New York Times bestselling author Katherine Arden thrills once again in the finale to the critically acclaimed, bone-chilling quartet that began with Small Spaces.It’s been three months since Ollie made a daring deal with the smiling man to save those she loved, and then vanished without a trace. The smiling man promised Coco, Brian and Phil, that they’d have a chance to save her, but as time goes by, they begin to worry that the smiling man has lied to them and Ollie is gone forever. But finally, a clue surfaces. A boy who went missing at a nearby traveling carnival appears at the town swimming hole, terrified and rambling. He tells anyone who'll listen about the mysterious man who took him. How the man agreed to let him go on one condition: that he deliver a message.
Play if you dare.
Game on! The smiling man has finally made his move. Now it’s Coco, Brian, and Phil’s turn to make theirs. And they know just where to start. The traveling carnival is coming to Evansburg.
Meanwhile, Ollie is trapped in the world behind the mist, learning the horrifying secrets of the smiling man's carnival, trying everything to help her friends find her. Brian, Coco and Phil will risk everything to rescue Ollie—but they all soon realize this game is much more dangerous than the ones before. This time the smiling man is playing for keeps.
The summer nights are short, and Ollie, Coco, Brian, and Phil have only until sunrise to beat him once and for all—or it’s game over for everyone.
Praise for Empty Smiles:“For a fully fearful
adventure, pick up this . . .
chilling ghost story . . . certain to keep even the bravest readers up until the sun comes up.” —
B&N Reads“The terror continues for Ollie, Coco, Brian, and Phil in this
frightening series finale. . . Arden never disappoints with her
thrilling, spine-tingling scenes and this book is full of them. First came scarecrows, ghosts, and monsters, but
she has saved the best for last: evil clowns! Verdict: Fans of the series won’t be disappointed.” —
School Library Journal“Arden once again flexes her gift for
atmospheric writing to envelop readers in the story’s
eerie mist. The
expert use of pacing and sensory cues—sights, sounds, and smells—helps heighten the
genuinely terrifying chase scenes. Chess matches and conversations between Ollie and the smiling man humanize the shape-shifting villain, exposing just enough of his motives to wrap up unanswered questions. . .
A thrilling and chilling end to a standard-setting series.” —
Kirkus Reviews“The final book in Arden’s quartet that started with
Small Spaces (2018)
deliciously ramps up the scares. . .
Fittingly creepy. . .the unsettling atmosphere
will delight middle-grade horror fans who want to send a chill up their spines.” —
Booklist“Delivering an
atmospheric, scary carnival horror with
nail-biting twists and turns,
Empty Smiles is a
spooky, sinister and satisfying conclusion to the beloved Small Spaces series. Readers looking for answers, an epic showdown and intense scenes that are
sure to induce goosebumps will get their money’s worth!” —
The Nerd DailyPraise for Dark Waters:An Amazon Best Book – August 2021“Arden
skillfully blends a creature feature with a survival tale, taking the series into new territory without deviating from its successful formula. The deliberate pacing maintains
a palpable sense of dread, equally anxiety-inducing and terrifying. . . Another
deliciously hair-raising entry in a series that continues to make a huge splash.” —
Kirkus Reviews“Describing the
creepy setting where all the action takes place with
cinematic detail, Arden
piles on the terror, weaving in Lake Champlain history and pirate lore.” —
Buffalo News“The ending definitely
ramped up the stakes once more and I’m now anxiously awaiting the conclusion to this
dark, creepy middle-grade series. If you haven’t picked up this series yet, now is the perfect time to do so, if only to suffer with us all through the wait for the final book.” —
The Nerd Daily“
Genuinely spooky . . . Arden’s
expert pacing and
vivid descriptions ratchet up the tension deliciously, build
eerie atmosphere, and make for some
truly scary moments . . . [and] a
tense cliff-hanger, which will leave readers
on the hook for the next installment.” —
Booklist“Those who are attracted to
mystery, adventure, and spooky stories will be drawn to this sequel like a moth to a flame.” —S
chool Library Journal“In this
hair-raising novel . . . middle-grade readers, ages 8-12, and their adult reading companions,
will be thrilled, and
frightened, by this latest adventure. . . This is a
very fun, and
eerie, read-aloud.” —
Addison County IndependentPraise for Dead Voices:
★ “Arden handily transforms the
haunted house story into something much richer, scarier, and more sinister. . . Middle-graders who
thrill to spooks and scares will find plenty (maybe even more than they bargained for!) here.” —
Booklist,
starred review★ “Arden's high scare factor, richly drawn mountain setting, relevant themes of loss and belonging, and vividly eerie descriptions evoke
the very best of horror for this age set.” —
Kirkus Reviews,
starred review★ “In this
spooky sequel to
Small Spaces, Arden excels at creating an atmosphere of claustrophobic tension with
memorably menacing details. Readers will again be invested in the
ghoulish surprises in store for the resourceful, likably flawed protagonists.” —
Publishers Weekly,
starred reviewPraise for Small Spaces:
★ ★ ★
Three Starred Reviews22 State AwardsA Kirkus Best Book of 2018 – Middle-GradeA Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2018 – Middle-GradeA Chicago Public Library’s Best of the Best Books of 2018An Amazon Best Book – October 2018
A CCBC Choices List Pick – 2019
An ALA Notable Children’s Book – 2019★ “
Atmospheric horror at its best.
Chillingly tender.”—
Kirkus,
starred review
★ “With a
tantalizing pace and palpable suspense, all nicely grounded in realistic emotions, this well-wrought
spine-tingler is destined to be a hit (just makes sure the lights stay on).”—
Booklist,
starred review
★ “Riveting…The story moves at a good pace with just enough clues to keep the reader intrigued and guessing.”—
School Library Connection,
starred review“Is it a mystery? A fairy tale? A horror thriller? As the suspense gripped me, I just wanted to know one thing—WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Terrifying and fun.”—
R. L. Stine, author of the
Goosebumps and
Fear Street series
