Books published by publisher Doomspell Books

In a blaze of light, rush of wind and scrabble of claws, Rachel and Eric are ripped through the wall and hurtled on to another world. Like thousands of other children before them, they have been snatched away by the Witch. But this time the Witch has met her match. Rachel discovers that she has extraordinary gifts: she can transform herself into a feather, or fly on an owl’s back, just as the Witch can. The Witch is excited she has found someone to use for her own evil purposes. But for the Witch’s victims, Rachel is their only hope.Reviews'High fantasy, richly imagined and refreshingly well-written — an excellent novel.' The Sunday Times 'Brilliant, breathless and filled with action from page one.' Kids Out'Gripping, racy, children have been fighting to borrow it.' The Guardian'An incredible world in which the reader will become totally absorbed.' The Bookseller'A vivid world of magical possibilities.' The Times 'A thrilling and magical read - there is a real build up of suspense with plenty of twists and turns. It is full of brilliant descriptions of events, characters and places.' Library and Information Service for Schools 'Places him firmly among much more well-known names such as Philip Pullman and C.S.Lewis - Ithrea is a truly complete world, and the characters are beautifully conceived to obtain an emotional response from the reader.' BookMonster

Rachel and her brother are extraordinary. She is a spell-maker. He is a destroyer of spells. The High Witch, Heebra, wants Rachel and Eric crushed, and her enemies, the Wizard's, destroyed. A party of witches is dispatched to find the thousands of children with powers like Rachel's, and turn them into a ferocious army. Can Rachel and Eric stop the witches and win the battle between good and evil? The second instalment of the classic Doomspell Trilogy. ReviewsThe Scent of Magic continues The Doomspell story, but if anything the characterisations are deeper, the plot even more intriguing, and it is all carried off with a verve, pace and sheer passion for pure storytelling that make his novels so compulsive. Amazon McNish tells a rattling good tale, and his well-plotted narrative races through some excellent twists and turns to a spectacular climax. The Daily Telegraph The language used is rich and evocative, full of visual and sensory imagery it captures the readers interest and imagination from the beginning and holds it with ease to the end. School Librarian This is a children’s book full of inventive touches great ideas, evocative descriptions, and page-turning pace. Vector

Jack is used to danger. His asthma has nearly killed him more than once. But his new home has a danger he’s never known before - the spirits of the dead.They can’t breathe, but in Jack’s house they chase, hide, scream.Only Jack can see them. Only he can hear them. And only he can learn their secrets in time to save himself... and his mother...Winner of the Salford Book Award, the Calderdale Book Award and the Virginia Readers' Choice Award. In May 2013 Breathe was voted by the Schools Network of British Libraries as one of the top 100 adult and children's novels of all time.

Six children leave the comfort of their homes. They are drawn to Coldharbour - an eerie wasteland of wind, rats, seagulls and rubbish tips. Emily and Freda, the twins, scuttle bright eyed and insect-like in search of the others. They find Thomas on a food tip. The gentle giant boy Walter joins them and so does Helen, who can read minds. And at the centre of it all is luminous Milo, his skin hot and bright with silver. Each of them has a unique gift, but they must learn to use their skills fast. Drawing ever closer in a maelstrom of fury is the Roar, something vast and dreadful that wants to destroy them all. As in The Doomspell trilogy, Cliff's characters really are 'the children next door' until they discover the powers they possess and he sweeps them and the reader into his worlds of magical fantasy, writing exciting, breathtaking adventures with richly imagined, vividly drawn characters, and an infectious energy, warmth and humour. The Silver Child is book 1 in a heart-stopping sequence.Reviews'Spectacular and satisfying - I was left feeling exhilarated and hungry for more.' Philip Ardagh, The Guardian'Irresistible ... This remarkable and original new fantasy series should appeal to a wide audience.' Reading Time'An amazing book, a completely original plot with some of the most intriguing characters I’ve ever come across.' Amazon 'Intriguing and original ... the characters grab your attention, and the strange entity that threatens them is full of malevolence, promising shocking adventures in the future instalments.' Library Services for Education 'Startling ... the beginning of a great adventure.' Dreamwatch

When Elliott and his brother, Ben, move into old and crumbling Glebe House they don't expect to find themselves sharing it with ghosts.But soon sinister events are unfolding. An old diary reveals glimpses of the mansion's past — and of a terrible tragedy. A mysterious woman talks to the dead. And evil lurks in the East Wing — a hideous labyrinth of passageways devised by a truly twisted mind.Can Elliott and his family escape the clutches of Glebe House? Or will they be trapped in the maze of corridors, forever hunted by the dead?Winner of the Calderdale AwardReviews'Beautifully written and truly chilling ghost story set in a creepy mansion and featuring lost children, fearsome hunters and echoing nursery rhymes ... I liked the creepiness and the tension, which ratchets up and up until its almost unbearable.' The Bookbag 'McNish is one of our most talented thriller writers, with an ability to make your spine crawl and your heart pound with his stylish pared down prose.' Amanda Craig, The Times 'The Hunting Ground follows all the directions laid down by writers like Edgar Allan Poe and Ambrose Bierce, but McNish makes them all his own. This is a beautifully written and truly disturbing ghost story. Enjoy and shiver.' South China Morning Post'A masterly sense of revelation make this a seriously chilling read.' Jake Hope, The Bookseller'A gripping and inventive ghost story for older readers in which the tension builds through apprehension, to dread and finally outright terror. This book will have readers looking over their shoulders for a long time after the last page is finished.' Booktrust

In the final part of this atmospheric fantasy Cliff McNish brings the magical SILVER SEQUENCE to a thrilling conclusion.The Roar is getting closer and closer to the earth, ready to attack, her hungry newborn in the waiting. Alongside the silver child Milo, who is hovering protectively over them, Helen, Thomas, Walter, the twins and litte Jenny lead the children of Coldharbour in the battle against the Roar. Meanwhile, Carnac threatens from below, but the Unearthers, with drills for hands, stand ready for him. And the Protector under the oceans is on the children's side, bringing its wisdom and strength to bear on the battle.Reviews'An outstanding fantasy novel for a wide readership ... McNish's imagination is extraordinary; the atmosphere is, by turn, both exciting and chilling; colourful and compelling. An irresistible fantasy with a tremendous climax.' Carousel 'Extraordinarily inventive ... The characters are so rich and heart-warming, the suspense so gripping and intense that I couldn't put the book down. I fervently recommend this fantastic conclusion to a brilliant trilogy.' Teen Titles 'Tense action sequences blossom into a joyous, fulfilling conclusion, but it is the imagery - lyrical, mysterious, haunting - that will linger.' The Horn Book Guide

The final part of the Doomspell Trilogy.The magic of all children has been released. Throughout the skies of Earth they swoop, crossing continents, changing shape, diving to the ocean depths and playing the deadly new spell-games. Rachel bides her time, watching the skies for what she knows will happen - the invasion of the Witches. But when it comes it is not in the way anyone expects, and there is also a new enemy — the huge, terrifying Gridda-breed. To confront them will require all of Rachel's and her brother Eric's skill and courage, as they embark on a journey that takes them to Ool, home of the Witches — a world where mountains move and breathe, the sun never pierces the clouds and the snows are alive. Reviews'The writing is atmospheric and the plot gripping, as the children battle against awesome forces.' Good Book Guide 'A fast-paced, gripping read.' Times Educational Supplement 'After the first two novels in the series, we have a finale that grips like a vice, and is full of the pace and all the imaginative and descriptive flair we have come to expect from this remarkable author.' Amazon 'The characters are believable; it is beautifully written, with page after page of powerful imagery; it is utterly compulsive and inventive reading for young teens.' Birmingham Post

Milo, transformed into a luminous silver child, keeps watch over the teeming city of Coldharbour, now filled with children from all over the world. We meet Tanni and Parminder, who lead the frightening Unearthers, children who are virtually human drills. But who is controlling them? Why are they draining Thomas of his beauty? Where is the Roar? And what is the significance of the mud dolls that Jenny makes? In an intense and page-turning story, the destinies of these magical children now unfold as they battle to stop the Roar from engulfing the planet.Reviews'The characters grab your attention and the strange entitiy that threatens them is full of malevolence... children everywhere will be waiting for more!' Leicester Library Services for Education 'McNish's suspenseful, fast-paced novel immerses readers in an inventive world featuring distinctly drawn characters and a graceful blending of realism and occasionally spooky fantasy.' Booklist'Haunting imagery, vivid depictions of the limits of humanity, and a startling, innovative plot all make this a memorable contribution to the canon of speculative fantasy.' The Horn Book Guide

Two girls are inextricably linked by destiny. Stephanie is friendless, strange, a misfit. Freya can't stop seeing angels. But when one of those angels begins to stalk her, its shadow following her everywhere, Freya is forced to make decisions from which there is no turning back. Reviews 'What a book. I simply couldn't put it down ... at moments, it reaches the sublime. I loved it.' Jill Murphy, The Bookbag 'Outstanding prose is married to a suspenseful plot and a quiet humour.' Amanda Craig, The Times 'Stands out for its original subject and plot ...each book takes McNish into new territory, and this one is both assured and thought-provoking.' Nikki Gamble, The Bookseller 'Tense, quirky and highly individual, this story has plenty going for it.' Nicholas Tucker, TES 'A deft construction — McNish vividly portrays two worlds in the light of each other, creating a thin space between them that makes for a moving and thought provoking tale.' Huw Thomas, BOOKS FOR KEEPS 'A fascinating read.' Carousel 'This neat combination of teen angst and behavioural ethics is — complex and charged.' The Daily Telegraph 'What a book. I simply couldn't put it down ... a highly charged look at personal spirituality... the writing is effortless and elegant and as it slips between character perspectives, Angel never loses an air of authenticity. And at moments, it reaches the sublime. I loved it.' Jill Murphy, The Bookbag 'This unusual fantasy is made plausible by a very strong depiction of the underpinning pattern of teenage anxieties and everyday angst.' Lesley Agnew, The Bookseller 'Haunting and thought provoking.' Cy Mag 'A fantastic read.' Jo Griffiths, Waterstones 'If you love stories about friendship, this one's a must!' Bliss

A fairy tale picture book, from the award-winning author of 'Breathe: A Ghost Story' and the international bestselling 'Doomspell Trilogy'.Each winter, when the last snows fell, the great wolf came to the centre of the forest, and wept.A wolf and a squirrel share a story neither will ever forget.Review by Jendrakemorgan at Books In My House‘It is a moving tale and the language is beautiful. It reminds me of Eastern European folk tales – and has a touch of the Oscar Wilde about it ... My daughter in particular was captivated throughout and was hugely animated during the telling'

Set in a dogs' home, GOING HOME is a beautiful and heart warming story for younger fans of the incredible journey from Award Winning author Cliff McNish.At the Happy Paws Rescue Centre, every pet dreams of one thing: going home. But Ralph, Mitch, Bessie and Fred are the no-hopers: dogs so difficult or troublesome they aren't expected to ever go home. Ralph's face is scarred. Bessie can't stand to be touched. Mitch can't stop chasing cats and Fred... has just given up. Who'd want to adopt any of them instead of a cute little puppy? But when Happy Paws reviews its policy of never putting an unwanted pet down, time starts running out for the dogs. Can they prove that they're worth a second chance? Will there be hope for the no-hopers after all?Going Home is a fresh "buddy movie" told with smart repartee about a bunch of no-hopers in a dogs home who still deserve a chance (Nicolette Jones Sunday Times)Dog books can easily be formulaic and twee, but Going Home is a fresh 'buddy movie' told with smart repartee. (Nicolette Jones Sunday Times.)Makes you laugh and some of it makes you cry ... I think it's an amazing story. (The Guardian Online)Any young kid who loves dogs will adore this tale and immediately want to visit the nearest rescue centre. (Sam Hawksmoor Hack Writers)By turns funny and touching, this story is a must for all dog lovers. (BookTrust)The depiction of the dedicated staff and animals, whose story he humaises to a brilliant degree, is nothing short of masterly. A lovely story, lovingly told and realised. (Books Monthly)Heart-warming ... a perfect read for animal lovers. (Dogs Trust)McNish weaves a magical tale of hope, disappointment, love, loyalty and friendship - all in a wonderful read that'll keep you captivated from start to finish. (Dogs Monthly)This book is a must for animal lovers. An amusing and heart warming take on the stories behind unwanted pets. (Brenda Heathcote THE SCHOOL LIBRARIAN JOURNAL)