Samuel Johnson is not in a happy place. He is dating the wrong girl, demons are occupying his spare room, and the town in which he lives appears to be cursed.
But there is some good news on the horizon. After years of neglect, the grand old building that once housed Wreckit & Sons is about to reopen as the greatest toyshop that Biddlecombe has ever seen, and Samuel and his faithful dachshund Boswell are to be guests of honour at the big event. A splendid time will be had by all, as long as they can ignore the sinister statue that keeps moving around the town, the Shadows that are slowly blocking out the stars, the murderous Christmas elves, and the fact that somewhere in Biddlecombe a rotten black heart is beating a rhythm of revenge.
A trap has been set. The Earth is doomed. The last hope for humanity lies with one young boy and the girl who's secretly in love with him. Oh, and a dog, two demons, four dwarfs and a very polite monster.
Read MoreFunny and a great read for teens - SunMixing in an ever growing list of truly polite demons, bodiless eyes, dwarves, elves, vampires (not in the suck your blood sense), and more make this and the entire series a treat for readers. - Suspense Magazine USAConnolly's storytelling skills never falter in this delightful follow-up to his two previous books in the series, where the footnotes are every bit as entertaining as the prose. Connolly has perfected delivering clever, funny, offbeat tales that are guaranteed to delight both older and younger readers. - Kirkus Reviews USAConnolly roars back with a hilariously macabre conclusion to his Samuel Johnson series. - Booklist (USA)Praise for THE GATES: Demonic and darkly comic - Daily TelegraphI thoroughly enjoyed the whole bizarre, mind-bending, thought-provoking ride - Books IrelandA delight for kids and adults alike. - The AgeDestined to be another runaway success appealing to both young adults and their parent alike. - Sunday Independent