Welcome to Elbow Alley, secret home to all things magical, eerie...and deadly

Pip always worries about fitting in - which is tougher than usual when his new neighbours are vampires, banshees and ghosts. Worst of all is the mysterious spirit snatcher, which appears out of nowhere and sucks away people's personalities. When it attacks Pip's parents, the only way to save them is to destroy it. But first Pip has to find it.

Along with his new friend Fliss and her dog Splodge, they set out to solve the monstrous mystery, facing murderous ghouls, werewolf attacks and an incredibly mouldy cheese along the way. Because if he and Fliss can't stop the creature by their thirteenth birthdays, they'll be spirit-snatched too.