Description

The first book in a chilling new trilogy from the author of the internationally bestselling Last Apprentice series! Tom Ward is an apprentice no longer—he is a full-fledged spook battling boggarts, witches, and other creatures of the dark. A New Darkness is the first in a three-book arc that introduces brand-new readers to Joseph Delaney's haunting world.

Tom Ward is the Spook, the one person who can defend the county from bloodthirsty creatures of the dark. But he's only seventeen, and his apprenticeship was cut short when his master died in battle. No one trusts Tom's skill, not until he's proven himself. And a fifteen-year-old girl named Jenny knows more about the three mysterious deaths in the county than Tom does. She is a seventh daughter of a seventh daughter, and she wants to be Tom's first apprentice—even though a female spook is unheard of. Together, Tom and Jenny will uncover the grave danger heading straight toward the county, and they'll team up with a witch assassin to confront it.

A New Darkness begins a three-book arc that will introduce new readers to Joseph Delaney's deliciously scary imagination, and electrify his longtime fans. A New Darkness is perfect for every reader who loves thrills, chills, action, and adventure—no prior knowledge of The Last Apprentice series is necessary!

The Last Apprentice series, the first internationally bestselling series about Tom Ward, is now a major motion picture, Seventh Son, starring Jeff Bridges, Ben Barnes, Alicia Vikander, Kit Harington, Olivia Williams, Antje Traue, Djimon Hounsou, and Julianne Moore as Mother Malkin.


A new Spook, an apprentice who breaks all the rules, and a darkness that threatens to swallow the County whole—


  • A Coming of Age Fantasy: Tom Ward is no longer an apprentice, but at seventeen, he’s a Spook with everything to prove and no one to trust.
  • An Unlikely Apprentice: Jenny, a mysterious seventh daughter of a seventh daughter, is determined to become the first-ever female Spook—even if Tom doesn’t want her.
  • Witches and Monsters: From vengeful boggarts to a powerful witch assassin, the creatures of the dark are more dangerous than ever.
  • A New Standalone Trilogy: Perfect for longtime fans and new readers alike, this adventure requires no prior knowledge of The Last Apprentice series to enjoy the thrills.

About the author(s)

Joseph DELANEY is the author of the internationally best-selling The Last Apprentice series, which is now a major motion picture, Seventh Son. He is a former English teacher who lives in the heart of boggart territory in Lancashire, England. His village has a boggart called the Hall Knocker, which was laid to rest under the step of a house near the church.

Reviews

“Delaney’s narrative . . . starts slow, but horrific scenes of grotesque monsters and the threat of danger gradually seep through and heighten the tension all the way up to the cliff-hanger ending. Fans of the Last Apprentice series will be happy to see Tom at work again.” - Booklist

“This first novel of an anticipated trilogy builds from the narrative arc of the extensive Last Apprentice series . . . Terrifying . . . and mesmerizing . . . readers will absolutely be swept quickly into this world.” - Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“The first book in a new trilogy featuring a main character from the popular series The Last Apprentice. Fans of the series will enjoy this look at Tom’s work as a Spook, but readers fresh to his story will find it equally engaging…Ends on an eerie cliff-hanger” - Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)

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