Is Twite and her cousin, Arun, use their telepathic gifts to find Arun's missing mother in this gripping adventure set in an alternate British kingdom When Is Twite and her cousin, Arun, return to Cold Shoulder Road in Folkestone after their astonishing adventures in the North, the town is deserted and Arun's mother is missing. Some say she took off with the sect Arun was raised in before he ran away. Known as the Silent Folk, members of the group are not allowed to talk and must communicate through sign language. But there are others who insist that Ruth Twite is a witch. To make matters worse, Is's sister Penny has also vanished, along with the mute Handsel child. The only clue to all of their whereabouts is an elusive stranger called Admiral Fishskin. When Is and Arun finally track down the cult, Arun discovers that they have new leader. Evil, charismatic Dominic de la Twite plays dangerous mind games and is able to block telepathic communication between Is and Arun. The cousins also find themselves up against a band of smugglers called the Merry Gentry that is using hidden tunnels beneath the city to search for buried treasure. With its sprawling cast of Dickensian characters and imaginative historical and social setting, this gripping adventure will delight existing fans of the Wolves Chronicles and new readers alike. Cold Shoulder Road is the 9th book in the award-winning Wolves Chronicles, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order. This ebook features an illustrated personal history of Joan Aiken including rare images from the author's estate. "A fast-paced story for] those who enjoy sophisticated storytelling, inventive adventure, and distinctive characters." -Library Journal "An adventurous yarn filled with humor, chills, and melodrama." -Booklist Joan Aiken (1924-2004) was an English writer best known for her children's literature. She wrote 92 novels, including 27 for adults, as well as plays, poems, and short stories. Aiken was born in East Sussex, England. Her father, Conrad Aiken, was a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet. She began writing at a young age, publishing her first short story when she was 17 years old. Before writing full-time, Aiken worked at the United Nations Information Centre as well as the magazine Argosy. It was during this time that she wrote her classic children's novel The Wolves of Willoughby Chase (1962), which won the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award and was the first in a 12-book series. Her other titles for younger readers include The Last Slice of Rainbow, The Kitchen Warriors, and Mice and Mendelson. For older readers, her books include the Edgar Award-winning Night Fall, and The Scream. In 1999, Aiken was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for her services to children's literature. She is survived by her daughter.