A chilling, ghostly, yet ultimately magical and hopeful tale for older children. Set in Regency London in an orphanage and woollen mill near to the Thames, girls are disappearing one by one. With mysterious and thoroughly enchanted assistance, Lydia battles to protect her sister Sophie and the other girls against an evil foe. Stuart Fryd enters the dark, and tells a beautifully simple yet rather scary tale. There is magic to be discovered, it feels old and wise, yet almost scampers across the pages, bringing flashes of light to the story. On occasion a cushion may be needed to hide behind, yet this captivating tale calls to be completed, to experience the kiss of Christmas, friendship and love, to ride the magic. I found Lost and Drowned to be an eerie, exciting and spellbinding tale, it may occasionally frighten, it also has the capacity to absolutely delight. ~ Liz Robinson
Girls are going missing. Every winter, when the snow falls thick on London's cobbled streets and the Thames freezes over, girls disappear from their beds. Lydia must battle to survive and keep her reckless sister, Sophie, from harm. A difficult task when they are forced to live under the cruel control of Mr Scrivit at Rottenhall Orphanage and work all day in his wool mill.
But a force far worse than Mr Scrivit is threatening the girls. Something supernatural and terrible is hunting the orphans; snatching the girls in their sleep and leading them to the frozen river. Lydia must rely on strange new allies and magical items to defy the dangers of the capital before facing off against a nightmarish adversary.
Stuart Fryd is a dad to two lively boys and husband to a beautiful wife. He writes fiction for children and young adults and is a deputy headteacher in a London school. He loves reading fantasy, sci-fi, steam-punk and horror. His hair never does what he wants it to do and he hates having his photo taken!
His favourite children's authors are Phillip Pullman, Neil Gaiman and Anthony Browne.
