between children’s stories of big bad monsters and adult crime fiction; not too disturbing to be enjoyed, but thrilling enough to hold the attention of any young reader.
The rumours of a murderous monster in the lake are the least of the children’s worries…
An impressive point is Westlake’s ability to avoid patronizing her young readers, particularly when mentioning technology. A brilliant new addition to the young fiction market with thrilling twists and turns at every corner, Under Loch and Quay is sure to keep young readers hooked from the very first page.
About the Author
Alice Westlake writes fiction for children and young adults. A winner of the Walker Books and Mumsnet Animal Stories competition with her first published story, Basil the Brave, her interest in writing spans picture books, adventure series for children, and challenging YA fiction. Alice began her writing career at a young age, encouraged by her journalist father, who bought her a manual typewriter for Christmas. She studied English Literature to Masters level at Reading and Queen Mary universities. She lives in Hackney with her husband and two sons, who do an excellent job of critiquing, distracting, and motivating, in equal measure. Read more about Alice.
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