My Sword Hand is Singing by Marcus Sedgwick

Published by Orion Children's

Price £9.99

I enjoyed this tense and atmospheric story set in the woods of Eastern Europe in the seventeenth century very much. The story moves relentlessly through the snowy landscape and the small community setting is claustrophobic. Peter and his father Tomas have rarely stayed in any one place long enough to be part of the village but when Radu dies and Peter sees the rituals involved in his burial, he begins to ask questions not least about why his father drinks all day and what is in the hidden box.

Inspired by the original vampire myth, this is light years away from Buffy, but gripping nonetheless.