The Island at the Edge of Night - by Lucy Strange Hardcover

Book Synopsis

From award winning author Lucy Strange, The Island at the Edge of Night is a dark, suspenseful mystery set on an island where science and magic blur and danger and secrets unfold.

Faye Fitzgerald does not remember what she's done to land herself at the Auk Island School. She remembers so little about the night that changed her life. Growing up surrounded by nature with her botonist father in the Forest House, she can't cope with the bleak and treeless island where the school sits in seclusion.

Where she and the other children are treated more like prisoners than pupils.

While her fellow students begin to defy the horrible headmaster within the walls of the school, something is begging for Faye's attention on the outside. "The Knife," the only mountain on the island, is calling for her. And it will draw her into a web of secrets that she could have never thought possible.

In this gripping mystery that weaves in and around the line between science and magic, a murdered prince, a majestic stag, and a key that will open any door lead Faye on a dangerous journey across the desolate landscape to uncover what happened and the truth about her father's scientific discoveries.

The Island at the Edge of Night is a masterfully written, gripping mystery rooted in family and the healing power of nature​​ from the Queen of Gothic.

Review Quotes

Praise for Sisters of the Lost Marsh

Sunday Times best childrens books of 2021

Winner of the 2024 Odyssey Honor Award

* "So engrossing a tale and world that readers won't want to come up for air... Willa's innate goodness and iron will carry her through adventures and physical trials, pitting her against superstitions and fairy tales alike." -- Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

* "Via taut pacing, complex plotting and memorable heroines, Strange (The Ghost of Midnight Lake) renders a standout work of historical fantasy, weaving nuanced familial and social dynamics against an atmospheric marshland setting." -- Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

"Strange has crafted a novel that is ideal for fans of Alcott's Little Women, and those who like stories of capable and tenacious girls overcoming adversity."-- School Library Journal

"This spooky and beautifully written story makes perfect reading as the nights draw in." - The Week Junior, Book of the Week

Praise for The Ghost of Midnight Lake

* "A pitch-perfect page-turner. Strange's writing makes for a compelling read full of vivid descriptions and characters that are well-imagined and richly drawn. Agatha is a strong and capable female lead, vulnerable enough to be believable and brave enough to remake her life. The story hits the right note thanks to expert plotting and pacing, with each twist and turn setting up what's to come." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"In her third novel, Strange is at her assured, brilliant best." -- The Guardian

"A spooky, addictive tale of friendship and family." -- The Times (Children's Book of the Week)

Praise for The Secret of Nightingale Wood:

Shelf Awareness best Children's Book of the Year

Kirkus Best Book of the Year

Amazon Best Book of the Year

A Telegraph Top 50 Book of the Year

A Waterstones Book of the Month Pick

2018 Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Books of the Year

* "In an imaginative, compelling first-person narration, Henry wraps her story in fairy tales, exposing her guilt, grief, isolation, and fear as she unravels the stunning secrets of Nightingale Wood." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* "A brave heroine propels this strong and richly layered novel, a memorable portrait of grief, resilience, and rebirth." -- Publisher's Weekly, starred review

*In her debut novel, Strange tells a lovely, extraordinarily enchanting coming-of-age tale." - Shelf Awareness, starred review

"From the first page, I was entirely smitten and compelled to read on until I finished this mysterious and poignant story." -- Pam Munoz Ryan, author of Newbery Honor Book Echo and Esperanza Rising

Praise for Our Castle By the Sea:

* "A plot summary can only hint at the satisfaction of reading this tightly interwoven story with its haunting setting and memorable characters." --Booklist (starred review)

* "Strange seamlessly blends a local legend of four girls turned into ancient standing stones on the lighthouse's clifftop into a larger story...A standout historical novel with a memorable protagonist, strongly sketched setting, and a compelling, twisty plot." -- Publisher's Weekly (starred review)

* "Lucy Strange's second middle-grade work features elegant prose and an enchanting protagonist. Pet is earnest and unwavering, and the "small, mousy, and unimportant" girl at the beginning of the story is quite different from the strong young woman who emerges by the end... This haunting, historical novel is sure to touch young readers' hearts." -- Shelf Awareness (starred review)

"The slow dismantling of Petra's faith in her loved ones adds a delicious instability to the growing unease of this WWII thriller. -- Kirkus Reviews

About the Author