About Joseph Delaney: 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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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 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

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 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

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 Spook's Curse is the second book in Joseph Delaney's terrifying Wardstone Chronicles – over 3 million copies sold worldwide! 
‘By now the dark has noticed you and will be trying to hunt you down . . .’ 
It's the job of the Spook and his apprentice, Thomas Ward, to protect the County from the dark. But deep in the catacombs beneath Priestown lurks a creature the Spook has never been able to defeat – the Bane. As they prepare to battle it, yet another deadly enemy emerges to threaten Tom and his master.

The Spook's Curse

Book 2

This is a fabulous collection of stories based on many of the witches from Joseph Delaney's Spooks books. 
Ever wondered why the Spook doesn't trust girls who wear pointy shoes? 
Or why Grimalkin became the Assassin for the Malkin Witch clan? 
Find out all this and more in this dark and eerie collection. 
 
You don't have to know the Spook's books to enjoy the stories. They're all standalone and absolutely haunting. A perfect introduction to the world of The Spook's Apprentice. But for any fans of the series out there, this collection will be a must-have.

The Spook's Stories: Witches

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 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 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 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 Apprentice is the first book in Joseph Delaney's terrifying Wardstone Chronicles – over 3 million copies sold worldwide! 
‘Someone has to stand against the dark. And you're the only one who can’ 
For years, the local Spook has been keeping the County safe from evil. Now his time is coming to an end, but who will take over? Many apprentices have tried. Some floundered, some fled, some failed to stay alive. Just one boy is left. Thomas Ward. He is the last hope. But does he stand a chance against Mother Malkin, the most dangerous witch in the County?

The Spook's Apprentice

Book 1

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 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 fear nobody. But my enemies fear me . . . Without ruthlessness and savagery I would not survive even a week of the life I lead. I am the witch assassin of the Malkin clan.' 
 
Meet Grimalkin, the fearsome witch assassin, and find out how she came to take the role she now holds. 
 
This exclusive digital short story set in the world of Joseph Delaney's best-selling series The Wardstone Chronicles first appeared in the spine-tingling collection The Spook's Stories: Witches. Now available separately for the first time, and including a preview of the first chapter of I Am Grimalkin, this is perfect for existing fans and newcomers alike. The only question is, are you brave enough . . .

The Spook's Stories: Grimalkin's Tale

This haunting stand-alone story is a must have for SPOOK'S fans and a perfect introduction to Joseph Delaney's terrifying series which has sold 3 million copies sold worldwide! 
 
The Spook is away on a dangerous job, and left behind, his seventh apprentice, Will, is compelled to help a boy whose father has been kidnapped by a ruthless and bloodthirsty witch who has the body of a woman and the face of a pig. But Will has never encountered a real witch in the flesh before. And dark-fighting skills are not yet advanced enough to fight an enemy of such power . . . 
 
This story will chill your blood and frighten you to your very bones. Just remember not to read after dark. 
 
From the series that inspired the forthcoming movie Seventh Son, starring Jeff Bridges, Ben Barnes and Julianne Moore.

Spook's: Seventh Apprentice

Wulf must face his greatest enemy yet - and this time, he's all alone . . . 
 
Wulf is at war - a war against the Dark. As Pan's soldier and champion, it's his responsibility to fight for what is right. An early winter has come to the County, threatening its people with starvation - but there is an even more dangerous foe to face. A demon is trying to become the next ruler of the Dark. He has many names but one of them is Loki, the Trickster God. Loki has many, terrible powers - but his most deadly weapon is the one that controls all Wulf's own power . . . 
 
Featuring fan-favourite characters Grimalkin, Thorne, Jenny and even Slither, Wulf's War is sure to delight - and fright!

Brother Wulf: Wulf's War

Crafty halted, his heart lurching with fear, his mouth dry. There were bare footprints in the white snow, and each one was smeared with red, as if the owner of those clawed feet had stepped in a puddle of blood . . . 
 
Crafty and his friends have already faced dozens of horrifying aberrations during their time as Castle Gate Grubs - assistants to the mysterious guild of Gatemancers, who fight against the terrifying Shole. But the real battle is only just beginning. New and even more dangerous aberrations are appearing all the time, and worse yet, it seems someone from within the Castle is helping them attack. And when an old enemy returns to give Crafty a disturbing warning, it seems time might be running out for all of them . . .

The Witch's Warning

When young novice monk Brother Beowulf is sent to spy on Spook Johnson, he has no idea of the trouble he's about to find himself in. Johnson boasts to Wulf of his battles against demonic creatures, and even seems to imprison local witches, though Wulf is sceptical. The church has taught him that Spooks are a force for evil, and not to be trusted. But then the monsters Johnson claims to fight turn out to be very real indeed, and soon Wulf is forced to seek help from another young Spook, Tom Ward, who terrifies and charms him in equal measure. 
 
But the forces of the dark are many, and it's not long until Wulf and Tom realise they've bitten off far more than they can chew. A horrifying new enemy is rising - and only Wulf can stop it.

Brother Wulf

‘It’s a dangerous job, but someone has to do it.’ 
 
For years, the local Spook kept the county safe from evil. But now his time has ended, and there is only one boy who can take over – Thomas Ward, barely more than a child himself. Now he too must take on an apprentice, a girl called Jenny who is untested but willing to be trained in the dangerous life of a Spook. 
 
When girls start dying in mysterious circumstances, they soon find themselves on the path of a terrifying and deadly beast. Monstrous assassins are loose in the County, and far to the north, a new darkness is rising that threatens to engulf the whole world. Do Tom and Jenny stand a chance against the might of the Kobalos? 
 
The first terrifying tale in the Starblade Chronicles, from the bestselling author of The Spook’s Apprentice

Spook's: A New Darkness

"My name is John Gregory. What follows is my Bestiary - my personal account of the denizens of the dark I've encountered, together with the lessons I have learned and the mistakes I have made. I have held nothing back, and my hope is that the spook who follows me will continue to keep this record of the practical ways in which we deal with the dark." 
 
A companion title to the phenomenally successful Spook's series. Discover how to bind a boggart and deal with a dead witch in this fascinating and lavishly illustrated Spook's own "notebook". A must for die-hard fans of the series and an irresistible introduction to the dark and the dangerous for new recruits.

Spook's Bestiary

They heard shouting, and cries of fear. Crafty looked down the slope and realised what had happened to cause so much panic. Without warning, the dark wall of the Shole had advanced. 
 
Crafty can't remember a time before the Shole - the terrifying mist that has engulfed most of Britain, leaving those trapped in it to either die or be transformed into horrifying monsters: the aberrations. Crafty has been stuck in his family's cellar for nearly a year, his only companions his restless, whispering dead brothers, and an unusually friendly aberration he names the Bog Queen. 
 
But then Crafty's life abruptly changes. He is ordered to report to the Castle, where he will train as a gate grub - operators of magical portals that allow the mysterious guild of Gatemancers to explore within the Shole. It is a dangerous job, with a very short life expectancy... 
 
To survive, Crafty will have to use every inch of his cunning - whatever the cost.

The Beast Awakens

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

We are entering a new age of darkness. Hell has grown in power and neither priest nor Spook can do anything about it. So go home now while you can . . . 
 
Years have passed since Wulf and Tilda vanished from the County. Alice and Tom have given up hope of ever seeing them again - until a terrible enemy from the past forces them to take drastic action, and reach out through time in a bid for help. 
 
Now Wulf faces the greatest and most powerful demon who has ever walked the Dark: the Fiend. He will have to use all his powers - and gather some new ones - to have even a chance of survival . . .

Brother Wulf: The Last Spook

Wulf has left behind life in the monastery and is now the Apprentice to Spook Johnson, assisting him in protecting the County from denizens of the dark - which mainly involves Wulf acting as bait. 
 
But Wulf is captured by Hrothgar, a giant with abilities to conjure subservient creatures - or tulpas - from his imagination. And he strongly suspects that Wulf has these abilities too . . . 
 
Wulf begrudgingly begins training with his new master, but meanwhile, something dangerous is afoot in the County. Wulf's old friends, Tom and Alice, have been imprisoned by an all-powerful witch and her brain sucking minions. And together with Tilda, Tom and Alice's daughter, he needs to rescue them from Circe's enchanted lair before it's too late...

Brother Wulf: Wulf's Bane

‘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

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

'Someone has to stand against the dark. And you're the only one who can.' 
 
For years, the local Spook has been keeping the County safe from evil. Now his time is coming to an end, but who will take over? 
 
Many apprentices have tried . . . Some floundered, some fled, some failed to stay alive. Just one boy is left. Thomas Ward. He is the last hope. 
 
But does he stand a chance against Mother Malkin, the most dangerous witch in the County?

Seventh Son

The Spook's Apprentice Film Tie-in

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