15 more days to go!

The hardback release date in the UK isn't until the 25th September, at least according to Amazon. Good thing the Kindle version came out when it did.

Canada. That backwater. Although now that I check it's out on Amazon, but I have Chapters gift cards I want to use.

What's that? Nevermind them, you can order the hardback later, get the kindle version now!

[+] Spoiler

About the types of ghosts; I think that intent is the thing that decrees which type of ghost you become.

Type ones are usually unagressive and unresponsive, simply there, which I think means that they don't want to be forgotten or don't want their deaths to be in vain.

Type twos usualy have had a violent death and badly want to right to right a wrong. They are typically agressive against living beings and have a set purpose (Annie Ward wanted to be reunited with Fairfax, for example).

We don't know much about type threes, but if we look at skully, he clung to his 'master's work' and was scared stiff of spending an eternity alone. I think type threes have a specific quest, or are particularly scared of the afterlife.

I.... don't have a Kindle? Also I start school this week!

There's this program, Caliber, used for reading ebooks on your computer.

Amazon provide free Kindle software for computers and phones. It's not as pleasant to read as a physical book or a Kindle, though, IMO.

14 more days!

, Roo.

Hello Everyone, Just joined the forums here to join in the chat about The whispering skull.

I have just finished the second book, there were a few points that i picked up. I will try to not mention things that have already been mentioned by other users.

[+] Spoiler

Firstly Flo... i think she may at one time have been an agent. She doesn't like DEPRAC and when Lockwood introduces Lucy to her that she is not connected to the Rothwell Agency. If she is not a former agent she at least has some history with them. she played an important part in the story and i believe she may appear again in the next book. She at the very least knows a bit about Lockwood's past.

She also makes a reference to Lucy as being "another posh un" This can suggest two things;

1 - Lockwood and his sister may have worked together before she died/ murdered
2 - The previous posh girl was just another agent Lockwood worked with.

I don't think it would have been any old random agent as an author will carefully choose his/her words. Drawing this reference will have some significance.

Another theory that i have given some consideration to is about Lockwood's motivation. Why is he an agent? and Why does he have the remains of his sister?

to answer this i think the following,

Lockwood's sister may be considerably older than him and she may be a former agent. Something horrible may have happened to her that was covered up by the agencies. He may have held on to her source in order to one day solve the mystery of her death. He may have always secretly hoped to find someone with the skill of Lucy to help him uncover the truth.

next question. Why wait so long to share his secret with his friends? i think the simple answer to this is because Lucy has shown she has the ability and Lockwood wanted to be certain. Also if he really wanted to keep it a secret he would have locked the door. i think this may also have been a test.

I think im going to re read both books much slower this time and see what else i can try and find.

Last note, the identity of the person who beat Lockwood at the tournament may be important as this could suggest a fearsome rival or even a fearsome foe.

Thanks, Evillaugh! :) And now . . .

13 more days!

shuror and Roo!

[+] Spoiler

I think Flo worked with Lockwood in the past. She calls him "Locky" what could refer to the lines in The Screaming Staircase when Lockwood forbid Lucy to call him Locky. I wonder why Flo is a relic-woman now.
Btw, do you know why Lockwood knows so much about old daggers and weapons? I don't think that he read a book about it and can identifiy most weapons now. There is a hint in "The Dagger in The Desk" as well: "You know what it looks like to me?" Lockwood said slowly. " An old military weapon. If I had to guess, I'd say First Wolrld War issue, the kind all soldiers carried." I think it is a hint to something. My crazy theory: Lockwood's parents were relic-men as well. They collected weapons and that's why Lockwood knows a lot about this topic and why his house contains a big colllection of stuff which his parents couldn't sell because they aren't sources.

Firstly, , shuror

[+] Spoiler

I think the reason that they have so much exotic stuff is that they worked for a department in DEPRAC, researching foreign and old methods in dealing with ghosts , I think they would be a bit too posh to be relic-men.

I agree that Flo will play an important part in the later books and may have been an agent at Rotwells. She is interested in sources only if she can live off them, but I think she had bad experience with authority, but still misses the agent life.
I don't think Lockwood worked with some random female agent before, because the one before Lucy was called Robin. I think the winner of the tournament may even have been Robin or Flo.

When I re-read the screaming staircase, I notice that when Lucy wakes up Lockwood after the explosion, he at first mistakes her for someone else ("Lucy. For a moment I thought you were... It doesn't matter"). I think he thought she was his sister. Lucy reminds him of his sister, that's why he likes her so much.

12 more days!

Thanks for the app advice but I'm just going to wait. Not sure why I keep hanging out in this thread. :P Probably because I'm horribly self destructive and will end up spoiling myself.

Are you reading the spoilers?!

[+] Spoiler

I noticed that there is quite some number symbolisms: The seven monks from Combe Carey, the Lockwood trio, the seven bone sources that make up the bone glass...

11 more days!