Ghost Prison

Once I felt someone touch the back of my neck. It felt like the tip of an ice-cold finger. But when I turned to look there was nobody there.Night falls, the moon rises, and fifteen-year-old Billy starts his first night as a prison guard. But this is no ordinary prison. There are haunted cells that can't be used, whispers and cries in the night...and the dreaded Witch Well. Billy is warned to stay away from the prisoner down in the Witch Well. But what prison could be so frightening? Billy is about to find out...Praise of Joseph Delaney:"Delaney's mastery of suspense will grip even reluctant readers with his dramatic, beautifully paced proses."―The Times (London)"The Last Apprentice series continues to be one of the best written of the last several years."―Booklist

From School Library Journal

Gr 4–7—Billy Calder seizes a job opportunity as a castle prison guard, hoping to earn his way to independence from the Home for Unfortunate Boys. After minimal training, the 15-year-old orphan is summoned to work nights under an imposing supervisor named Adam Colne. He tells Billy that a feisty castle ghost, "Long-Neck Netty," had her eyes on him during training and had insisted on his hire. The boy learns that many ghosts haunt the castle, especially at Execution Square, and is advised to be cautious when alone, and to keep close track of his keys. When Colne falls ill, Billy is charged with feeding raw, bloody meat to a dangerous prisoner in the Witch Well. During the frightful task, he leaves the key in the door and someone-or something-seals his fate by locking him in the Well. This suspenseful Dickensian tale boasts black-and-white illustrations on nearly every page, evoking nightmarish scenes of a dark and drafty castle and its grotesque, ghostly inhabitants. Younger, or less fluent, readers may be steered to this abbreviated, and more accessible ghost story before tackling Delaney's wildly popular "Last Apprentice" series. Given its brevity, this book could be used as a spooky read-aloud.—Vicki Reutter, State University of New York at Cortland

From Booklist

This vivid, illustrated chapter book opens as young Billy awakens and realizes that he’s late for his first night’s work. He rushes from the Home for Unfortunate Boys to the haunted castle, a menacing edifice now serving as a prison. His first night shift is frightening, but worse times are coming. After his supervisor’s death, a terrified Billy takes over the care of an unnamed prisoner, shrouded in mystery. Will one careless mistake leave the lad prey to a notorious ghost and her monstrous son? Best known for the Last Apprentice series, Delaney takes a plucky, Dickensian orphan and places him in a story as deliciously horrifying as those of Edgar Allan Poe. His skillful writing creates an atmosphere of disquiet and a growing sense of dread that makes the story’s climax a necessary release, though the worst horrors are left to the reader’s imagination. The many black-and-white illustrations enhance the story’s tone and its period setting. In appended notes, both Delaney and Fischer reminisce about their own encounters with ghosts. A frightful pleasure for horror fans. Grades 4-7. --Carolyn Phelan

Booklist

"A story as deliciously horrifying as those of Edgar Allan Poe.... A frightful pleasure"

Kirkus Reviews

"Delaney, author of the Last Apprentice series, packs a lot of scare into this slim volume, and Fischer’s black-and-white illustrations delightfully increase the fear factor."

Book Riot

"A Dickensian/Victorian orphan tale-meets R.L. Stine spooky ghost story"

USA Today

"Delaney, author of the Last Apprentice fantasy series, which is being adapted as the movie Seventh Son, starring Julianne Moore and Jeff Bridges, delivers a chilling novella"

Buffalo News

"Delaney’s tale may be short, but it’s very scary and would make a great read-aloud"

TIME for Kids

"A haunting read"

Night Owl Reviews

"If you love teen ghost stories and enjoy books that offer illustrations that enhance a storyline ... lok no further."

2 Read or Not 2 Read

"A classic tale to read while sitting around the camp fire. ... A great spooky story for kids that like a good scare."

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