Product Description

When Ludlow Fitch's parents cruelly betray him, he steals away on the back of a carriage and leaves behind the stinking City. He arrives in the dead of night at a remote village, where he crosses paths with the tall and limping figure of Joe Zabbidou - a pawnbroker with a difference. For Joe trades secrets, not goods, for cash.

Ludlow is employed to record the villagers' fiendish confessions in The Black Book of Secrets. Bodysnatching; thievery; murder. The people of Pagus Parvus have much to hide. But is Ludlow Fitch ready to release his own skeletons? And will he ever learn to trust his mysterious master?

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #28437 in Books
• Published on: 2007-09-07
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 336 pages

About the Author

F. E. Higgins has been fascinated by the macabre ever since seeing a ghostly apparition as a child. Nowadays F. E. travels the lands that these books describe, collecting strange artefacts and the even stranger secrets and stories behind them. The Black Book of Secrets, The Bone Magician, The Eyeball Collector and The Lunatic's Curse document the results of these eerie explorations and have sold all over the world. When not in pursuit of a story, F.E. may be found in a haunted house in Kent. She sits with quill in hand, a false leg beside her and from the mantelpiece an eyeball watches the words she forms on the page.

Customer Reviews

Review of The Black Book Of Secrets by F. E. Higgins
The Black book of Secrets is an excellent book. It really makes you ponder about what you are reading and is suitable for very imaginative minds. The plot is very well thought out and quick- wittedly, everything falls in to place at the end. Ludlow Fitch is the main character and hasn't had a very calm and easy life, quite the opposite! His life is full of stress and after many years of harsh treatment he decides to leave the stinky city and lead a fuller life. He arrives at the village of Pagus Parvus and meets Joe Zabbidoe, a mysterious pawnbroker, he realises every thing in this small village in the mountains is not what it seems. Many of the viilagers have unbearable secrets to sell...

Many of the characters in this book have interesting personalities but some are very different. On one hand, Joe Zabbidoe, who takes Ludlow in, is quite relaxed at all times and his past is a mysterious subject. He never gives away his emotions by keeping his face blank. On the other hand Jeremiah Ratchett, the landlord of the village who cheats the villagers out of money, is always very uptight and jump, also his actions are sharp. Ludlow is a very samll and skinny boy who hasn't had much education although he is very street samrt from his past pick pocketing experience. Zabbidou and Fitch become quite a duo but Ludlow's frustration with Joe grows as it seems he isn't told the whole story.

F.E. Higgins is a very talented writer and her style is very easy to read. She is very good at persuading you to like some characters and dislike others.

I wolud say this book is a mixture of genres. It has a mixture of adventure/ magical/ horror and this makes it a very unique read and extremely enjoyable!

I would recommend it to readers who are adventurous and imaginative. Also it will suit you if you can relate to characters and sympathise with them.

OVERALL A MUST READ BOOK!!!

EXCELLENT!
When I ordered the black book of secrets I didn't realise it was part of the Macmillan Children's Books collection, when I opened the first page and saw the Macmillan stamp I have to admit I was completely gutted, I presumed that this book was a grown up story but what I had in front of me was going to be no more than a childish attempt of scaring little children, but I was so wrong.

The book took hold of me from the first page and I felt I was walking with Ludlow through the dark cold & snowy village of Pagus Parvus. The descriptions where so clearly written that I was able to see the village and the creepy village inhabitants, like the grave digger and the repulsive Jeremiah Ratchett. The book is written so effortlessly that each chapter just flows incredibly well. I found that the book reminded me of those dark Benson animations- I would love to see an animated version of the book, it would be absolutely brilliant! Fingers crossed the next instalment will be out soon, I would love to know what happened next with Ludlow! A surprisingly brilliant book which got me hooked by the claws, give this a go you definitely won't be let down!

moralistic storyline
gripping from the first page. Ludlow learns how luck and destiny are interwoven and how he must take responsibility for his own actions.
Couldn't put it down. read it in one day. Enjoyed the ending. Makes you think about the moral decisions you make throughout your life.
Very entertaining easy read.