#43: Jonathan Stroud, The Whispering Skull (Lockwood & Co. #2)

[kareila]

This sequel is just as much fun as the first story. Seven months have passed, and Lucy has settled into her role as a ghost whisperer for Lockwood & Co. A new case that seems straightforward at first - excavate a forgotten grave and neutralize the remains - turns into another major drama as the corpse was holding a ghoulish artifact that is almost immediately stolen, and Lockwood & Co. are forced to team up with their rivals at the Fittes Agency for the recovery effort. Moreover, the haunted skull that their teammate George stole from Fittes years ago seems to be connected to the case - but will it help Lucy, or lead her astray? (Answer: a bit of both.) By turns creepy horror and swashbuckling adventure, I continue to look forward to further installments in this series.