The Night Walker

Amazon 5 Star book.

The Night Walker has been nominated for the Wirral Paperback of the Year. To see the other nominated books, go to www.wirral-libraries.net.

'At one level this compelling, highly original novel is a fairly straightforward, simple story about a teenager who feels horribly rejected by his mother...and is struggling to come to terms with his father in a 'reconstituted family' complete with two step-sisters. All three children are damaged by the situation they find themselves in, although Daniel's father and new wife are decent people trying hard. At another level it is a thoughtful, metaphysical tale set in a strange, half-real, half-imagined world about quests, courage and learning who you really are. Daniel lives near the river in a developing part of west London. He is bullied at school. Friendless and deeply unhappy he is beset by characters like Ash, menacing footsteps and a strange, otherworldly soup kitchen. The reader isn't sure how much of this is in Danny's disturbed mind and how much is actual. Then in thick fog...he crosses a soundless mire which is effectively a modern take on Bunyan's Slough of Despond. On a causeway Daniel and those he's with...fight various battles which seem to range from the time of Agincourt to the First World War... Eventually there is a resolution based on healing, forgiveness and redemption. It's epic stuff. You can never be sure where it's going. And Patricia Elliott's writing is extraordinarily atmospheric...'

School Librarian

''This was a very good but quite scary book. It makes you want to read on and move on to the next page. ...It made you feel like you were in the story.'

Jamie Clunie, Castlebrae Community High, Teen Titles Magazine

'...a daring, deftly handled, use of myth as a metaphor for psychological struggle. Both the story of Daniel's relationship with his family, and his fight against his own state of mind, told against a background of archetypal myths, will strike chords of recognition with young readers.'

Armadillo

'Fantasy and reality are so well intertwined that it is near impossible to work out where one begins and the other ends. The Night Walker is a spellbinding and spooky read that lingers long after the last page has been turned.'

Write Away

The well-known author of children's and adult fiction, Adele Geras, said in her newsletter: 'A very talented and skilful writer who knows how the emotions work, especially in boys. ...Reality and fantasy intertwine and it has many echoes from myth and legend. Daniel is a sympathetic hero and the tension lasts right to the end.' See her website at www.adelegeras.com.