Keith Gray

After a depressing and dispiriting funeral they feel taking Ross to Ross will be a fitting memorial for a 15 year-old boy who changed all their lives through his friendship.

The Chain er målrettet elever i 8.-10. klasse. Felix tore the wrapping off a brand new deck of cards while he looked at Joe’s book with a critical look. “What’s that you got there?” he asked. “Found it on the bus,” Joe said. “Thought it was lucky. Hoped it might bring me some more luck.” “Hope it didn’t use up all your luck,” the fourth student said. Joe looked over at him. He wore tinted glasses and looked like a rugby player as he sat crouched forward over the small table. The fat guy stopped eating for a few seconds to flip through the pages of the book. He was pretending he was interested, but Joe knew he was really making sure there were no aces hidden inside. Not yet, Joe thought.

In 1699 William Milmullen took his six pupils to the lakeside but only he returned after a creature rose up from the water and devoured the six boys right before his eyes. The whole town was shocked and terrified by the tragedy. Many were now too frightened to go out on the lake to fish, and the town's economy was under threat. William Milmullen recovered from the shock of what he'd seen. He named the creature 'The Mourn', and declared himself 'Mourner'. He took upon himself the responsibility to appease the creature by feeding livestock into the lake and vowed his family would forever be responsible for the safety of the town, and that every Milmullen son would take the mantle of Mourner at the age of 16. This novel is set in the present day, and nobody believes in monsters anymore. These days the town is somewhat embarrassed about its monster stories and to many the Milmullen family is a bit of a joke. The family, however, have held onto their duty, believing that if they forsake the creature it will rise from the lake again. Tim Milmullen turns 16 in a week's time. On his birthday he will become the 13th Mourner. But Tim doesn't know if he wants the role. For one thing all the kids at school tease him, calling his father crazy, saying Old William back in 1699 killed the schoolboys himself and made up the story. And Tim's biggest problem is that he doesn't know if he believes in the legend or not. How can he dedicate his whole life to something he has never seen?

A brilliant first novel about friendship, courage, loss and finding self-worth which combines the qualities of a thriller with unrivalled understanding of what it is like to be fourteen. Praise for 'Creepers': "With this engaging and original novel, Keith Gray has made a most impressive debut. I for one will watch his career with interest." Robert Swindells. "A powerful and original young writer. By the time I'd finished the book, I wanted to go on a Creep myself." Gillian Cross.

Jason has had enough of his parents' arguments. He's running away to stay with his brother in Liverpool. On the train journey he meets a 'runner' called Jam, who lives on the monster Intercity trains and stations. His carefree and adventurous life sounds so exciting that Jason begins to think he might join Jam. Then Jason discovers Jam's secret.

Derwent Drive was known as the Speed Creep. A continual chain of Dashes into Blind. We'd all heard the story about the Creeper who dropped Blind into a garden, only to discover he was standing in a dog pound. It was also the longest creep; twenty-five houses all in a row, no bends, no kinks. And no Creeper had ever done the lot. But Jamie and I reckoned we could do it. Jamie was the best Creeper around. He was the best Buddie you could have. And he was mine. Ever heard about 'creeping' before? Probably not. Nobody really talks about it. That doesn't mean it doesn't happen. It does. Creeping over back fences all the way down a street without getting caught; without being hurt. It happens more than you might think. It's probably happening somewhere tonight.

A powerful and shocking cautionary tale about the dangers of playing with guns.

In this story for children from the age of 12, John Malarkey is the new kid at school and thrown in at the deep end of Year 11. He's in the wrong place at the wrong time and is accused of stealing report cards to sell to students. He quickly realizes that he has been set up and discovers strange goings-on beneath the surface of the school.