Joseph Delaney used to be an English teacher, before becoming the best-selling author of the Spook's series, which has been published in 30 countries and sold over 4.5 million copies worldwide. The first book, The Spook's Apprentice, was adapted into a major motion picture starring Jeff Bridges and Julianne Moore.

Joseph Delaney

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Joseph Delaney's popular book, The Spook's Apprentice, told the story of Thomas Ward, apprenticed to the local spook to help keep the county safe from the Dark. The novel is the inspiration for the movie Seventh Son, starring Jeff Bridges, Ben Barnes and Julianne Moore, but has now been adapted for the stage by Joseph and his son Stephen. 
 
 
Suitable for casts large and small, this script is ideal for use in drama groups, english lessons and school plays.

The Spook's Apprentice - Play Edition

The Spook's Battle is the fourth book in Joseph Delaney's terrifying Wardstone Chronicles – over 3 million copies sold worldwide! 
 
'I see your future clearly. Your master will be dead, and you will be alone.' 
 
The Spook and his apprentice protect the County from the dark, but not a terrible danger threatens. The witches are rising and the three most powerful clans are uniting to conjure an unimaginable evil – the Devil himself. If they succeed, will Tom and his master have the courage to defeat the most powerful enemy of all . . . ?

The Spook's Battle

Book 4

The second terrifying tale in the Spook's spin-off series from bestselling author Joseph Delaney. 
 
Thomas Ward was working as the new County Spook, fighting the Dark with his own apprentice. But a new enemy stirred in the north, and Tom’s calling required him to leave his home and lead an uprising against a legion of beasts: creatures of the dark intent on locking the whole earth in a never-ending winter. 
 
Then something went horribly wrong, and now Tom lies cold in a grave, while those who remain are in despair. 
 
Who can now take up the battle? And how much time remains before the dark army brings the fight back to the County, and the world is changed for ever?

Spook's: The Dark Army

The Spook's Destiny is the eighth book in Joseph Delaney's terrifying Wardstone Chronicles – over 3 million copies sold worldwide! 
 
'You belong to the blade now. You'll belong to it until the day you die . . .' 
 
Tom, the Spook's Apprentice, has travelled to Ireland, where he must tackle a group of evil mages. His dangerous mission leads him to the Destiny Blade - a sword with a dark side, and a thirst for blood. Could this new weapon give him a fighting chance against the Fiend? And dare he accept the help of Grimalkin, the terrifying witch assassin?

The Spook's Destiny

Book 8

The first book in the exhilarating new fantasy sequence from Joseph Delaney, the multi-million-selling author of The Spook's Apprentice. 
 
Welcome to Arena 13. Here warriors fight. Death is never far away . . . 
 
Leif has one ambition: to become the best fighter in the notorious Arena 13. Here, punters place wagers on which fighter will draw first blood. And in grudge matches, they bet on which fighter will die. 
 
But the country is terrorized by the creature Hob, an evil being who delights in torturing its people, displaying his devasting power by challenging an Arena 13 combatant in a fight to the death whenever he chooses. And this is exactly what Leif wants . . . 
 
For he knows Hob's crimes well. and at the heart of his ambition burns the desire for vengeance. Leif is going to take on the monster who destroyed his family. Even if it kills him.

Arena 13

The Spook's Sacrifice is the sixth book in Joseph Delaney's terrifying Wardstone Chronicles – over 3 million copies sold worldwide! 
 
'Witches, Mam? We've made an alliance with witches?' 
 
As the Spook's apprentice, Tom's first duty is to protect the County from the dark. But now Mam needs his help in her homeland of Greece to rise up against one of the Old Gods, the Ordeen. But what secret is Mam keeping from Tom? And what sacrifices must be made in the battle against the dark?

The Spook's Sacrifice

Book 6

Slither's Tale is the eleventh book in Joseph Delaney's terrifying Wardstone Chronicles – over 3 million copies sold worldwide! 
 
'My name is Slither, and before my tale is finished you'll find out why . . .' 
 
Slither preys upon humans, gorging upon their blood while they sleep. But a desperate farmer needs Slither to save the lives of his two youngest girls. In return he can have the eldest daughter, Nessa, to do with as he wishes. Slither's promise takes him and Nessa on a treacherous journey - and into the path of Grimalkin, the terrifying witch assassin . . .

Spook's: Slither's Tale

Book 11

The Spook's Mistake is the fifth book in Joseph Delaney's terrifying Wardstone Chronicles – over 3 million copies sold worldwide! 
 
'The moment of danger is close. Very soon our enemies will be here.' 
 
The Spook has sent his apprentice, Tom, to be trained by another Spook whose methods are harsh and tough. But faced with a powerful water witch, Bill makes a fatal error, leaving Tom to face his enemies alone. Can the Spook get there in time to save his apprentice? Or will his own mistakes give final victory to the dark?

The Spook's Mistake

Book 5

The Spook's Nightmare is the seventh book in Joseph Delaney's terrifying Wardstone Chronicles – over 3 million copies sold worldwide! 
 
'I stood there, terrified. My master was about to die.' 
 
The County is facing dark times, and the Spook is being haunted by terrifying dreams. With his precious library burned to the ground and his old enemy, Bony Lizzie, free once again, things are falling apart. As nightmares turn real, the Spook's powers seem to be waning just when he needs them the most. Can Tom, the Spook's apprentice, face the dark alone?

The Spook's Nightmare

Book 7

The Spook's Blood is the tenth book in Joseph Delaney's terrifying Wardstone Chronicles – over 3 million copies sold worldwide! 
 
'I am Siscoi, the Lord of Blood, the Drinker of Souls! Obey me now or you will suffer as few have suffered.' 
 
Thomas Ward's final battle with the Fiend is drawing near, but he has never felt more alone in his task. Isolated and afraid, Tom must risk his life against a ferocious vampire god, even as he learns that the final destruction of the Fiend may involve a sacrifice more terrible than he can imagine . . .

The Spook's Blood

Book 10

The Spook's Secret is the third book in Joseph Delaney's terrifying Wardstone Chronicles – over 3 million copies sold worldwide! 
 
'It's going to be a long, hard, cruel winter and there couldn't be a worse place to spend it.' 
 
As the nights draw in the Spook decides to travel to his winter house. His apprentice, Tom, hates the desolate place. There are feral witches in the cellar, menacing creatures stirring on the nearby moors and a sinister stranger threatening Tom's master. Is the Spook's past catching up with him? And what dangers will Tom face if his master's secrets are revealed?

The Spook's Secret

Book 3

I Am Grimalkin is the ninth book in Joseph Delaney's terrifying Wardstone Chronicles – over 3 million copies sold worldwide! 
 
'I am Grimalkin, and I have already chosen those I will kill . . .' 
 
Grimalkin has made it her lifetime ambition to destroy the Fiend. Having assisted the Spook and his apprentice in the binding of the Fiend, she is now on the run. And her mission is deadly. She has to keep the Fiend's severed head in her possession no matter who - or what - comes after it . . .

Spook's: I Am Grimalkin

Book 9

The third exhilarating instalment in the Arena 13 series by Joseph Delaney, author of THE SPOOK’S APPRENTICE 
 
After everything Leif has been through in Arena 13, it’s finally time for him to fulfil his destiny and accompany his father’s people beyond the barrier that imprisons all mankind. 
 
Meanwhile, Kwin, the girl he loves, is making waves in the arena as the first woman ever to grace its fighting floor. 
 
In their own ways, each of them is fighting to bring down the superhuman monsters that threaten the last people on earth. They might have picked fights they can’t win. But freedom could be something worth dying for. 
 
Books in the series 
1: ARENA 13 
2: ARENA 13: THE PREY 
3: ARENA 13: THE WARRIOR

Arena 13: The Warrior

‘He’s the seventh son of a seventh son. His name is Thomas J. Ward and he’s my gift to the County. When he’s old enough we’ll send you word. Train him well. He’ll be the best apprentice you’ve ever had and he’ll also be your last.’ 
 
These were the words of Tom's Mam to the county Spook some years ago. As Tom, the Spook and their allies prepare to battle with the Fiend on a huge scale, to finally enact their revenge, it now remains to be seen whether Mam's declaration will come true.

The Spook's Revenge

Book 13

Over the years, Alice has fought evil side by side with the Spook and his apprentice, Thomas Ward. But now Alice is alone – in the realm of the dark. And the creatures she has helped to banish there, now have the chance to take their revenge. 
 
Alice must seek the final weapon needed to destroy the Fiend for good. If she fails, the world will fall into despair and darkness. If she succeeds, it means facing her own death at the hands of her dearest friend. But can she prevent the darkness from overtaking her over completely . . . ?

Spook's: Alice

Book 12

The third chilling instalment in the new Spook’s legend . . . 
 
An assassin lurks in the darkness between earth and oblivion – but who are they, and what is their mission? 
 
The people of the County live in fear of the beasts bent on bringing an epic war to their home. How can they possibly hope to survive when their fearsome enemies are fortified with the power of a god? 
 
Could the assassin that moves in the darkness be the saviour the County seeks? 
 
Praise for book 1 in the series, A New Darkness: 'A solid, suspenseful, and spooky adventure' Publishers Weekly 
Praise for book 2 in the series, The Dark Army: 'Unbeatable stuff for readers who like to be terrified!' Andrea Reece, lovereading4kids

Spook's: Dark Assassin

Following the first year of his apprenticeship as an Arena 13 combatant, Leif seeks information from his late father's people. There he learns more about the man, who was the greatest arena fighter ever seen. The man who came so close to destroying the demon Hob, but paid a terrible price for every victory. 
 
Leif returns to the fighting floor with a renewed hunger for revenge. But can he remain focused on his training as his passion for his master's daughter, Kwin, grows? And will his place in his master's greater plan help or hinder him in his personal mission to defeat Hob in a fight to the death? 
 
The second instalment in the legend of ARENA 13. 
 
Books in the series 
1: ARENA 13 
2: ARENA 13: THE PREY

Arena 13: The Prey

Brian Jacques

The seventh book in the beloved, bestselling Redwall saga - soon to be a major Netflix movie! 
 
When Joseph the Bellmaker is warned in a dream that his daughter, Mariel, is in danger, his hopes of saving her are slim. For the evil Foxwolf and his horde of rats are coming to Southsward and Mariel is his prisoner. But Joseph and his four young warrior friends lead a crusade against Foxwolf and his invading army. Can the legendary Martin the Warrior return from the past to save them. Or is it too late . . . ?

The Bellmaker

Christine Purkis

Rowan's family live deep in the country - in a caravan. They are travellers and life is chaotic and very, very happy; until, that is, the day Rowan meets a strange old woman who carries the secrets of the past under her shawl. . . It is a past in which a child, Liza, is locked in a place of fear and danger - and only Rowan can unlock the door from past to present and set Liza free.

Dark Beneath The Moon

Ann Coburn

Eleven-year-old Danny has gone missing. Is he dead - or has someone taken him? His older sister, Ellie, is determined to do whatever it takes to help find him... 
 
In a separate world, a world of witches and were-creatures, another girl - Argent - sets out on a perilous adventure when a thief snatches a baby dragon just after its hatching... 
 
If Ellie is to find her brother, she must be like Argent - behave like the other girl would. Follow Argent's way - a spiral way, outside the edges of reality. And just as Argent gets help from the mysterious Lukos, could another outsider - living on the fringes of society - help Ellie in her hunt for her brother?

Glint

Sylvia Waugh

The Mennyms have always lived in danger, ever since their maker, Kate Henshaw, instilled in them an indomitable life force, a life force that has carried them through many perils. But now with shocking suddeness, that life force has abandoned them all except for Soobie - the sole survivor. As the blue Mennym he's always been a bit special, and it's amazing he's come this far when others have perished . . . but are Soobie's problems just beginning?

Mennyms Alive

Mary Pope Osborne

A tale of high waves and high adventure for Jack and Annie when the tree house lands in the sea off the coast of Ireland. Things get dangerous when Viking ships approach!

Magic Tree House 15: Voyage of the Vikings

Jack and Annie are on very thin ice! 
 
Morgan Le Fay, the magical librarian, sends the children and the treehouse to the Arctic and tells them she'll send somebody to meet them there. But they're surrounded by ice and snow and there are huskies and polar bears all around them too - will they freeze to death first?

Magic Tree House 12: Icy Escape!

Diana Hendry

There's a mysterious, magical new lodger at gloomy 131 Ballantyre Road: Harvey Angell, whose bright beaming, thousand-watt smile can somehow cheer the most miserable people - even cross, penny-pinching Aunt Agatha! From the moment Harvey walks through the front door, Henry knows there's something very strange and special about his new friend. But where does he disappear to late at night? And why does he have an unusual clock, that tells the time in centuries and years, rather than hours and minutes? Henry's determined to find out Harvey Angell's marvellous secret . . .

Harvey Angell

Philip Caveney

Sebastian Darke has the world on his narrow shoulders. The son of a human father and an elvish mother, he is deperately trying to become the family breadwinner and has taken on his late father's job - celebrated jester, Prince of Fools. 
 
Trouble is, Sebastian can't tell a joke to save his life. Dressed in his father's clothes and accompanied by his talking (and endlessly complaining) buffalope, Max, he sets off for the fabled city of Keladon, where he hopes to be appointed court jester to King Septimus. On the way he encounters a tiny but powerful warrior called Cornelius; the beautfiul Princess Kerin; blood-thirsty Brigands and enough perils to make him wonder why he ever decided to leave home. 
 
A hilarious and swashbuckling adventure!

Sebastian Darke: Prince of Fools

Joan Aiken

1832 - a period of English History that never happened. Good King James III is on the throne and the country is ravaged by wolves which have migrated through the newly-opened Channel Tunnel. When Sylvia and Bonnie (both orphans) fall into the hands of evil Miss Slighcarp, they must use all their wits to escape unscathed - for the governess is more cruel and merciless than the wolves that surround the great house of Willoughby Chase.

The Wolves Of Willoughby Chase

William Corlett

William, Mary and Alice Constant have come to spend Christmas with their uncle as their parents are working abroad. Little by little, they discover that things in this remote old house are not quite what they seem. There are powerful forces at work, calling to the children from across the centuries; forces that pull them up the hidden steps in the chimney to the secret room where the magician lives.

The Steps up the Chimney

The Mennyms are faced with a crisis when plans to build a motorway straight through their home are announced. They've successfully survived living on Brocklehurst Road for forty years, carefully keeping the secret of their rag doll identity under wraps. But news of the motorway forces them to confront a cruel ultimatum: they can be destroyed with the house, or they can move out into the countryside. Either way the consequences will be devastating . . .

Mennyms In The Wilderness

Anthony Browne

Ian McEwan

Peter Fortune is a daydreamer. He's a quiet ten year old who can't help himself from dropping out of reality and into the amazing world of his vivid imagination. His daydreams are fantastic and fascinating - only in the bizarre and disturbing world of dreams can he swap bodies with the family cat and his baby cousin, Kenneth, or wipe out his entire family with vanishing cream.

The Daydreamer

Pilbeam, the Mennyms' eternal teenager, is in a rebellious mood. Staying inside all the time is driving her crazy and she's fed up with leading the sheltered life vital for the survival of the Mennyms. One fateful night, Pilbeam throws caution to the wind and goes out to the theatre - and in doing so threatens her own safety and the very existence of her whole, rag doll family. . .

Mennyms Under Siege

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