The Midnight Palace - Hardcover

Zafon's young adult fiction was published in Spain long before he became an international sensation, and its fascinating to see, in his second book, premonitory glimpses of The Shadow of the Wind. ..Zafon makes it look so easy but he's in a class of his own. (Suzi Feay FINANCIAL TIMES)

...if you have a taste for mystery, for the supernatural, for characters of mythic strength, loyalty and heroism... then pick this book up and revel in it. (ARMADILLO)

In a tale of a secret society, a labyrinthine railway station and a shadowy figure from the past, their story and denouement has the hallmarks of the fine writing in the author's best-selling Shadow of the Wind. (CHOICE)

'this is one book that knows how to keep a reader hooked... Exotic terror tale from a master story-teller.' Four stars (FLIPSIDE MAGAZINE)

A tremendously atmospheric supernatural thriller and will particularly appeal to those who like a good ghost story told in nineteenth century style by a protagonist narrator looking back years later. (THE BOOKBAG)

It's fast-moving and never hesitates, and it quickly sketches the eight young people who inhabit its pages as quirky and likeable individuals, from the taciturn artist, Michael, to the fiery and intelligent Isobel. It's also a story about stories: tales from the past are woven into the narrative in an elegant way, with the whole book framed by the narrative of the last surviving member of the group. (THE GUARDIAN)

This dark book is not for the easily scared, but great for thrill-seekers! (WOMAN'S WAY)

Gothic in structure, the story is brimming with a sense of foreboding and insatiable evil... On every page, Calcutta, a city of dreams and lost hopes, looms large. This is an exciting and atmospheric adventure with huge appeal. (CAROUSEL)

The book begins with a chase through the streets of Calcutta in May 1916. Lieutenant Peake pauses for breath outside the ruins of the Jheeter's Gate station knowing that he only has a few hours to live. Inside his overcoat he is sheltering two newborn babies - twins, a boy and a girl. Peake entrusts them Aryami Bose. Sixteen years later we meet the boy, Ben, and his friends. They have formed a secret club, The Chowbar Society, which meets each week at midnight in the old ruin they have christened The Midnight Palace. Then Aryami Bose turns up with Sheere, Ben's sister, and tells them the story of the parents they never knew. Their father was an engineer and writer who died in tragic circumstances at the inauguration of Jheeter's Gate station. But as the novel unfolds, there is more to their history than meets the eye and they are lured by a shadowy figure from the past into a final showdown in the ruins.