the secret of the blood-red key by david Farr

The Secret of the Blood-Red Key
By David Farr
Usborne
UK 2023

Rachel and Robert Klein have bravely defeated a dreadful dictator that reigned misery on the country of Krasnia, the people have been freed and children can once again play and enjoy their childhood. So, now what? Life is good for Rachel and Robert Klein, but it’s not great. Although they are celebrated for being heroes, their dad still suffers from immense grief at losing their mother. For in order to cast the terrible Charles Malstain into the Hinterland, Rachel needed to destroy The Book of Stolen Dreams and close all access to this afterlife.

This becomes a problem when Rachel discovers that a young girl, Elsa, has been tricked by some elderly aristocrats to enter the Hinterland. Without The Book of Stolen Dreams, there will be no way for Elsa to leave the Hinterland, and besides, why do these elderly people want an innocent, healthy child to enter the afterlife anyway? Rachel is given a Blood-Red Key which will grant her access to the Hinterland for twenty-four hours. She must find Elsa, understand what evil lies behind this nasty scheme, and rescue her before the gate closes on Rachel and Elsa for ever.

Through a series of quirky adventures and fabulous world building, David Farr creates an action-packed mystery that will keep a reader up all night wondering how the story will end. The Secret of the Blood-Red Key is the sequel to Farr’s debut novel The Book of Stolen Dreams. The backstory of Book 1 is so expertly summarised in Book 2 that it could be read as a stand-alone story with equal enjoyment.

The Secret of the Blood-Red Key is a junior fantasy novel. Themes of death, grief and acceptance are gently explored. This is a book perfectly suited to a Year 5 or 6 student, but can also be enjoyed by brave younger readers and older readers alike. There is also a delightful interactive website that fans can explore: https://davidfarrbooks.com/#bookshop .