HMH Books for Young Readers and Edelweiss gave me the opportunity to read this ebook for review (thank you). It will was published September 3rd, so check with your local bookstore for a copy.
I'm so very glad I didn't read this book when I was young. I had a very bad fear of the dark (due to a night thief that killed our chickens) and imagining a bogle in the attic would have done me in. As it is, reading this story still gave me a chill. Bogles hide in dark place like chimneys or wells or sewer pipes and eat children. Young tasty morsels, you know.
When children begin to go missing, Alfred is called in. He's the bogle catcher and he has a little assistant named Birdie. She has a beautiful voice and can draw the monsters out of their lair. Alfred kills them. But neither of them can hesitate or make a mistake or the bogle will get Birdie. This is a scary job, but it's much safer than some jobs in Old London. At least, that's what Birdie tells herself. And Alfred has raised her and she doesn't want to leave him.
All is going well in their lives until they meet up with a "toff" lady that wants to observe their work and write a paper on it. She gets a bit more involved in their life than they would wish, but it's good they have her when they meet a doctor that thinks bogles are demons and he can control them.
This story shows how ugly things were back in Old London time, how little money some folks had, and how important love is. It's a busy story with lots of thrills and chills, and it kept me glued to it until the finish. I'm sure young readers will enjoy it and it's suitable for adults, too.
Watch out for bogles.
Happy reading.
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