The Chocolate Factory Ghost
Reviewed By Janet Mawdesley June 23, 2018
Author David O'Connell. Illustrator Claire Powell
Distributor: Bloomsbury Childrens Books
ISBN: 9781408887059
Publisher: Bloomsbury Childrens Books
Release Date: May 2018
Website: https://www.bloomsbury.com/au
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Archie McBudge is just an ordinary sort of kid whose life has turned upside down recently. His father has died and he and his Mum are finding life different and not too great at all. He gets a letter from the lawyers asking them to travel to Honeystone Hall in Scotland to collect his inheritance.
Of course he and his Mum are completely confused as to what could possibly be an inheritance, as the letter says ‘all his earthly possessions’, but what was it exactly that his as it turns out, Great Uncle Archibald McBudge, had to leave.
When they get to the village of Dundoodle, deep in the remote highlands of Scotland they meet Mr Tatters, the lawyer, who tells Archie he has inherited the world famous McBudge Fudge Factory, all the shops, Honeystone Hall and a painting of Great Uncle Archibald, who while he may be dead, still has a part to play in Archie’s inheritance.
Nothing though is a simple as it seems, as Archie has to discover the hidden secret to the fudge before he can legally claim his inheritance, as well as become Chief to the Clan of McBudge, a huge honour.
David O’Connell has set the scene well for rip roaring mystery adventure filled with ghosts, good friends, bad relatives, mysterious happenings and a huge and possibly haunted house to keep the reader well entertained and guessing what is going to happen next.
As this is what could be considered as the first book in a series, perhaps there is a little too much adventure to be found in the pages, but then there is the challenge of book two. What could possibly happen next as Archie’s seriously unpleasant relatives are not about to let Archie inherit all they consider they rightly deserve.
Young readers will get a great deal of enjoyment out of this new adventure story with a very interesting cast of characters.