Just as things are seeming to improve at Rookwood, the girls’ beloved ballet teacher Miss Finch disappears. Ebony claims to be a witch and soon seems to have most of the students (and the teachers) under her spell.

I don’t want to give away too much for those who haven’t read the book yet, but Rose’s backstory ties into Scarlet’s. I was able to get in touch with the author of Scarlet and Ivy, Sophie Cleverly, to ask her some questions about the series and her plans for the future. My all-time favorite authors are Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman, so I’d always encourage readers to check out their work, especially the Tiffany Aching series and The Graveyard Book. I pictured a room with twin beds in it, but only saw one girl entering, which gave me the idea for a story about a lost twin.After dabbling with a few different options, I decided to go with the 1930s because it was a period that really interested me that wasn’t being depicted in many books at the time. But nothing is as it seems; the creepy lakeside hotel and the deep waters of Lake Seren hide dark secrets. I watched as Mr Hardwick went over to the fireplace at the side of the room, one of the remnants of the old house, paused, and then said, “Hmmmmm …” Scarlet jumped up out of her seat, but thankfully the bell rang right at that moment. Scarlet and Ivy show that is possible to be “girly” and still fight (and win) against the people determined to hold you back. But now that she is deep in the investigation, she has to deal with a group of girls led by the evil Miss Fox, that seemingly had a grudge with Scarlet.

The first book, The Lost Twin was released on the 26 February, 2015 and the final book, The Last Secret was released on the 10 of January, 2019. Sophie Cleverly decided to undertake a bachelors in Creative Writing and would then proceed to do a masters specializing in young adult fiction. All these female characters mean that women can possess a huge number of characteristics instead of being limited as the single female member of a team.

By the end of the course, she had developed something of a secret diary and an idea for a lost twin for the lead. The Whispers on the Wall is an excellent mystery with a great plot and great characterization that grabs one from the scruff of the neck and never lets go till the last page. Throughout the books, we get to know the girls and their family, along with their friends, and the teachers at the school as they solve a series of mysteries.