This is the seventh thrilling magical adventure starring Charlie Bone! The enchanter Count Harken - the shadow in the painting of the Red King - is back and determined to stop Billy from discovering a life-changing family secret. His incredible power reaches out from the dark, magical land of Badlock, through space and time, to wreak revenge on Charlie and his friends. Charlie's ancestor, Otus Yewbeam, has been imprisoned in Badlock by Count Harken. Otus is a giant, married to Amoret, the Red King's daughter. But he is no match for the shadow's troll army, led by the sinister Oddthumb. Charlie is sucked into a painting of Badlock and tries to rescue Otus, and reunite him with Amoret. But can he outwit the troll army? And what about poor Runner Bean, who follows him? Meanwhile, Charlie's allies are under attack too. The Onimouses are forced to close the Pets' Cafe, Billy is under Count Harken's spell, and Dagbert-the-drowner seeks power over Tancred. There is a terrible battle in Bloor's Academy, with fatal consequences. Charlie will need all the luck he can get to outwit the powerful shadow of Badlock...

Author Biography

Jenny Nimmo lives in a converted watermill in Wales. Her husband, David, is a painter and print-maker, and all three of her children speak Welsh fluently. She finds Wales, a land of legends, a very inspiring place to live. For as long as she can remember, Jenny has loved books. She feels passionately that every child should have access to as many books as they want. Jenny enjoys writing about magic because it is inexplicable and unpredictable, and anything can happen. In 1986 her book, The Snow Spider, won the Smarties Grand Prix, and in 1987 it was awarded the Tir na n-Og by the Welsh Arts Council. The Rinaldi Ring, was chosen as Guardian Book of the Week and was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal and received a commendation.