Wednesday 14 December 2022

Rise of the Ghostfather! - Barry Hutchinson - Spectre Collectors Book 3

Rise of the Ghostfather!
Spectre Collectors Book 3
ISBN 9781788000505
eISBN 9781788000512
ASIN B07Q9WSN6B


Several months before reading this I encountered the works of J.D. Kirk I also discovered that Kirk publishes children's books as Barry Hutchison, and other adult fiction as Barry J. Hutchison. I have read 19 stories published under the Kirk Name and am now branching out to the ones under the Hutchinson names. He is coming up on 175 books across the three pen names. If I had known that or I might not have picked up this first one. Friends call me a ‘completionist’ in that when I find an author I like, I try to read everything they have published. I have enjoyed all I have read from his pen and this one was no different.

The description of this novel is:

“In their third and final spooky adventure, Denzel and his friends face the biggest, baddest ghost of all: The Ghostfather. He's making a comeback, and he needs Denzel's help, whether he likes it or not. . ..”

I was unaware that this was the third volume in the series when I picked it up. For some reason I was under the impression it was the first. This is not the first time I have read a series out of order, nor will it be the last. It is sort of like those people who flip to the end of a book and read the last chapter before they start (like my wife). I have just read the final volume in the trilogy. This volume was a fun read. It reminds me a lot of other Middle Grade books I have read. I have a dual form of Dyslexia and never really got into reading until secondary school. Because of that I did not read much Middle Grade or Young Adult books when I was the target audience. My youngest two children are still the target audience and I know they will love this book and series when we reread them together. 

The Specter Collectors appears to be an organization run by kids to deal with the problems of ghosts, ghouls, hauntings, and other issues. Denzel and his friends must prevent the rise of the Ghost Father and the end of the world. Not a big deal for a guy who has been a collector for a short time, whose partner is a ghost himself, and a new ghost who seems to be helping them. The action starts in I believe the British office of the Collectors. Moves to Scotland, then back to the office, and a daring escape to the Japanese office. They do battle with several spectres, red clad ninja’s, acolytes who want to being the Ghost Father back, and more. They receive assistance from a surprising creature. And a weird amulet. The story opens with these words:

“Denzel Edgar hadn’t signed up for this.

OK, technically he had signed up for it when he’d agreed to join the Spectre Collectors, a centuries-old secret society dedicated to protecting Earth from supernatural threats. He’d known there’d be a certain amount of “ghost stuff” involved, since that was pretty much the whole point of the organisation. He just didn’t think it’d be anything like this.

Denzel sat on an uncomfortable plastic chair directly across a table from a large, semi-transparent man. The way the man was staring at him was making Denzel deeply uncomfortable. What was making him even more uncomfortable was the fact that the man was holding his detached head under one arm.”

The main characters are:

Denzel Edgar – a boy with a gift of being able to see ghosts. He has two dad’s.
Smithy – a ghost and agent of the Spector Collectors, best mate to Denzel.
Tabatha – a new ghost on the scene she weilds a little walking cane with a shiny gold fist on the end that can change shape and function. She saved the timestream from Void Hippos last Tuesday.
Samara – a seasoned agent and Boyle’s partner.
Boyle – a seasoned agent and Samara’s partner.

The story was great fun. Wonderful characters. Excellent action. Truly a story young readers would love. The style reminds me a lot of the works of  Dan Gutman, Tony Abbot, Andrew Clements, and Chris d'Lacey. It was an intriguing read and I look forward to exploring more books for younger readers under the pen name of Barry Hutchinson. 

Note: To my Catholic readers Denzel has 2 dad’s. It is mentioned in passing twice.  

Books by J.D. Kirk:

DCI Logan Series:

Robert Hoon Thrillers:

DI Heather Filson Series:

Contributed to:
Everyday Kindness: A Collection of Uplifting Tales to Brighten Your Day

Books as Barry J. Hutchison:
Dan Deadman Space Detective Series:

Space Team Series:
The Search for Splurt 
Song of the Space Siren 
The Guns of Nana Joan 
Return of the Dead Guy 
Planet of the Japes 
The Time Titan of Tomorrow 
The King of Space Must Die 
Sting of the Mustard Mines 
Sentienced to Death
The Hunt for Reduk Topa
A Lot of Weird Space Shizz: Collected Short Stories

Sidekicks Initiative Series:

The Bug Books Series:
Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
Complete Season One

Other Books:

Children’s books as Barry Hutchison:
Invisible Fiends Series:
The Crowmaster 
Doc Mortis 
The Beast 
The Darkest Corners 

Afterworlds:
The Missing Remote of the Apocalypse
The Book of Doom 
...

Benjamin Blank Series:

Beaky Malone Series:

Generator Rex Series:

Living Ted Series:
Revenge of the Living Ted
Invasion of the Living Ted

Spectre Collectors Series:
Too Ghoul for School
A New York Nightmare!

Other works:





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