The Werewolf of Priory Grange

Book excerpt: The Werewolf of Priory Grange is the second in the Universal Library series of horror/comedy books inspired by classic films of the 1930s and 40s (and by Universal studios' abortive attempts to re-invent their classics for a modern audience - this is my version). The stories are set in the present day but with a classic feel, tongue in cheek delivery and many references to the original films and other horror movies for film fans to spot. Though it's probably better to read the books in order, this is a stand-alone story and you don't have to have read Book 1 (The Mummy's Quest) to enjoy it. On an isolated moor in the north of England stands the Priory Grange School, perhaps the most remote boarding school in Britain. From her arrival, along with her brother Oliver, Lisa Hobson (an average A-Level student with a love of gothic literature) finds the school a chilling and unfriendly place, made worse by a pack of bullies, led by the odious Larry Glendon. But there's more to this place, and more to the bullies, than meets the eye. When Lisa takes it upon herself to investigate the series of bloody deaths that have been occurring in the area, the truth proves more monstrous than she could have imagined, and more dangerous, as she falls foul of the White Wolf. Lisa is helped by a vengeful gypsy, a rakish member of the local gentry, and by a caretaker named Boris, who turns out to be the agent of the shadowy Universal organisation. Also by a dog called Moose. It turns out that the white wolf is only the tip of the iceberg. Beneath the surface is a plan far more devious than anything any of them could have imagined, one that may yet claim Oliver's life. And Lisa's. And that of anyone else who gets in the way.