The Empty Grave (Lockwood & Co., #5)

by Jonathan Stroud

“Lots of news this morning,” Lockwood said, indicating the paper. I opened an eye. “Good?” “No.” “Bad?” “Baddish and bad. Two things, and neither particularly great for us.” “Let’s have the baddish one first,” George said. “I prefer my misery to come at me in stages, so I can acclimatize on the way.”

So my heart sang, and my heart despaired, which was pretty much the usual combination for me whenever Lockwood was around.