Dead Good Detectives: Ghost Rescue

by Jenny McLachlan, Chloe Dominique (Illustrator)

Overview

The pulse-pounding sequel to Dead Good Detectives, from the UK’s bestselling author of the Land of Roar series. A hauntingly fun read!

Sid Jones successfully freed a pirate ghost named Bones from spending eternity trapped in a graveyard prison and, along with her best friend, Zen, helped Bones complete his unfinished business on Earth. But there are plenty more ghosts who are trapped in the in-between like Bones was. While they try to help the others, Sid, Zen, and Bones will have to avoid being caught by Old Scratch, the creepy specter who guards the prisoners.

When their ghost friends start disappearing bit by bit, the pressure is on to free them all before they disappear completely and become wraiths, never to be at peace. But Sid soon finds out that Old Scratch isn’t the only terrifying ghoul guarding the prisoners. With a mysterious figure tracking her every move, Sid will have to find the power within herself to save her friends—before she gets turned into a ghost, too.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780063329874
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	07/22/2025
Series:	Dead Good Detectives , #2
Sold by:	HARPERCOLLINS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	384
File size:	22 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Jenny McLachlan is the author of several acclaimed novels for children and teens. Before she became a writer, she was an English teacher. When she isn’t thinking about or writing stories, she enjoys living by the seaside, cycling, and running over the South Downs. Visit her at jennymclachlan.com.

Chloe Dominique is an illustrator and concept artist living in Norwich. When she’s not drawing, Chloe enjoys reading, walks along the coastline with her Dog of Mischief, Loki, and finding peculiar treasures in mysterious, old antique shops. chloedominique.com

Editorial Reviews

"The ghostly content tends more toward whimsy than horror, with stylized black-and-white illustrations reinforcing the levity; this factor, combined with the straightforward plotting, will make this work accessible for younger or more sensitive readers. With charm and enthusiasm, McLachlan successfully juggles the central mystery of the bad guy with the storylines of each spirit who needs help to pass over. A buoyant sequel for readers who prefer their ghosts more bighearted than scary." — Kirkus Reviews

Praise for Dead Good Detectives: "McLachlan infuses both the supernatural adventure and Sid’s emotional evolution with a charming earnestness. A series opener—big on heart and short on horror—that offers fun ghostly escapades." — Kirkus Reviews

"This upbeat piece by McLachlan (the Land of Roar series), the first in a series, boasts ghost pirates, puzzles, and buried treasure galore. It’s a lively nautical adventure and a celebration of owning one’s weirdness, standing up to peer pressure, and sticking by friends when the going gets tough." — Publishers Weekly

"Delightfully illustrated. [A] rollicking adventure." — Booklist

Praise for The Land of Roar: "McLachlan does an excellent job of establishing the sibling tension before introducing the fantasy elements, and Rose’s desire to grow up and fit in feels as familiar and accessible as Arthur’s yearning to remain a child. This narrative’s sheer inventiveness marks it as distinct. The text and Mantle’s illustrations go wild with creativity. A sweet adventure and a paean to imagination and childhood innocence." — Kirkus Reviews

"Mantle's whimsical black-and-white illustrations enhance this playful, Peter Pan–like tale of sibling rivalry and affection. A series starter with heart." — Booklist

From the Publisher

2025-04-19
English best friends Sid and Zen and their phantom pirate companion, Bones, return for a second outing of helping ghosts resolve their unfinished business and pass over.

This time, a nefarious figure is harvesting luminous dust from the spirits, leaving only days to solve the ghosts’ earthbound mysteries before they become soulless wraiths. To complicate matters further, Sid and Zen have a quirky new Welsh classmate named Mo, who might be a perfect friend for the two oddballs—if they can keep her from realizing they see (and talk to) ghosts. As before, the ghostly content tends more toward whimsy than horror, with stylized black-and-white illustrations reinforcing the levity; this factor, combined with the straightforward plotting, will make this work accessible for younger or more sensitive readers. With charm and enthusiasm, McLachlan successfully juggles the central mystery of the bad guy with the storylines of each spirit who needs help to pass over, including Olive Buckmore, a World War II land girl who’s worried about her now-ancient fiancé, and Mei Huang, an aviator who yearns to prove that her attempt to circumnavigate the globe didn’t end in failure; both offer an appealing swagger that Sid increasingly adopts. The illustrations depict Sid as a white girl with large glasses and Zen as a Black boy with short twists.

A buoyant sequel for readers who prefer their ghosts more bighearted than scary.(Paranormal. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews