Don’t look too closely into the mirror.
It may look back…
Dunn Caulkner is no stranger to scary stories. The village of Harrowmere is plagued by danger and the unexplained: foggy boglands, eerie wraithlights and the terrifying legend of Grasping Jack. So how could Dunn ever have known that the darkest threat of all would come from a looking glass?
No one questions the arrival of a travelling salesman practically giving away his mirrors. Nor do Dunn and his friends think there’s any harm in toying with a mirror ritual said to reveal your true self. For what could be dangerous about a reflection? But then the attacks and disappearances begin, and Dunn starts to grasp how very wrong he was…
‘This creepy tale of an isolated community plagued by twisted reflections and a sinister, cunning monster that hides amongst them, is a strong choice for young readers who enjoy genuinely scary stories that send shivers down the spine. At less than 250 pages Lykewise packs a lot in and is impressively satisfying. The isolated, foggy fenland setting brilliantly adds to the ever-deepening creepy tension. This is a remote community that supports and cares for each other, so when villager turns on villager and their deepest, most violent secrets are revealed, escape feels near impossible. The sinister Lykewise monster is so skilfully depicted that I found myself searching to see if such creatures already exist in folklore, certain that they must. An exact time period is never specified, which further adds to the timeless, folklore feel of the novel. Deliciously dark with instances of stomach-churning grossness this a horror story not to miss. Perfect for fans of Jack Mackay, the Red Eye Series and Stranger Things.’ LoveReading4Kids Book of the Month
‘A very different take on spooky: Lykewise is folk horror, set in a remote fen. There is zero snark here, as the foggy, boggy village of Harrowmere welcomes a mysterious travelling mirror salesman. Naturally, a trio of young friends joke about the ceremony they hear about, where standing between two mirrors might reveal your true self. Imprudent Hetty goes through with it. And yes, she unleashes a Jungian shadow called a “lykewise”, who acts out her most vengeful inclinations.’ Observer, Best Books for Autumn
‘This is everything I could ask for from a middle-grade horror… Sophisticated, spooky, and smart.’ Jack Mackay, author of Gloam
‘This eerie work of genius proves why Darren Simpson is the king of middle-grade horror!’ Elle McNicoll, author of A Kind of Spark
‘Dripping with dread, LYKEWISE had me reminiscing about the old Hammer films I loved in my youth, and the occult tales of Dennis Wheatley. If you’re in search of foggy, fen-bound frights, look no further.’ Curtis Jobling, author of Wyrdwood
‘Perfect for fans of the Aveline Jones series, LYKEWISE will leave you thinking twice before you look in the mirror.’ Scope for Imagination
‘Great, creepy, occasionally downright nasty, and perfect for budding horror fans.’ Alastair Chisholm, author of Orion Lost
Sales
- Pushkin Press World Rights (UK publication September 2026)