Ghost Behind the Wall [Paperback]

Melvin Burgess (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 7, 2002

Twelve-year-old David lives with his dad in a block of flats and is a bit of a brute. He's very lonely as is old Mr Alverston, another Mahogany Villas resident, who is afraid that he is losing his mind. David discovers that he can get into the ventilation shaft of the building and begins to spy on the other residents. One day he comes face to face with a ghost, at first friendly but more and more terrifying as it becomes clear that he has a particular grudge against Mr Alverston. Soon the old man and David are in great danger and, in a frightening and utterly moving conclusion, Mr Alverston and the ghost of the boy he once was, reunite, allowing the old man to die peacefully.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Melvin Burgess began to train as a journalist and has had jobs as diverse as bricklaying and silk-screen printing. An Enterprise Allowance Scheme gave him the chance to develop his writing, and his children's books are now highly regarded. Melvin won the 1997 Guardian Award and the Carnegie Medal for his powerful novel, JUNK. He lives in Manchester.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Puffin (February 7, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0141310278
• ISBN-13: 978-0141310275
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 4.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,118,255 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Spooky Tale for Younger Readers, September 22, 2011

By 

Sir Furboy (Aberystwyth, UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ghost Behind the Wall (Paperback)

This is a good creepy ghost story for children. David is a 12 year old victim of a broken home. He is bullied at school and making himself increasingly unpopular through bad behaviour. He is als a risk taker, which sometimes leads him into trouble - and never moreso than when he climbs into an old ventialtion shaft in his flat that connects to other flats in his apartment complex. He uses his doscovery to spy and play nasty tricks on his neighbours - until the day he sees a ghost and events start to take a turn for the worse.

There is redemption, friendship, reformation and love in this book. Lots of good strong emotions that make for a memorable story. It is short though, and lacks the depths of a more adult novel. Nevertheless one to be enjoyed by children and probably young adults too. And indeed anyone who wants a short but enjoyable ghost story.