A worthy ending to a great middle years’ trilogy.
Feature image credit: Allen & Unwin
Australian author Reece Carter is the brains behind A Girl Called Corpse and The Lonely Lighthouse of Elston-Fright. The Lost Notes of Soul Spinners is the third and final book in this middle years series.
The bright red front cover will immediately draw you in. Those familiar with the previous two books will recognise the three main characters. The two ghost characters, Girl and Corpse, share the telling of the story in alternating chapters. Most of the characters in this story are ones we have grown to love … or hate. The story finishes on a satisfying note as the main ghost protagonists discover who they really are.
Like the previous two books, The Lost Notes of Soul Spinners is set in the small seaside town of Elston-Fright. It seems the town has been lost to the world for a very long time. Nobody ever seems to visit or leave and the buildings are slowly decaying. There is an air of dilapidation and misery around the town. Storms and waves hammer the coast. Elston-Fright is a town clouded in mystery … and fog.
The Lost Notes of Soul Spinners begins with the appearance of Faye de Corail, a ghost-eating wraith. She is determined to get exactly what she wants and will let nothing stand in her way.
There is so much happening in this final book. We discover new things about each main character and eventually all loose ends from the previous books are tied up. There are new and old foes, all searching for the lost Soul Spinners Notes. Each hoping to get hold of them before the others, as they enable the holder to be granted a single wish.
The Lost Notes of Soul Spinners is a story of friendships, working together, bravery, love, family and the power of imagination. Itis quite complicated to read as a standalone. There are too many references to the previous two books. It is such a good series that I highly recommend starting from the beginning, but if you have read the previous two, this is a fitting end to the characters we have learned to love.
We may never know where the town of Elston-Fright is, but it feels like a small coastal English village. One tiny reference to a kangaroo changed this for me, so maybe there is a small town like this somewhere in Australia, waiting to be discovered …
Reviewed by Sue Mauger
The views expressed in this review belong to the author and not Glam Adelaide, its affiliates, or employees.
Distributed by: Allen & Unwin
Released: April 2025
RRP: $18.99
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