The Web She Wove

The second book in the Mr Phigg series, for children from 8 up – and grown-ups too. Odd things start happening to Johanna and her brother Harry when their basement floods for no reason. Then the children visit Mrs Cuthbert, an old family friend who is in a nursing home, frail and forgetful, and resolve to help her get out again. They are missing the magical Mr Phigg, who in an earlier adventure had introduced them to friends like the Shadowflock and inventor Dr Solomon. When Mr Phigg returns they go to visit his Great Uncle Bron, who is also forgetting things. A strange device from the Doctor triggers memories of Bron’s old love, Monica Morphet, who left suddenly many years ago. Bron has dreamt about her asking for his help. He believes Monica was a Tale-Spinner – one of seven shape-shifting sisters who weave memories into legends. Mr Phigg is sceptical, but agrees to try to find out more. As the children and their friends hunt for Tale-Spinners and try to help Mrs Cuthbert, an interlinked story unfolds – in the Greyworld we know and in Mr Phigg’s parallel reality. There are magic doorways, talking animals and lashings of derring-do.