The House With 46 Chimneys

Life changes dramatically for Kaleb, Jude and Sequoia when they move to live with their aunt in a rural corner of central Scotland. But then life is changing dramatically for everyone. It’s the beginning of April 2020, the early days of the coronavirus lockdown. The roads are nearly empty of cars and the blue skies almost clear of aeroplanes.

Three local children they meet – in a socially distanced way – draw them into a two-century-old family mystery involving the haunting of the nearby ruins of Dunmore Park, 'The House With 46 Chimneys'. As the book builds to its climax, the children are faced with a decision. Do they try to right a wrong that was done in 1828, a wrong that has had consequences ever since? Or is doing so simply too dangerous?

'The House With 46 Chimneys' was published by Arachnid Press on 10 November 2020. The cover design is the work of Carolyn Henry, based on photographs of Dunmore Park taken by Maureen Lussey.

Cover of The House With 46 Chimneys

Background & Excerpts

Cover of The House With 46 Chimneys

One Young Reader's View

The book is dedicated to my grandson, Alistair, who helped me write it. My daughter, Alistair's mum, was approached by a child in the street in Kirkliston.
"Are you Alistair's mum?"
"Er, yes."
"We read 'The House With 46 Chimneys'. We want another book."
"Another copy of 'The House With 46 Chimneys'?"
"No, another book. We want to know what happens next."

Scottish Field, 6 September 2021:

Scottish Field Review

Reviews

Fuller extracts and links are below headlines
  • "Fabulous read, good characters and a location that I now want to visit."
  • "I absolutely loved both the tale and its narrative voice..."
  • "...a wonderful read that I’ll be recommending to all my teacher colleagues..."
  • "The world that Ken Lussey creates is very vivid and exciting..."
  • "...a tale that you won’t forget in a hurry..."
  • "A brilliantly written adventure story!"
  • "With a historical mystery, a present day conundrum and lockdown to deal with, the author does an excellent job."
  • "...shows his versatility as a writer, harking back to books of his youth from Enid Blyton's Famous Five to the Railway Children"
  • "...an interesting combination of ghost story, haunted house tale and a mystery..."
  • "...a terrific read."
  • "...very well written and engaging."
  • "With an almost ‘Famous Five’ feel, this is an endearing and likeable tale."

Victoria Jackson, 28 August 2022: "A great read even at 50. Loved adventure stories when I was younger and read this as it was set in Scotland. Fabulous read, good characters and a location that I now want to visit. The ghostly edge was a page turner! Well recommend."

On The Shelf Books, 8 November 2021: "The House with 46 Chimneys is a wonderful read that I’ll be recommending to all my teacher colleagues... I absolutely loved both the tale and its narrative voice... The contemporary aspect of the story is so vividly realised that it was hard at times to remember that these are fictional characters rather than real people whose adventures I was vicariously getting to experience... The world that Ken Lussey creates is very vivid and exciting... I absolutely recommend this book to people who really enjoy a story that is original, compelling, and interesting in equal measure... I loved the characterization as much as I enjoyed the plot and I will definitely be recommending it to friends with children who are looking for a great family read with characters that feel like they step right off the page... a tale that you won’t forget in a hurry from Ken Lussey."

Snowphiethebookworm, 8 November 2021: "The book easily hooks you, from the setting to the characters to the style of writing it all complimented each other beautifully, the characters are ones that you do warm too and you grow fond of, you get drawn into their lives and into the mystery. A brilliantly written adventure story!"

Rita Andreeva @byRitaAndreeva, 13 October 2021: "I like the concept! It would make a great family movie for mystery fans! The closing paragraphs of the first chapter, oh my. And the way you introduce the family in the next chapter, so heartwarming. Good read, nicely done!"

Scottish Field, 6 September 2021: "As a young reader, few things gripped me more than a good mystery. I would most definitely have loved The House With 46 Chimneys, had I been a young adult, as it ticks all of the boxes I liked."

Grace J Reviewerlady, 18 January 2021: "An Engaging Read! There is certainly plenty going on in this one! This is a tale which entranced me; there are some strange goings on but all clearly explained and easy to follow. I can imagine the YA audience that this book is aimed at being totally enthralled by it. With a historical mystery, a present day conundrum and lockdown to deal with, the author does an excellent job of keeping all threads straight."

NextToTheAisle, 4 January 2021: "...keeps us gripped as the children become embroiled in the tribulations of a ghost story." "...shows his versatility as a writer, harking back to books of his youth from Enid Blyton's Famous Five to the Railway Children".

Jamie Garwood, 4 January 2021: "A solid piece of literature in children's fiction by a historical fiction author but utilising his love of history and ruins. Recommended."

The Book Lover's Boudoir, 4 December 2020: "I thought this was a terrific read. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I must admit I wasn’t sure about reading a book that features coronavirus. I think fiction should be an escape from what's really happening so this concerned me a little... I was pleasantly surprised by the way the author incorporates coronavirus {as} a backdrop for the book which is an interesting combination of ghost story, haunted house tale and a mystery... I had a great time reading this."

Echoes In An Empty Room, 30 November 2020: "...very well written and engaging."

Alex J Book Reviews, 24 November 2020: "With an almost ‘Famous Five’ feel, this is an endearing and likeable tale with an affable bunch of kids... In the midst of the dread of this awful pandemic, Ken Lussey has crafted a delightful tale full of history and a spooky feel with the help of his grandson and I happily recommend this read to young and old."

"For an author who usually pens very good wartime thrillers this is quite the change and he has done it very well."