The Ministry of Ghosts

Description

Thruppence and Tim don't know what they're getting themselves into when they ring the bell at the house with dusty windows and a tarnished name plate to enquire about the advertised 'Saturday Person'. What could be so difficult about an unspecified Saturday job? Well, had that name plate been properly cleaned, Thruppence and Tim might not have been so keen to enter...Pressured by the stern Minister Beeston from the Department of Economies, the Ministry of Ghosts has been given three months to prove the existence or non-existence of ghosts or else it will be shut down! As it seems that children are particularly magnetic to ghosts and supernatural beings, Thruppence and Tim are added to their ghost-catching team. And although neither of them are scared by talk of ghosts or monsters, they couldn't have imagined the truth behind what they will find...

Alex Shearer was born in Wick, in the far North of Scotland. He has written several TV series, stage plays, radio plays and comedy scripts. Moving into writing for children, his novels BOOTLEG and THE GREATEST STORE IN THE WORLD were adapted for television by the BBC, and his 2003 novel THE SPEED OF THE DARK was shortlisted for the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize. He has previously published THE CLOUD HUNTERS, SKY RUN and THE MINISTRY OF GHOSTS with Hot Key Books. Alex lives in Somerset and is married with two grown-up children.

Two strong characters, with a lot of humour, and a twist at the end - great fun to read -- Diana Barnes * School Library Association *