Published By: Bloomsbury Children’s Books
Pages: 256
Released On: 24/09/2026
Illustrator: Rachael Dean
Reading Age: 7-9
Ted McKenley is done managing the mayhem of Tartarus Hotel’s ghostly residents alone. Fortunately, the holidays are here and Frankie Stark is finally back from boarding school. But there’s no rest for the stepsiblings as a pop megastar has chosen the hotel as the venue for her latest celebrity wedding.
Not to be outshone, the Duke of Snoring – Tartarus’s most notorious (and obnoxious) ghost – has decided to host his 363rd birthday party on the exact same day.
As high profile guests, both living and spectral, descend on the hotel, Ted and Frankie can’t catch a break. Will they manage to save the (wedding) day before the duke steals the spotlight?
*****
Thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Children’s Books for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.
I loved the first book in this series, even if I am four times the reading age, it was just so much fun.
I have come across authors who are fabulous children’s writers but can’t translate to adult and vice versa. We’ll I’ve read her Catherine’s books that cover kids, adults, and everyone in between and they’re all as good as each other.
Somehow she’s made this mystical ,fantasy, ghosty story feel so real. It’s rooted in such reality that you immediately believe everything.
The illustrations are, once again, wonderful.
I read it in a few hours, it was fast-paced and exciting and a joy to read.
It’s mainly the same characters as the first one which was good because we get to build upon characters we already knew and then she’s added a few extra to keep it fresh.
Is it a bit samey to the first one? Yeah, in some ways, but I’m glad about it because the first one was so good. This just build upon that, like any good sequel should do. And I believe there’s going to be a third instalment. I’m not sure how long the series can be without getting monotonous but for now, I want more.
A bit predictable but exciting, energetic, tense, funny, and just a really enjoyable read for all ages.
Books By Your Bedside 