I loved the setting and characters within this novel, dark yet magical. A wonderful reading experience.

I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

Coming to this new edition of Robin Jarvis’s classic young adult novel for the first time as an adult I feel that I definitely missed out as a child by overlooking his work. This is a wonderful, dark, spooky tale set in the seaside town of Whitby (famed for its ties to Dracula so giving the setting a layer of superstition before the book has even started) with an archetypal struggle between good and evil.

Two orphan siblings – Jennet and her younger brother Ben – have been moved from foster home to foster home since their parents’ death as their carers find Ben’s possession of ‘the sight’ too disturbing. Branded troublemakers the two are ejected from their previous home only to find themselves living with Miss Alice Boston, a surprisingly sprightly 92-year old with a unique perspective on the world and less than ordinary pastimes. But Whitby is under threat and Jennet, Ben and their new foster mother are drawn towards danger as they try to avoid becoming casualties of the supernatural forces wreaking havoc on the life expectancy of the locals.

This is a wonderful book that is not afraid to place its wonderful characters in real peril - Jarvis is not daunted to bump someone off if the plot demands it. This makes the book that much more dramatic, scary and thrilling. As an adult I found it hugely compelling – if I had read this as an older child I imagine I would have found it deliciously chilling and engaging. This is rightly considered a classic of its genre. What a gem.

Wonderful to see The Whitby Witches being republished in an elegant new edition, though slightly disappointing to find that Robin's excellent illustrations aren't included. The story is as magical as ever, though, redolent with enough unnerving imagery to please any connoisseur of well-written horror. A wonderful story in a wonderful new edition.

Ben and Jennet are orphans who have been pushed from one foster home to another. This is because of Ben’s unnerving ability to see things normal people cannot see; like the dead. When they end up in the care of Alice Boston their unenviable life suddenly becomes a whole lot more interesting and dangerous, because Alice and her friends are not quite the sweet old ladies they might at first seem.

Something sinister is afoot in the seaside town of Whitby and things begin to get very strange and unpleasant.

The Whitby Witches was first published in the 1990s, with the latest, The Witching Legacy, carrying on the atmospheric eeriness of the Witches series. Although first published twenty six years ago, The Whitby Witches does not feel dated. There may be no mobile phones, but the action, gruesomeness and tension remains undiminished and the series sits well with the newer up-to-date The Witching Legacy series.

The Whitby Witches starts out Enid Blyton enough with a delicious tea, but set against an unsettling background because something appears to be ‘wrong’ with Ben.

Alice’s friends are an interesting group of ladies, but the rather unpleasant Rowena Cooper who seems to be taking over Alice’s little group is a force to be reckoned with and a wonderful villain to boo and hiss at. There are also plenty of hide behind the sofa and ‘look out behind you moments’.

This series introduces the Aufwaders or ‘Fisher Folk’, a reclusive and mysterious tribe of beings who can only be seen by special people, like Ben, who possess the sixth sense. It is forbidden for an Aufwader to associate with humans. But when Nelda Shrimp meets Ben they soon become good friends.

As usual there is an element of timeslip at which Jarvis excels, providing an interesting take on the history of Whitby.

Whitby is a place fast becoming number one on my places to see, providing it is as scary and other worldly as Robin Jarvis’s fantastical stories make out. But as it might also prove somewhat terminal, maybe I should take a good dose of magic with me to counteract all the mystical goings on.

I read this book as a child and it's just as good now as it was then!!! I would use this book as a whole class reader as I love the gothic-novel style atmosphere building.

Well written and a nostalgic hit for me. It made me want to go back and reread the entire trilogy all over again.

I would like to thank Egmont Publishing for providing me with an advanced reading copy of this book.

I somehow managed to miss this author's books as they were originally released many years before my own children were of age to read them. Last year I happened across his newer series, The Witching Legacy and have since read both books one and two and loved them. So when I saw this one I was eager to delve into it, especially as it's set in Whitby like the newer books.

The Whitby Witches was a lot of fun. It was full of adventure, imagination, and danger. I was completely swept along with the characters and their story. The writing was easy to read and the world was vividly described. It was wonderfully dark and atmospheric and a lot of fun all round. Everything was so easily pictured in my mind as I read. It was like being a child all over again, reliving that wonderful sense of adventure, danger and anticipation.

The only negative aspect, and it's not something that's particular to this story alone but something that seems to be a trend across many children's stories and books and something I'm more aware of now as a mother, is the fact that the majority of villains or bad guys in children's stories always seem to have some kind of disfigurement or disability. They are always "ugly" scarred or disfigured in some way. Why are we portraying this kind of message to our children? How a person looks doesn't portray whether they are good or bad. Beauty is only skin deep, the outside does not reflect who a person is on the inside. "Monsters" can look just like everyone else and just because someone isn't what most would class as "normal" it doesn't make them the bad guy to be feared. Perhaps that is too scary of a concept in truth for children but it's reality. Anyway, I realise this is a more general comment and not something particular to this book alone but it's something that I found myself contemplating after finishing this one so I wanted to comment on it.

All in all, The Whitby Witches was a lot of fun and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm going to have to get my hands on the rest of the series now.

This book is set in the wonderful English seaside town of Whitby, however a slightly alternative universe where there is a certain amount of magic that is not common knowledge to most people. I liked this setting, though my own experience of English seaside towns is less 'oh how charming' and more 'oh I'm sure this was nice a long time ago but now it just looks a little crusty'. The level of fantasy I felt was pretty standard for a novel for young teens/older children as it isn't overly complicated. I imagine, if one were going to pitch this novel at an older audience there would be more explanations of how magic works but it just wasn't necessary in this title.

As far as characters were concerned it was the classic older sister/younger brother orphans dynamic. I thought both children were suitably non-whiney and also both had a significant hand in the plot, rather than one of them dominating which was a pleasant change from a lot of sibling duos.

It was the old ladies who really captured my heart in this book. Aunt Alice is a likeable and also powerful character that you just know you would have a good time if you got to have tea and cake with her.

Our villain was a masterpiece of a children's book villain. She caught my attention and she was just a horrible person. There's a nice simplicity to that, something you don't see often in literature aimed at the slightly older.

The plot is a good one. We meet mythical creatures, there's a quest, a time limited pursuit for a magical artefact and everyone learns something by the end of the book.

I really enjoyed this foray into children's literature. In many ways it was a simpler time back in 1991 and you don't feel as though this book is following any trends or anything like that. It was refreshing and fun and while the book isn't a barrel of sunshine and rainbows I think it would make a really good story for younger avid readers.

My rating: 4/5 (but I do think, if I were 8-12 I would have given it a 5/5 so keep that in mind)

By the way, I received a free digital Advanced Review Copy of this book from the publisher (Egmont Publishing) in exchange for an honest review, all opinions are my own! This edition publishes on June 1st so there's time to order your own copy!

Ben and Jennet are delightful and interesting young people who make you want to know all about them. Their relationship with Ms. Boston is truly magical. A book to read and enjoy the adventures that unfold through this beautifully descriptive tale.

Jennet and Ben are going to a new foster home, again. As the train trundles further than civilisation can possibly be found, they finally find themselves in Whitby where they are met by their new guardian, Alice Boston. For the first time since their parents died, could they have found somewhere to call home?
Just as they are starting to feel settled, Rowena Cooper moves into an abandoned house in the shadows of the Abbey, Ben’s gift of sight leads him to the aufwaders, Jennet is attacked by a vicious hound and members of Aunt Alice’s Ladies Circle are dying. Can they learn to trust each other enough to share their secrets and save not only themselves, but their town?
Skilful layering of gothic horror and mythology, in a Whitby that is instantly recognisable to any one who has been there, make The Whitby Witches a nail-biting, breath-holding, page turner of a book. Robin Jarvis is the master of supernatural horror for young readers, and this one had me clutching the cushion of comfort as I read. I am so pleased this is being rereleased by Egmont as a Modern Classic, it is thoroughly deserving of the title.
Great for fans of Emma Carroll, Michelle Harrison and Abi Elphinstone.
Ebook proof courtesy of Egmont Publishing via Netgalley.

A matter of fact read about magic and friendship. Great for young adults.

2.5*s. Full review to come on my blog in the future, but I'm in the middle of a really busy term at uni, so I've written a short Goodreads review to serve for now.

Generally speaking, a 2.5* read. Enjoyed the plot and worldbuilding -- and it was nice to read something set somewhere I've visited, as I could imagine it quite easily -- but didn't like the writing style. It was fairly old fashioned, which makes sense as I believe the book's being re-released, having been published some time ago, but a lot of it was quite clumsy and to be honest, there were parts I found extremely difficult to follow. Not to mention some uncomfortable attitudes towards an overweight character.

Love, loved this book.

Can't believe I had never previously read this dark, gothic childrens fantasy before. The star of the book Whitby itself dominated by the looming shadow of the ruined Abbey high above the town. The legends, tales and history of Whitby intertwine with Robin Jarvis's story of two orphans Ben and Jennet who are sent to live with Alice Boston in her cottage on the East Cliff of Whitby.

Reading the story I instantly wanted to revisit and explore Whitby, re-imagining Bram Stoker's Dracula, the ghost of St Hilda, Captain Cook as a young apprentice wandering the streets, the 18th century whaling ships crowding the harbour. As the streets darkened trembling in case I was chased by the Barghest or stumbled upon a coven of witches.

This is no Disney tale, dark, scary and frightening at times but the home and safe place Alice Boston provides for Ben and Jennet at the centre of the story means I would be comfortable for my children to read the book from about the age of nine up.

So happy Egmont are publishing a new edition of this book as part of their Modern Classics for Children Series. Bonus material has been added to this edition including information on Whitby and an author interview.

Thank you Net Gallery and Egmont for allowing me to read this new edition of 'The Whitby Witches' already pre-ordered the book, as can't wait to re read and share this great story
with my own children and grand children in the years to come.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Admittedly this is a reread (I have actually no idea how many times I've read this since I discovered it aged 14 but as I'm er quite a bit older now it would be fair to say a lot...)

I am so excited that Egmont classics are producing a reprint of one of my favourite series of books. Recently I read 'The Devil's Paintbox' and 'The Power of Dark' which are part of a quartet of new witch stories set in Whitby. While I loved them there's something about the original trilogy as you first discovered it as a child. I became a lifelong Robin Jarvis fan after reading the Deptford Mouse books - he is one of the few authors where I will pretty much read anything he writes.

Anyway this book when I first discovered it introduced me to a dark and bittersweet dark fantasy world where many traditional urban fantasy tropes are subtly flipped or subverted. It's always hard not to fall in love with Jarvis' characters - or to seriously hate and fear the truly rotten ones! The Whitby Witches tells the story of orphans Ben and his older sister, Jennet, who are having difficulties within the care system because Ben is different. He has the sight and struggles not to say what he sees to others. This has resulted in the pair being returned to the orphanage by more than one set of prospective parents, leaving the pair quite insecure, Ben isolated by his ability and Jennet with a sizeable chip on her shoulder and an unwillingness to trust. Finally a new home for them is found in Whitby - the orphanage is as keen to be rid of creepy Ben as anyone else - with the sprightly and eccentric nonogenerian Alice Boston. Miss Boston is the first person to understand that Ben is sighted and to accept the pair. However just as Jennet thinks life might have taken a turn for the better, strange things start to happen in Whitby. A huge black dog stalks the lonely lanes at night. A strangely charismatic widow opens an antique shop. And Aunt Alice's friends start to go missing only to turn up dead one by one. There's something foul in the state of Whitby and somehow the unlikely trio must get to the bottom of it.

The Whitby Witches has lost none of its charm or engaging power since I read it the first time, no mean feat for any book that is loved to death by yours truly. I think it's fair to say that it was an extremely formative book for me too, spawning my love of urban fantasy and the mystery genre as well as a love for older characters teaming up with young protagonists, enhancing a pre-existing love of folklore and legends and ghost stories, and creating a hunger for endings that stick a sly penknife under your ear, even as you acknowledge that the book has ended in the best way possible. So in short Robin Jarvis is responsible for a lot of my formative development. (Thanks!)

I could go on but it's better if you just read the book yourself. You won't be sorry.