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Beatrice Beecham's Cryptic Crypt: A Supernatural Adventure/Mystery Novel (The Supernatural Adventures of Beatrice Beecham Book 1) Kindle Edition

4.2 out of 5 stars 15 ratings

The fate of the world rests in the hands of four dysfunctional teenagers and a bunch of oddball adults.

What could possibly go wrong?


"
An intricately layered mystery. Supernatural YA at its finest." – Tom Deady, Bram Stoker Award® winning author

This supernatural / adventure / mystery novel is perfect for fans of
The Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, The Three Investigators, Goonies, Monster Club, Lost Boys, and Miss Peregrine. It might be a YA book perfect for ages 13 and older, but it’s a fun read no matter what age you are.

Dorsal Finn is a sleepy coastal town facing the gleaming Atlantic Ocean. It is a town with quaint customs and inhabited by people who are as welcoming as they are weird. It is also a place where long lost tombs hide long held secrets.

Because beneath Dorsal Finn lies The Dark Heart, an ancient and malevolent entity determined to be free of its eternal prison. It has lured allies to the town, people with corrupt agendas determined to resurrect the greatest evil history has ever known, and in doing so release The Dark Heart upon an unsuspecting world.

Dave Jeffery has taken the youth-sleuth genre beloved of so many of us and updated it seamlessly to the present day, topping the thrills with a sassy, feisty heroine and her group of smart friends. This is a cracking, tightly wrapped mystery that delivers everything it should. Well written, pacey and intriguing, this is a winner and I’d recommend it.” – Mark West, British Fantasy Awards Nominated author

Proudly represented by Crystal Lake Publishing – Tales from the Darkest Depths

Interview with the author:

Why is this YA Supernatural Adventure novel so special?

Dave Jeffery: Beatrice Beecham is a YA novel with a difference. Teenagers and adults are both central to the plot, and it uses high doses of humour to tackle very dark themes, including some of the terrible, very real histories of our past. Using these elements it is a book that will not only entertain teenagers and adults alike, it will also leave readers thinking about some of the deeper questions raised as the story unfolds.

Tell us a bit more about your main character.

Dave Jeffery: Beatrice Beecham is fifteen years old. She has fiery red hair and not tolerance of bullies. As well as worshipping TV chef Jamie Oliver she also has the inherent ability to find trouble. And the town of Dorsal Finn has plenty of trouble lurking beneath its calm and placid exterior. Beatrice discovers the town has plans for her too, naming her as the Incorruptible Heart, the arch nemesis of the malevolent entity imprisoned beneath Dorsal Finn itself!

Do you have any other Beatrice Beecham books?

Dave Jeffery: Beatrice features in two other novels that describe how she arrived at Dorsal Finn: Beatrice Beecham’s Fearsome Feast and Beatrice Beecham’s Fete of Fate. She also features in a collection of short stories titled Beatrice Beecham’s Houseful of Horrors.

What will Beatrice be up to next?

Dave Jeffery: Beatrice will return in a new novel, Ship of Shadows, published by Crystal Lake Publishing in September 2017.

Beatrice Beecham eBook categories:

  • Teen & Young Adult Horror and friendship Mystery
  • Teen & Young Adult Mysteries & Thrillers
  • Supernatural Thriller
  • Coming of age adventure
  • Teen action adventure
  • Mystery occult noir novel
  • Dark Fantasy Horror
  • Mystery Thriller
  • Female Sleuth
  • British Horror Fiction
  • Small Town Mystery
  • Horror Suspense
  • Female protagonist

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 See full series
There are 2 books in this series.
This option includes 2 books.

From the Publisher

Crystal Lake Publishing logo

Where Stories Come Alive

Since its founding in August 2012, Crystal Lake has quickly become one of the world’s leading publishers of Dark Fiction and Horror books. In 2023, Crystal Lake officially transitioned into an entertainment company, launching several other divisions, genres, and imprints, including Torrid Waters, Sinister Smile Press, Crystal Lake Comics, Crystal Lake Games, Crystal Lake Kids, Crystal Cove Press, and many more.

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Customer Reviews
4.5 out of 5 stars 2
4.5 out of 5 stars 4
4.6 out of 5 stars 75
4.5 out of 5 stars 2
4.1 out of 5 stars 47
4.6 out of 5 stars 8
Price $4.99 $3.99 $4.99 $3.99 $3.99 $4.99
Category Novel Novella Novella Anthology Novel Novel Novel
Blurb Tucker Gibsen finds himself embroiled in a decades-old grudge between two modern-day witches, putting his life, and the lives of those he cares for most, in danger. Perfect for fans of spooky, supernatural stories with a holiday twist, A Very Scary Christmas is a heart-pounding addition to the Scareville series that will have readers on the edge of their seats. Enter the world of terrifying urban legends where the lines between myth and reality blur into a nightmare of unexplainable horrors. Join Clara Cogsworth, a bold young inventor with a heart full of imagination and a satchel full of gears, as she defies the odds to enter the world’s most prestigious invention competition—The Great Monster Maker Championship. White Death plunges readers into the chilling and treacherous world of the Great Plains in 1888, where a deceptively warm winter day quickly turns into a fight for survival. Black Wattle’s residents are plunged into a nightmare of infection and blood-curdling transformations.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Beatrice Beacham lives in the coastal town of Dorsal Finn, with her parents and younger brother and she and her friends - Patience, Elmo and Lucas - have a mystery solving group called The Newshounds. Opening with a prologue set in Austria 1941, this mixes Nazi's, folklore, the legend of Atlantis and a mysterious youth group to excellent effect - Jeffery has taken the youth-sleuth genre beloved of so many of us (my favourite, of course, was The Three Investigators series) and updated it seamlessly to the present day, topping the thrills with a sassy, feisty heroine and her group of smart friends. The town - which is not as it seems to be - is well described and atmospheric, the supporting cast are wonderfully eccentric and the plot ticks along, aided by a gripping pace and some tense sequences. This is, I think, the fourth in the YA series but the first I've read and it's not quite standalone - previous events are mentioned and one reveal, while cleverly done, featured a character I hadn't encountered before. But that's my fault, not the books and this is a cracking, tightly wrapped mystery that delivers everything it should. Well written, pacey and intriguing, this is a winner and I'd recommend it." - Mark West, British Fantasy Award nominated author of DRIVE

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B06XC8N7X5
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Crystal Lake Publishing
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 3, 2017
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 5.0 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 7 - 12
  • Book 1 of 2 ‏ : ‎ The Supernatural Adventures of Beatrice Beecham
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 13 - 18 years
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 15 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
15 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2017
    This book grabbed my attention when it was advertised as "perfect for fans of The Hardy Boys or The Three Investigators." Those two series introduced me to the mystery/supernatural mystery genre, so I was in. And Beatrice Beecham's Cryptic Crypt did not disappoint!
    Dave Jeffery does a wonderful job of creating three-dimensional characters, not only for the Newshounds but for the "bad guys" as well. The story itself is an intricately layered mystery that spans all the way back to WWII. The complexity of both the characters and the plot make this as enjoyable for the adult audience as it is for the YA fan.
    I'm excited to see what's next for the Newshounds and Dave Jeffery!
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2017
    Dorsal Finn: a serene little coastal town where everyone knows everyone else, the shops have cute quaint names...and secrets get buried deeply but never quite die. Young Beatrice Beecham is a budding culinary genius who shares, with her friends the Newshounds, a great love and curiosity for all things mysterious and paranormal--and boy, do they get it here. From the odd new Blue Thunder Foundation and its youth recruitment, to the secret hidden for decades by the town librarian, to Beatrice suddenly facing her "first ever" date--the characters live and breathe and, like the plot, are well-developed and complex. It's not long before the Blue Thunder Foundation--in which Beatruce's brother Thomas and love interest Marcus are involved--begins to seem more ominous than benevolent, leading to an unfolding adventure involving Nazi secrets and the mythical (or not) continent of Atlantis.

    Having grown up with Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys, I can confidently recommend Beatrice and her friends to fans of those books, at any age. The pacing is good, the plot stays intriguing to the end, and the opening is positively *chilling*. My only quibble is that the book could've used a little more proofreading in spots, but don't let that stop you; this story is worth every page.

    (ARC provided by publisher for review.)
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2017
    So right out front, I really enjoyed this book. It’s the kind of “young people solving spooky mystery” book that I grew up loving, but with a slightly harder edge.
    As the story gets rolling, and the mystery starts to deepen, the characters really begin to shine and surprise you in many ways.
    The first few chapters feel a little slow because the story is trying to intro a lot of characters to bring new readers up to speed. But once the intro’s are out of the way and the focus turns to the mystery at hand, the pace picks up nicely and draws you in.

    Overall a fun book, well worth the read.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2017
    The first paragraph had me nodding my head in agreement. I understood exactly what the author was saying. The second paragraph had my jaw dropping down below my knees. And there starts one of a series of books by Dave Jeffery. I received a free copy of this book for my honest review, and the below is my honest review.

    This book is rated YA, but I am neither. Not young, not an adult. This book most definitely kept my interest.

    As it is part of a series, the rest of which I have not read, so I don’t understand why the group of young adults in Dorsal Finn are called The Newshounds (I do plan to look for other of these books). That did not keep me from enjoying what they do, however.

    The Blue Thunder is a youth group with a large success rate in keeping its members from becoming hooligans and other criminals. It keeps the members from drinking and using drugs. Every parent’s dream, right? I know I certainly would have wanted my children to join. The national group has opened the very first center in Dorsal Finn, and all the kids are eager to join.

    Beatrice, however, is too busy to be bothered. She has agreed to cook a birthday dinner for a friend’s uncle’s birthday. What a dinner she has planned! As Beatrice is known to be an excellent cook, everyone in the family is very excited to have this meal as it is Beatrice’s birthday present not only to the uncle, but to the family as well.

    As Beatrice is busy getting really to prepare this sumptuous meal, her friends are helping her. At least some of them. The rest (including adults) are digging around to find a mystery from long ago. It could mean life or death for the town of Dorsal Finn.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2017
    A fantastic book for readers of all ages. The story moves at breakneck speed and I found myself truly concerned for what would happen to Beatrice and the rest of The Newshounds. In a just world this series would become the next blockbuster YA series and there would be big budget movies based on these stories. Highly recommended.

Top reviews from other countries

  • Yvonne
    5.0 out of 5 stars Move over Mystery Incorporated there is a new gang in town
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 3, 2017
    Dorsa Finn, has its secrets. A typical quiet coastal town where everyone knows each other. Mayor Codd wants to keep his town peaceful, so when the Blue Thunder Foundation wants to set up their new base, Mayor Codd jumps at the chance and wants every teenage boy to sign up to the project. Beatrice, Patience, Elmo and Lucas are The Newshounds; 4 teenagers who like nothing else but a good mystery but with strange tremors, re-educated boys and history resurfacing they get more than they bargained for.
    It takes a skill to write from the POV of a teenager without it sounding annoying and immature and Dave Jeffery has nailed it. These 4 teenagers had a really great friendship and relied on each other for support. I did not find any of the characters annoying. I personally thought that the girls Beatrice and Patience was the brains behind the group. Beatrice was a great chef and I did smile to myself when to help her make decisions had an imaginary debate with her favourite chefs and Patience had a knack with languages and that came in useful when a new resident came to live in Dorsa Finn who was deaf. When the older generation were in trouble, the Newshounds were the ones they called. Talking about the older residents Maud and Agnes where my favourites characters as they reminded me so much of Cissie and Ada, and if you are too young to remember them, then google Les Dawson
    Using the link between the Occult and the Third Reich as the base of the story added mystery and intrigue. This enabled the author to explain the history of some of the older residents of Dorsa Finn whilst adding a supernatural element to the story.
    This book is not just for teenagers, as an adult I enjoyed reading it as there was enough mystery and intrigue to keep my interest. The author teased you throughout the book dropping hints about what the Blue Thunder Foundation were and what their beliefs were but it was not till the end of the book that the secrets came out. This is the 1st book that I have read by Dave Jeffery and although there are other books starring Beatrice Beecham, you do not have to read them to understand and enjoy this story. Move over Nancy Drew, watch out Mystery Incorporated there are a new gang of teenagers in town.
  • Steph Ellis
    3.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable mystery
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 4, 2019
    As a child I loved Enid Blyton's Famous Five and Secret Seven stories and this book took me back to those days - a group of youngsters sniffing out trouble, getting into bother, then saving the day. Nicely paced, a touch of recent history and a timely reminder of how easily you can be duped by evil - and a bit of the supernatural thrown in. Great fun.
  • Demonica
    5.0 out of 5 stars Intriguing and fun
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 5, 2018
    Dave Jeffrey's writing had me gripped from the get go...what an opening chapter, full of intrigue and questions needing answers. Luckily plucky Beatrice Beecham and her friends want to know more too. Enormous fun for readers who enjoy supernatural adventures

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