Count Karlstein

By: Philip Pullman

Narrated by: Mark Gatiss

Can you hear the distant howling of hounds and the thunder of ghostly hooves? It's All Souls' Eve and Zamiel the Demon Huntsman has come to claim his prey! He's headed straight for Castle Karlstein, where the evil count has hatched an evil plan; he'll sacrifice his two young nieces to save himself. Can Lucy and Charlotte outwit their uncle and his oily henchmen to escape their dreadful fate? From the award-winning author of The Golden Compass and The Subtle Knife comes a spooky, funny thriller just right for those middle-grade readers looking for horror--and humor.

Artwork illustrations © Peter Bailey, 2018
Cover and text design @ Puffin
Published by arrangement with Random House Children’s Publishers UK, a division of The Random House Group Limited.

Critic reviews

"Using multiple narrators and expertly concocted cliffhangers, Pullman crafts a thrilling page-turner. This gothic farce
features young orphans, evil schemers, a gloomy Swiss castle, a long-lost heir, stalwart lads, capable women, a con man on the lam,
hilariously bumbling police officers, and Zamiel: the Prince of the Mountains, the Demon Huntsman. . . . It's whirlwind plotting, manipulated into a pulsing tale of darkened hearts, treachery, and at long last, redemption."--Kirkus Reviews

"In this deliciously gothic thriller there are enough demon huntsmen, evil guardians, and brooding castles to please even the most desensitized reader."--School Library Journal, Starred

"A welcome diversion . . . [that is] dashing, sparkling, and wildly over the top."--Publishers Weekly, Starred

Highly Enjoyable

Likeable characters meet a dark and hilarious tale. Perfect for Fall leading up to All Soul's Eve. Pullman is a masterful story teller, as usual.