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The Ministry of Ghosts
When they ring the bell at the house with the dusty windows and tarnished nameplate to inquire about the advertised “Saturday Person,” Thruppence and Tim don’t know what they’re getting themselves into. A Saturday job sounds ideal! But had that nameplate been properly cleaned, Thruppence and Tim might not have been so keen to enter . . .
Pressured by the stern Minister Beeston from the Department of Economies, the Ministry of Ghosts has been given three months to prove the existence or nonexistence of ghosts, or else it will be shut down! As it seems that children are particularly magnetic to ghosts and supernatural beings, Thruppence and Tim are hired to join the ministry’s ghost-catching team. And although neither of them is scared by talk of ghosts or monsters, they are unprepared for what they’re about discover!
Filled with fun, humor, and twists and turns, this is the perfect book for anyone who loved Harry Potter and who is looking for something similar to Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book—just not quite as scary.
Pressured by the stern Minister Beeston from the Department of Economies, the Ministry of Ghosts has been given three months to prove the existence or nonexistence of ghosts, or else it will be shut down! As it seems that children are particularly magnetic to ghosts and supernatural beings, Thruppence and Tim are hired to join the ministry’s ghost-catching team. And although neither of them is scared by talk of ghosts or monsters, they are unprepared for what they’re about discover!
Filled with fun, humor, and twists and turns, this is the perfect book for anyone who loved Harry Potter and who is looking for something similar to Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book—just not quite as scary.
172 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 2, 2014
7 people are currently reading
467 people want to read
About the author
Alex Shearer
83 books90 followersAlex Shearer started his writing career as a scriptwriter and has had great success in that field. His credits include The Two of Us, the 1990s sitcom starring Nicholas Lyndhurst. More recently he has started writing for children. His Wilmot stories have been adapted for TV by Yorkshire television, and his children's novel, The Greatest Store in the World, was screened as a feature length TV film on Christmas Eve 1999 by the BBC. Alex's recent novel 'The Speed of the Dark' was shortlisted for the 2002 Guardian Fiction Prize
Alex Shearer lives with his family in Somerset. He has written more than a dozen books for both adults and children, as well as many successful television series, films, and stage and radio plays. He has had over thirty different jobs, and has never given up trying to play the guitar.
Alex Shearer lives with his family in Somerset. He has written more than a dozen books for both adults and children, as well as many successful television series, films, and stage and radio plays. He has had over thirty different jobs, and has never given up trying to play the guitar.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
April 6, 2025
I liked the book, as it was a unique and different concept. The first few chapters were written in a mysterious way which was really engaging. The characters had interesting personalities, and the conversations between them were humorous. I actually guessed the twist after reading half of the book, but still, the book was enjoyable.
Thanks for reading
Thanks for reading
January 21, 2017
Please read review in its entirety at
http://www.compassbookratings.com/rev...
Ghostly pursuits have never been more welcome in Alex Shearer's novel, The Ministry of Ghosts.
Told in third person, the author cleverly introduces readers to the world of the paranormal, or maybe, the lack thereof?
“As for ghosts – the ghosts that the Ministry had been set up to find – where were they? Were they all merely illusions of the minds of the credulous and the gullible? Were they little more than stories to be told around campfires, with the small flames burning and the woodsmoke rising, and that darkness behind your, and the fear growing, and your spine tingling as the storyteller wove his fantastic cloth of impossible, improbable, yet dazzlingly colorful yarns?”
Though there is more than one protagonist, it's not so much for the reader to get confused by it. For the author pleasantly confers every character with such imaginative appearance and mannerisms, that each one can easily be identified. Even the antagonist, the beastly Mr. Beeston sports spooky theatrics.
“Mr. Beeston was a man who came with thunder and who left with lightning and who announced himself with force and drama. He wanted it to be understood from the start that here was someone to be reckoned with.”
Comedic flair and amusing phrasing make this a novel that must be read aloud to truly enjoy. The play of words on tongue are too much fun for it to be silently pursued. Sometimes, it even reads like poetry, more comparable to Shel Silverstein than Edgar Allan Poe when it comes to mysterious adventure. And like any good mystery should, there is a twist that is sure to rattle, but what is really to be believed when it comes to matters of the supernatural?
“Bury it all. Yes. Maybe that was right. Just move on to other matters; forget what had happened. Let all the weird and wonderful and inexplicable things in the world simply take care of themselves.”
Perhaps a novel best suited for children who aren't quite ready for the length of a Harry Potter novel, but still want a taste of what a talented British writer has brewed up.
http://www.compassbookratings.com/rev...
Ghostly pursuits have never been more welcome in Alex Shearer's novel, The Ministry of Ghosts.
Told in third person, the author cleverly introduces readers to the world of the paranormal, or maybe, the lack thereof?
“As for ghosts – the ghosts that the Ministry had been set up to find – where were they? Were they all merely illusions of the minds of the credulous and the gullible? Were they little more than stories to be told around campfires, with the small flames burning and the woodsmoke rising, and that darkness behind your, and the fear growing, and your spine tingling as the storyteller wove his fantastic cloth of impossible, improbable, yet dazzlingly colorful yarns?”
Though there is more than one protagonist, it's not so much for the reader to get confused by it. For the author pleasantly confers every character with such imaginative appearance and mannerisms, that each one can easily be identified. Even the antagonist, the beastly Mr. Beeston sports spooky theatrics.
“Mr. Beeston was a man who came with thunder and who left with lightning and who announced himself with force and drama. He wanted it to be understood from the start that here was someone to be reckoned with.”
Comedic flair and amusing phrasing make this a novel that must be read aloud to truly enjoy. The play of words on tongue are too much fun for it to be silently pursued. Sometimes, it even reads like poetry, more comparable to Shel Silverstein than Edgar Allan Poe when it comes to mysterious adventure. And like any good mystery should, there is a twist that is sure to rattle, but what is really to be believed when it comes to matters of the supernatural?
“Bury it all. Yes. Maybe that was right. Just move on to other matters; forget what had happened. Let all the weird and wonderful and inexplicable things in the world simply take care of themselves.”
Perhaps a novel best suited for children who aren't quite ready for the length of a Harry Potter novel, but still want a taste of what a talented British writer has brewed up.
April 19, 2016
I loved this book from the very first page. The poor employees from the Ministry of Ghosts - unless they can produce a ghost in the next three months, the Ministry will be shut down. It's enough to make Copperstone lose some of his forty winks. But thanks to the addition of two part time employees, two local children who've hired on as ghost hunters, the Ministry may yet be saved. Wickedly witty and wry, with just the right plot twists, this is a delightful book!
August 5, 2016
Thank you for choosing me as a winner in the goodreads giveaway. As I first started reading this book, I was confused as to what I was reading. Once I understood what it was I was reading, I couldn't put it down. The book was actually very funny. I loved Tim and Thruppence. Mr. Beeston got on my last nerve. I was so glad that he got his due at the end. Rev. Mangle was scary. Overall the story flowed very well and kept me engaged to the end.
May 31, 2017
An Odd, But Oddly Likeable, Book
I wasn't at all sure about this book when I started it. The Ministry of Ghosts has been threatened with closure by a government bean counter unless it can prove the existence of ghosts and a need for the Ministry to continue in existence. Understandably, this has thrown the four employees of the Ministry into a tizzy. That, my friends, is what occupies the first quarter of this book.
Now, this first quarter has some very funny, sly, deadpan lines, but they read more a like flippant adult drawing room comedy of manners or a political satire than like anything approaching a middle grade ghost/adventure tale. The sketches of the Ministry employees, the bean counter, and workings of a pointless government agency are edgy and insightful. There is word play, colorful and descriptive writing, and real style, but all of it is restrained, understated and seemingly aimed at older readers who might appreciate colorful eccentrics and satire.
But get this. Once we get past that quarter mark the plot kicks in as the Ministry decides to hire a "weekend boy" to help them, on the theory that children seem to like ghosts and tend to attract ghosts. Thereafter, Thruppence, a girl who loudly and stubbornly demands that the Ministry hire a weekend "person" and Tim Legge, (whose family has abandoned crafting wooden legs in favor of banisters, bats, and other long round wooden things), both show up and are awarded the job in partnership. The balance of the book covers their adventures as they search for a ghost.
And this part is ridiculously funny. The two kids are like a well polished double-act, and they play off each other nicely. The humor is still sort of under-stated and deadpan, but it's clever, dry and rather droll. I like deadpan humor, and I think younger readers get dry and understated bits and don't need a regular diet of farts and toilets and the like. That said, it will take a young reader made of pretty stern stuff to soldier on through the first part of the book.
The upshot is that this book offers many rewards, not the least of which are the two very bright, funny, and likeable kid heroes and the sly humor. But a reader has to slog through a lot of underbrush before finding the trail.
(Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
I wasn't at all sure about this book when I started it. The Ministry of Ghosts has been threatened with closure by a government bean counter unless it can prove the existence of ghosts and a need for the Ministry to continue in existence. Understandably, this has thrown the four employees of the Ministry into a tizzy. That, my friends, is what occupies the first quarter of this book.
Now, this first quarter has some very funny, sly, deadpan lines, but they read more a like flippant adult drawing room comedy of manners or a political satire than like anything approaching a middle grade ghost/adventure tale. The sketches of the Ministry employees, the bean counter, and workings of a pointless government agency are edgy and insightful. There is word play, colorful and descriptive writing, and real style, but all of it is restrained, understated and seemingly aimed at older readers who might appreciate colorful eccentrics and satire.
But get this. Once we get past that quarter mark the plot kicks in as the Ministry decides to hire a "weekend boy" to help them, on the theory that children seem to like ghosts and tend to attract ghosts. Thereafter, Thruppence, a girl who loudly and stubbornly demands that the Ministry hire a weekend "person" and Tim Legge, (whose family has abandoned crafting wooden legs in favor of banisters, bats, and other long round wooden things), both show up and are awarded the job in partnership. The balance of the book covers their adventures as they search for a ghost.
And this part is ridiculously funny. The two kids are like a well polished double-act, and they play off each other nicely. The humor is still sort of under-stated and deadpan, but it's clever, dry and rather droll. I like deadpan humor, and I think younger readers get dry and understated bits and don't need a regular diet of farts and toilets and the like. That said, it will take a young reader made of pretty stern stuff to soldier on through the first part of the book.
The upshot is that this book offers many rewards, not the least of which are the two very bright, funny, and likeable kid heroes and the sly humor. But a reader has to slog through a lot of underbrush before finding the trail.
(Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
December 29, 2019
This was a cute story, and I really thought I was going to love it after the first couple of chapters, but it took a really long time to go anywhere. Also, I realize that it’s meant for kids, but I definitely figured out the twist very early on. It was the silly dialogue that really did it for me though... the jokes were funny the first time, but the repetition got annoying pretty quickly. Thruppence smells like fresh strawberries, I get it.
I actually did enjoy the story, and the cover glows in the dark, so there’s that!
I actually did enjoy the story, and the cover glows in the dark, so there’s that!
October 13, 2020
A short and charming book for middle grades.
Even though I saw the twist early on, it was a pleasant read.
I had fun imagining what the Ministry of Ghosts looks like.
I think it would make a cute movie. (but god, not the Disney channel)
Even though I saw the twist early on, it was a pleasant read.
I had fun imagining what the Ministry of Ghosts looks like.
I think it would make a cute movie. (but god, not the Disney channel)
October 25, 2016
I received a copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway.
I was actually kind of disappointed in this book, but that was probably my fault.
The cover and the title and even the description, to a degree, remind me of an Eva Ibbotson book, and lord knows I love a good Eva Ibbotson story. And the book is written by a guy who used to do grown-up sitcom writing, which reminded me a little of Measle and the Wrathmonk. And then this book just didn't really add up. Not necessarily the book's fault. We can't all be classics like "The Secret of Platform 13" or "Which Witch." Or even "Island of the Aunts."
1) The book is really, really, really slow. The quote on the back cover says it has "two strong characters" (two--there are six main characters and two or three more supporting characters but only two are strong). We do not meet these main characters, Thruppence and Tim, until around a hundred pages into this, a 247 page book. They do not do anything remotely related to ghost-hunting--the thing the book is supposed to be about--until 150-some pages in.
2) We start with the four adult characters instead of the two children. Trust me, there's a reason YA books usually star kids around the same age level as the intended readers. Adult things are just boring. That's another reason I drew the early parallel to Eva Ibbotson--her fantasy books almost always starred adults. But her adults acted like children. They had tantrums and practiced magic and frolicked with selkies and had impractical crushes on the world's greatest wizards. Here, the four characters we start with barely have personalities.
Mr. Copperton. He is old and likes to nap.
Miss Rolly. She is a strawman feminist. Or strawoman.
Mrs. Scant. She is a secretary. She is always talking about making tea. She never seems to make tea.
Mr. Gibbings. I think he's supposed to be earnest. I'm not really sure because he doesn't really do anything.
We get 100 pages of them and a man from the Ministry of Economics, discussing bureaucracy and such, before the children show up. Granted, I am not a child, but I suspect children wouldn't be terribly interested in listening to the bureaucrat talking about cutting the fat for the first eight chapters.
3) Technically this falls under the umbrella of 1), but there's a lot of bantering. Don't get me wrong. I liked Cyrano de Bergerac. I wrote plays in college. I like me some good banter. But the trouble is most of the banter here doesn't serve any purpose. It's there, maybe to make a joke, maybe to pad out the book because it's already on the short side with the plot going no where. There's the old standby of the "bad guy" forgetting Mr. Copperton's name and using increasingly silly substitutes, starting with "Copperbum" and ending on the outraaaageous "Bubblewrap." This is utterly pointless because in every other instance the bad guy knows Coppertons name, and neither does he butcher any one else's name ever again. There's a lot of characters repeating each other for emphasis, and there's a fair bit of characters saying the same thing for comedic effect. There's a running gag where the ministry employees ask the children to leave their names and the children say what if they need their names later. Hardy-har. Most of this takes place after the children are introduced, which further justifies my theory that it's only there to pad out the second half of the book.
4) More padding! What was the point of the vicar character? The book was good at keeping the cast of characters low--you have your four employees at the Ministry of Ghosts, the two children, the bad guy, the bad guy's secretary, and then there's the vicar. He does less than nothing. He spooks the children early in their ghost hunting and the book spends half a chapter going on about, ooh, the thing they saw will come back to haunt them, oooh, and then almost immediately the children find out that the thing they saw was the vicar and any suspense is punted out the back window. He is said to have had a mysterious past as a bank robber. It plays no part into anything. And finally he shows up briefly in the epilogue, just so he can disappear "away down the street. Vanished. Like a ghost." And nobody cared.
5) The twist ending. I don't even have to spoil it for you because you can spoil it for yourself. It's THE twist ending. The one we've done and done to death and parodied and parodied to death for the last twenty years. Even on the off-chance you don't see it coming, you'll still roll your eyes. It's not really built up to in any meaningful way. It doesn't really change anything. It just kind of appears and then everything is abruptly resolved and the book ends. Friedrich had a better twist ending, and the twist in that book literally happened on the very last page.
oh, and before I forget, 6). Compulsory heteronormativity for the two children. They grow up, get hitched, and have children that they name after the employees in the Ministry of Ghosts. Yes, it's a Deathly Hallows, "Jeremiah Jarvis Arnold Peregrine, you are named after the dullest men I ever knew," "why the hell did Harry and Ginny end up together they have nothing in common" style ending for our two pre-adolescent protagonists. Sorry, book. You use feminism as a big joke, I'm gonna call you out for a boring ending.
I was actually kind of disappointed in this book, but that was probably my fault.
The cover and the title and even the description, to a degree, remind me of an Eva Ibbotson book, and lord knows I love a good Eva Ibbotson story. And the book is written by a guy who used to do grown-up sitcom writing, which reminded me a little of Measle and the Wrathmonk. And then this book just didn't really add up. Not necessarily the book's fault. We can't all be classics like "The Secret of Platform 13" or "Which Witch." Or even "Island of the Aunts."
1) The book is really, really, really slow. The quote on the back cover says it has "two strong characters" (two--there are six main characters and two or three more supporting characters but only two are strong). We do not meet these main characters, Thruppence and Tim, until around a hundred pages into this, a 247 page book. They do not do anything remotely related to ghost-hunting--the thing the book is supposed to be about--until 150-some pages in.
2) We start with the four adult characters instead of the two children. Trust me, there's a reason YA books usually star kids around the same age level as the intended readers. Adult things are just boring. That's another reason I drew the early parallel to Eva Ibbotson--her fantasy books almost always starred adults. But her adults acted like children. They had tantrums and practiced magic and frolicked with selkies and had impractical crushes on the world's greatest wizards. Here, the four characters we start with barely have personalities.
Mr. Copperton. He is old and likes to nap.
Miss Rolly. She is a strawman feminist. Or strawoman.
Mrs. Scant. She is a secretary. She is always talking about making tea. She never seems to make tea.
Mr. Gibbings. I think he's supposed to be earnest. I'm not really sure because he doesn't really do anything.
We get 100 pages of them and a man from the Ministry of Economics, discussing bureaucracy and such, before the children show up. Granted, I am not a child, but I suspect children wouldn't be terribly interested in listening to the bureaucrat talking about cutting the fat for the first eight chapters.
3) Technically this falls under the umbrella of 1), but there's a lot of bantering. Don't get me wrong. I liked Cyrano de Bergerac. I wrote plays in college. I like me some good banter. But the trouble is most of the banter here doesn't serve any purpose. It's there, maybe to make a joke, maybe to pad out the book because it's already on the short side with the plot going no where. There's the old standby of the "bad guy" forgetting Mr. Copperton's name and using increasingly silly substitutes, starting with "Copperbum" and ending on the outraaaageous "Bubblewrap." This is utterly pointless because in every other instance the bad guy knows Coppertons name, and neither does he butcher any one else's name ever again. There's a lot of characters repeating each other for emphasis, and there's a fair bit of characters saying the same thing for comedic effect. There's a running gag where the ministry employees ask the children to leave their names and the children say what if they need their names later. Hardy-har. Most of this takes place after the children are introduced, which further justifies my theory that it's only there to pad out the second half of the book.
4) More padding! What was the point of the vicar character? The book was good at keeping the cast of characters low--you have your four employees at the Ministry of Ghosts, the two children, the bad guy, the bad guy's secretary, and then there's the vicar. He does less than nothing. He spooks the children early in their ghost hunting and the book spends half a chapter going on about, ooh, the thing they saw will come back to haunt them, oooh, and then almost immediately the children find out that the thing they saw was the vicar and any suspense is punted out the back window. He is said to have had a mysterious past as a bank robber. It plays no part into anything. And finally he shows up briefly in the epilogue, just so he can disappear "away down the street. Vanished. Like a ghost." And nobody cared.
5) The twist ending. I don't even have to spoil it for you because you can spoil it for yourself. It's THE twist ending. The one we've done and done to death and parodied and parodied to death for the last twenty years. Even on the off-chance you don't see it coming, you'll still roll your eyes. It's not really built up to in any meaningful way. It doesn't really change anything. It just kind of appears and then everything is abruptly resolved and the book ends. Friedrich had a better twist ending, and the twist in that book literally happened on the very last page.
oh, and before I forget, 6). Compulsory heteronormativity for the two children. They grow up, get hitched, and have children that they name after the employees in the Ministry of Ghosts. Yes, it's a Deathly Hallows, "Jeremiah Jarvis Arnold Peregrine, you are named after the dullest men I ever knew," "why the hell did Harry and Ginny end up together they have nothing in common" style ending for our two pre-adolescent protagonists. Sorry, book. You use feminism as a big joke, I'm gonna call you out for a boring ending.
July 9, 2017
I feel kind of bad giving this book two stars, but it just didn't quite earn three. I loved so much of the premise, but the "twist" was obvious from the beginning. The book is slow-moving and redundant. Multiple similes are used to make the same point. Yes, the writing is often clever and funny, but the narrative is bogged down with excessive jokes that aren't funny enough to justify slowing the action. I really wanted to like this book but I just didn't.
October 28, 2024
I’m really one the fence over this one. At the beginning I was drawn in and curious to see what happened. I enjoyed meeting the two children, and seeing their efforts to save the ministry. Sadly I guessed the ‘plot twist’ far too easily and early in the book. This took away from a lot of the ending.
January 15, 2018
Very nice story
The Ministry of Ghosts is a very nice fantasy about - what else? - ghosts. It reminds me of the fantasies of Eve Ibbotson. I think children will be drawn to the quirky characters. I also enjoyed the ending.
The Ministry of Ghosts is a very nice fantasy about - what else? - ghosts. It reminds me of the fantasies of Eve Ibbotson. I think children will be drawn to the quirky characters. I also enjoyed the ending.
March 14, 2018
Oh my! The cutest story ever!!
March 2, 2021
Loved this book.
It had me hooked and I couldn't wait to find out the twist.
I was brilliant.
It had me hooked and I couldn't wait to find out the twist.
I was brilliant.
September 1, 2022
Took me a lot of courage to start this. I didn't regret it when I finally picked up the book. Great twist!👻
June 30, 2016
There is just something so wonderful about totally unexpected and delightful bookish discoveries! Reading like something you might get if you crossed J.K. Rowling with Roald Dahl and Norton Juster, Alex Shearer's middle grade novel The Ministry of Ghosts is a deliciously fun, word-loving, playful and ultimately touching story.
As I starting diving in to The Ministry of Ghosts, I was immediately taken in by the Shearer's diction, whip-smart omnipresent narrative voice, and overall style. This is the kind of writing that takes its audience age seriously: i.e. Shearer assumes a standard of sophisticated writing that understands that middle grade readers (or whoever else reads this!) are a bright and quick bunch.
As promised in the book description, The Ministry of Ghosts is indeed being investigated by a rather pompous and barking man in the Department of Economies named (rather appropriately) Mr. Beeston. Outraged that the Ministry has been supposedly operating for around two hundred years without a ghost to show as evidence of their supposed 'work', he visits the dilapidated Ministry office and gives them an ultimatum: find a ghost or face shut-down! This is where the (brilliantly named) local school children Thruppence Coddley and Tim Legge come in. Looking for an opportunity to make extra money and have some dangerous fun, they are hired by the very elderly head of the Ministry of Ghosts to capture a ghost (or two or more) and prove Mr. Beeston wrong. In some surprising and some more telling turns of events, the very brave, strawberry-smelling Thruppence and the hesitant but loyal Tim work as hard as they can to help their newly made friends in the Ministry keep their jobs. What befalls Mr. Beeston as he is finally confronted with the truth about ghosts and the work of the Ministry of Ghosts is wonderful, and the last few pages provide solid satisfaction in following up with our great characters.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed The Ministry of Ghosts and would definitely recommend it to readers looking for a not-so-spooky, very clever ghost-centered read. Readers who enjoy the work of the authors I mentioned above, as well as the work of writers such as Trenton Lee Stewart, Ursula Verson, Sally Gardner, Neil Gaiman or Lauren Child, might especially adore this terrifically funny and unusual story. I hope that this gem of a story finds a loving audience out there!
I received a copy of this book courtesy of Sky Pony Press in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and comments are my own.
August 15, 2016
The Ministry of Ghosts is a long, forgotten building on bric-a- brac street in London. Nobody every goes there and work is always the same. That is until Mr. Beeston from the Department of Economies decides that the Ministry should be shut down for lack of ghostly evidence in the last 100 years.
The staff decide they need to hire weekend persons to help them prove the existence of ghosts, or they'll end up working at the Department of the Sewers. Thruppence and Tim apply to their advertisement in the window and begin ghost hunting. They have three months to find proof of spirits, or the Ministry will be shut down forever.
My Thoughts-
This is a very unconventional book. The main characters are not introduced until mid way through and the whole story is told by an omni-present narrator.
When I first started reading I was drawn into the story by the odd happenings at the Ministry of Ghosts. The four employees are all very detailed and have distinctive characteristics. The villain, Mr. Beeston, is also well-written, giving the reader a sense of immediate dislike for him and his bull headed ways. However, as I read on and on about their doings, I began to wonder where the story was going. I started to wonder if perhaps the Ministry itself was the protagonist. When Thruppence and Tim arrived I thought we were going to go places. Though the two of them are fun together, there is only one real adventure in a graveyard, and I wanted so much more.
Now, without giving the ending away, I was not satisfied. When they finally find their "evidence", I could only think, why wasn't there any more around? There should have been more "evidence" about, and why didn't they end up searching for more? Why not make the Ministry a fully running office?
So, I'm afraid I'm half and half with the story. It was fun, and I think most kids will be surprised at the ending, however I wanted more. On a side note, I learned from experience that the writing on the cover of the book glows in the dark! 3 stars!
The staff decide they need to hire weekend persons to help them prove the existence of ghosts, or they'll end up working at the Department of the Sewers. Thruppence and Tim apply to their advertisement in the window and begin ghost hunting. They have three months to find proof of spirits, or the Ministry will be shut down forever.
My Thoughts-
This is a very unconventional book. The main characters are not introduced until mid way through and the whole story is told by an omni-present narrator.
When I first started reading I was drawn into the story by the odd happenings at the Ministry of Ghosts. The four employees are all very detailed and have distinctive characteristics. The villain, Mr. Beeston, is also well-written, giving the reader a sense of immediate dislike for him and his bull headed ways. However, as I read on and on about their doings, I began to wonder where the story was going. I started to wonder if perhaps the Ministry itself was the protagonist. When Thruppence and Tim arrived I thought we were going to go places. Though the two of them are fun together, there is only one real adventure in a graveyard, and I wanted so much more.
Now, without giving the ending away, I was not satisfied. When they finally find their "evidence", I could only think, why wasn't there any more around? There should have been more "evidence" about, and why didn't they end up searching for more? Why not make the Ministry a fully running office?
So, I'm afraid I'm half and half with the story. It was fun, and I think most kids will be surprised at the ending, however I wanted more. On a side note, I learned from experience that the writing on the cover of the book glows in the dark! 3 stars!
Want to read
May 4, 2021Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.
May 4, 2016
I received this book though a Goodreads giveaway. I entered so I could pass it on to my nieces, but had to read it myself first (because that's what readers do).
This book was lots of fun to read, full of witty humor, wonderful characters and, of course, ghosts. My only real complaint about the book is that in certain places words are used that are beyond an 8-12 year old's vocabulary (and write possibly some adults).
I definitely would recommend this book.
This book was lots of fun to read, full of witty humor, wonderful characters and, of course, ghosts. My only real complaint about the book is that in certain places words are used that are beyond an 8-12 year old's vocabulary (and write possibly some adults).
I definitely would recommend this book.
Read
February 2, 2017The department is going to be eliminated if they can not produce a ghost. The place has been forgotten for so long that the people there are ghosts and do not realize it so Thruppence and Tim (children) help them understand.
Want to read
March 5, 2016* e-Arc provided by Edelweiss *
August 9, 2016
I got this book from a goodreads giveaway. This book would be a good book for middle school students. I figured out the ending by the first couple of pages.
March 26, 2016
A good book with lots of comedy and well written. I recommend it for people who want to laugh.
April 18, 2017
This is such a cute novel for kids! I would definitely recommend this book to children as well as adults because it is such a nice story and a very easy read.
It is a story about friendship, family, conquering your fears, confidence and and trying something new. Topics that every child as well as adults can learn from. The author added in a but of mystery and suspense as well by adding the spirit world in the mix. It is not so scary, but it does add a lot of different plot twists and turns due to the fact that it is such an unknown topic.
The author writes in a clear and understanding way that there is no doubt kids will surely understand and enjoy.
This book is definitely worth the read!
It is a story about friendship, family, conquering your fears, confidence and and trying something new. Topics that every child as well as adults can learn from. The author added in a but of mystery and suspense as well by adding the spirit world in the mix. It is not so scary, but it does add a lot of different plot twists and turns due to the fact that it is such an unknown topic.
The author writes in a clear and understanding way that there is no doubt kids will surely understand and enjoy.
This book is definitely worth the read!
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