Dead or Alive

Skulduggery Pleasant is dead. Valkyrie Cain is cool. Omen Darkly is neither. In a matter of days, the world will change. Billions of lives will be wiped away in a final, desperate search for the Child of the Faceless Ones - she who is destined to bring about the return of humankind's ancient overlords. To prevent this, Skulduggery Pleasant and Valkyrie Cain have one last - terrible - option: the assassination of Damocles Creed. With protests stirring in the magical city of Roarhaven, with riots and revolutions on the horizon, Valkyrie must decide who she wants to be: the hero who risks everything for a noble ideal, or the killer who sacrifices her own soul for the fate of humanity. The decision must be made, and time is running out.

Praise for Skulduggery Pleasant: 'A gripping debut.' Phil Hogan, Observer 'Landy's witty style will win him fans of all ages ... It's a good job Harry's [Potter] resigning before he's forcibly retired.' Irish Mail on Sunday 'Hugely enjoyable - a thrill-a-minute adventure.' Jonathan Stroud, author of the Bartimaeus Trilogy 'It's exciting, pacy, nicely handled and fun. I sincerely hope Landy revisits these characters.' Philip Ardagh, Guardian 'Skulduggery Pleasant serves up a thoroughly satisfying blend of humour, magic and adventure. Once you've met Stephanie and Skullduggery, you'll be clamouring for a sequel.' Rick Riordan, author of the Percy Jackson series 'A remarkably accomplished debut with wonderful dialogue.' Robert Dunbar, Irish Times 'A rip-roaring adventure.' Irish Sunday Independent Praise for Derek Landy: 'Landy [has the] ability to craft an engaging story from start to finish.' Inis 'Derek Landy has been something of a publishing phenomenon.' Irish Post.

Reviews

Derek Landy lives near Dublin. Before writing his children's story about a sharply-dressed skeleton detective, he wrote the screenplays for a zombie movie and a murderous horror film. "I think my career-guidance teacher is spinning in her grave," he says, "or she would be if she were dead.".