A gripping ghost tale with an extra-added historical slant. The writing achieves some real tension that builds up to a great climax. The lead character remains resilient throughout and the theme of family bonds is well structured. Good, spooky read, worth having

I found this book really atmospheric. It was spooky and engaging and I really like the characters and the emotional journey that Edie goes on. I think this will make a great book group read at the library as there are plenty of themes for the kids to discuss.

Properly spooky story for middle grade.

As an adult I decided to not read this at bedtime because it was quite eerie.
Properly spooky story for middle grade. As an adult I decided to not read this at bedtime because it was quite eerie.

Thanks to #NetGalley. For the opportunity of Reade, this head of publication and exchange for an honest review

A really beautiful tale of loss. The descriptions throughout are amazing and take the reader on a heartfelt journey.

Edie and Pip are visiting their grandmother while their mum is working. They haven’t been back to see their grandmother since their dad passed away so there are a lot of emotions. Edie finds her father’s old diary, a mystery that needs to be solved and an unexpected new friend.

The characters are wonderfully written and the reader will understand all their emotions perfectly.

The theme of the book is around Vikings, with eerie, spooky features.

Fantastic story, highly recommend.

Wow. An absolutely spine chilling story full of history, haunting and memories. I absolutely loved this.
The author weaves a wonderful tale which tackles death and loss in a way that rings true whilst offering hope.

A great tale of love and loss. Two ghosts , although only one scary one, and a great adventure underground. A bit scary in places but not nightmare inducing and by the end you can understand why the scary ghost was scary. A delightful tale to read together with the family.

Spooky goings on with a strong Viking theme. I really enjoyed this middle grade spooky story and I think my readers will too. Siblings Edie & Pip were well drawn and sympathetic and at times I was yelling at my Kindle when they were in peril!

Slightly different to the Sophie Kirtley books I’ve read so far, can’t pinpoint why. Really enjoyed reading it but rank it slightly lower than her previous books. Still a very attractive read and I’m sure will be enjoyed and loved by many.

I love Sophie Kirtley's novels so I was extremely excited to be accepted to read this ARC copy and my goodness it didn't disappoint. The Haunting of Fortune Farm is a thrilling novel with adventure and emotion at its heart. Edie and Pip have gone to stay with their grandmother at Fortune Farm while their mother is at a convention and during their stay Edie uncovers a spooky mystery that needs to be solved. With help from an unexpected friend, her father's diary and her determination, Edie goes on a mission to uncover the truth about a viking sword. There is danger, spooky setting descriptions and family history to be discovered. One of the main things that I love about Sophie's writing is that alongside an exciting novel with historical links there is a theme of family grief, teaching the young reader lessons about not surpressing your emotions and learning how to manage grief. Pip was, by far, my favourite character - he was very believeable with his overexcitement for everything and his love of bats (his hat was an excellent character addition) and Edie's protection over him as his big sister was something many siblings will relate to. This story of adventure, family, bravery, vikings, grief and love is one not to be missed.
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this ARC copy.

Sophie Kirtley writes the most gripping Irish middle grade adventures celebrating the power of sibling relationships, stories of the past and children’s ability to grow as they learn more about themselves. After loving The Wild Way Home & The Way to Impossible Island, I was thrilled to receive The Haunting of Fortune Farm. It overtook everything else on my reading pile.

The Haunting of Fortune Farm is a chilling and, at times, absolutely terrifying historical mystery. Themes of family, secrets and dealing with grief takes readers on an emapthy-filled journey across the beautiful mountains, forests and valleys of Ireland. This story has such a strong historical-fantasy element complete with the ghost of a legendary Viking warrior but it’s much more about the real grief of the loss of a loved one and the complexities of family relationships.

Twelve-year old Edie has trained herself not to think about her dad. Whenever memories catch her by surprise, she tries to paint over the thoughts in her mind. This becomes much harder when she and her charming little brother Pip are sent to stay with their grandmother at their dad’s childhood home. Silent Valley is beautiful but leaves Edie with an uneasy feeling – like she’s being watched. Whispers on the wind and Viking runes encourage her to look for answers. There are secrets, puzzles and the unknown everywhere she turns. The discovery of her dad’s diary from 30 years earlier shows Edie that he felt the same – he was chasing the same mystery… the ancient Viking Story Sword of the warrior Ivarr the Restless.

Secret messages in the starlings, a strange girl in the woods and mysterious Kenning poetry reveal more and more of the mystery as Edie dares to push further. Just how much danger will she face before the truth is revealed?

This is the perfect story for fans of The Haunting of Aveline Jones by Phil Hickes, The Bird Singers by Eve Wersocki Morris and The Secret of Helmersbruk Manor: A Christmas Mystery by Eva Frantz.

A huge thank you to Bloomsbury Children’s Books for an early copy of this fantastic story!

Thank you NetGalley for approving me on this title. A very good book that is well worth a read. Highly recommend

Oh my stars! I've got goose bumps on top of my goose bumps!

What a gorgeously written, wonderful twisty-turny novel. Quite possible Sophie Kirtley's best one yet... and I'm a huge fan!

Filled with wonderful prose, hearth-thumping tension and a truly gripping story. I devoured this... and now I want to read it again!

For me this is the one of the best children's books I've read in a long time. It's well balanced with just enough creepiness to convey terror without overdoing it and frightening the reader. The lore and history were well researched and informative without being preachy. I look forward to reading more of Sophie's books

In our family, we loved Sophie Kirtley's books, Wild Way Home and Way to Impossible Island, and so I couldn't wait to read this one. Set in Ireland, Edie and Pip are left with their grandmother Lolly, whilst their Mum has a work conference and Edie is used to looking after Pip a lot since their dad died. How she deals with her grief is interwoven through the story and part of the narrative is understanding loss, grief and the message that it is ok to remember and think about loved ones who have passed rather than hide these thoughts away. It is really nicely done.
Through glimpses of a mysterious girl, hearing strange words on the wind and ominous signs from nature, Edie is pulled into a mystery about the discovery of a Viking Story sword that once belonged to fabled Ivarr the Restless. She stumbles across her Dad's childhood diary and is puzzled by the entries that show he also heard the words on the wind and she starts to follow a map he has made covered in Viking Runes.
At some points, I will admit, I felt a bit scared about a ghostly Viking stalking through the forest and the mysterious Coco, but the short chapters kept me reading on and on.
This is a great ghost story for children and thank you for the opportunity to read it.

4-5 stars for children.
3.5 stars for adult readers.
The story of Edie, Coco and Pip in a wild and weird setting.
The prose is awesome. 5 stars. Great style for children - it is also appropriate.
A long read, hence best suited for older children, but proves to be a good book to read together with your children.
I personally liked the first 100 or so pages plenty because of how the mood, the past, and the dynamics were established.
There a snippets of lovely poems in-between and runic words. I liked that the plot was quite layered for a children's book, and Edie was a great protagonist.