This brilliant book centres around the main character, Oy, who is a timid Waif surviving on crumbs and the smell of bread from the nearby bakery.  One day he’s grabbed off the street and whisked away to work in a factory before being chosen to go and work in the towering Duldred Hall.

Master Jeopardine is a cruel master and collector of bones.  His motto is ‘feed them little and keep them small.’ Oy and the other Waifs, who work at the Hall as slaves, soon start to discover some rather grisly secrets hidden behind the oil-painting clad walls and begin wondering why The Rook’s Parlour is always kept locked.

Can they solve the mystery escape before they reach the magical height which supposedly earns them their freedom?

Recommended for readers who are 8+ – Master Jeopardine is seriously creepy!

I read most of this in one sitting.  An engrossing read!  Thank you to Mother’s Milk Books for the review copy.

Library Girl.