The Terror of Hilltop House (The Crooked Oak Mysteries): A ground–breaking experiment at a new research farm quickly grows out of control in this ... master of creepy sci-fi Dan Smith.: Book 4

This is another brilliant and creepy story in the Crooked Oak Mysteries series! Nancy is eating breakfast when she comes across an article in the local paper about a farmer reporting something strange happening to his sheep. She soon meets up with her friends Pete and Krish and together they decide to investigate what happened to the sheep. Whatever has occurred is related to a creepy old house lying at the top of a hill, but what the trio discover is more sinister than what they thought.I’ve loved every book in this series so far and this one doesn’t disappoint. When the trio investigate what is happening in the house, they soon end up seeing some very creepy things. Something is causing sheep to melt (yes, melt) and it’s a brilliant story that kept me turning the pages to see what would happen. I won’t reveal anymore but I like how we see the friends meeting another character to help them. The build up towards the end is so exciting and the final ending is good too although I did guess how the very ending would go as there’s a bit of a recurring sort of scenario with this series, though it does not disappoint. The book is short at around 120 pages of reading and contains illustrations on some of the pages.The illustrations are all very good, all in black, white and grey and they show what is happening with the characters well. I love how everyone looks and how the creepy things in the story are shown in a way that just enhances how eerie they are. The book is especially accessible with it being printed on thick paper that has a yellower colour, as well as larger than normal font size, separated paragraphs and a special dyslexia friendly font used, making this easier to read for dyslexics as well as reluctant readers.This story is brilliant and I love the creepy thing the trio have to deal with this time. The book can be read as a standalone but if you like some creepy children’s middle grade stories then I recommend the rest of the series too. Now I’m looking forward to starting the fifth book in the series The Creatures of Kilburn Mine! 😀-Thanks to Barrington Stoke for a free copy.

Spooky plants. Dead sheep. Weird ectoplasm. Loads of lush horror film references. Enjoyed this. Creepy to the perfect level. Can’t wait to share this in my classroom with the rest of the series!

The Crooked Oaks Mysteries series returns for a fourth spooky outing this week, as a mysterious experiment on the outskirts of town threatens everyone in the village; and forces the three young heroes to throw themselves into danger to save the day.Having somehow only managing to be able to read the even numbered books in the series (someday I'll catch up on book one and three!) I was excited to see what new adventures awaited within these pages. The Beast of Harwood Forest was a delightfully spooky story, and Dan Smith himself was a wonderfully kind and delightful man to talk to. And I wasn't dissapointed.The story beings with Nancy lamenting the lack of interesting news in the local paper. However, later that day she, Pete, and Krish learn about a huge storm that's supposed to be hitting the area soon, as well as a sheep that have gone missing. What makes missing sheep interesting? The odd puddles of gunk with pieces of bone and wool in them that are found are the interesting part. Learning that the strange incident happened up near Hilltop House, an old manor that has been bought to turn into a research centre. Their interest piqued, the trio set out to find out a bit more about what's going on up at the house; but discover a secret that could soon put their home in danger.One of the things that I really like about this series, that took me a bit by surprise when I first read one of the books, was that this isn't a series where the kids are convinced something supernatural or monstrous happens but are proven wrong. No, monsters are real in these books. And the kids end up in situations that are genuinely dangerous and scary. They remind me of the Goosebumps books in that way; but unlike those there does feel like there's a chance for something bad to happen to the lead characters, and there's always a decent explanation to things. No last minute twists that make no sense here.This book deals with genetic experiments that leads to some pretty nasty plant creatures coming into existence. The monsters in this book pose a pretty real threat, and there are some points in the book where it's very heavily implied that people have died a greusome death. It's done off the page, and whilst its obvious what's happened it's not shoved in your face. This feels like a book where parents might want to vet it a little first, just to make sure your kid is old enough to handle everything that happens here. However, if your child is a bit older, has a love for horror and monsters, this is the book for them.But it's also a book that I think can appeal to some older readers too. Yes, it's quick and simple to read, and most adults will get through it one sitting, but there's still a lot of fun to be found here; especially if you go through it trying to spot all of the fun references to other horror stories. Ones that I picked up on immediately would be Nancy perhaps being a nod to A Nightmare on Elm Street (she does also live on Elm Street), Pete Brundle being a nod to Seth Brundle in The Fly, and Krish Shyamalan being a reference to M. Night Shyamalan. But the book also has others like Storm Carrie (Stephen King's Carrie), the Spencer Institute (Resident Evil), Miss Wan (horror director James Wan), Campbell Street (Bruce Capbell from The Evil Dead series), Variant 42 for the plant monsters (Plant 42 was a plant monster in Resident Evil), and one of the scientists being called Ada Valentine (for both Ada Wong and Jill Valentine from Resident Evil), and those are just the ones I remember off the top of my head. I'm sure spotting the references could be made into a fun game.There's a lot to enjoy with The Terror of Hilltop House for readers of all ages. If you or your younger readers have a love of horror this is a book that will definitely appeal.