Full review here

The Whispering Skull is the second book in the series, set six months after the events that took place in The Screaming Staircase. Picking up the pace from the first one, TWS sees Lockwood & Co. a little busier than they were accustomed to, thanks to the shiny reputation they gained after solving a case in one of England’s most haunted houses.

If I’m being completely honest, the cast and the dialogue coming from the three main characters (and the skull) are probably the best things about this book. Which isn’t to say the rest of it was bad. Yes, the narrative reads like a YA novel thanks to Lucy’s vocabulary and manner of speaking (one of the things I love about Stroud’s writing) but it’s important to remember that this is still a children’s book. So the plot’s not overly complex, and it kind of lacks the punch that Stroud gave us in the Bartimaeus Sequence, and… it’s missing that sense of urgency of danger from his first series as well. And if you’re looking for the same wit and snark had us cackling with ol’ Barty, then you’re going to be disappointed. I mean, the snark’s there, just not at the same level as Barty’s.

But this could just be me nitpicking. It’s a good book overall. An enjoyable, if somewhat slow, read. The cast definitely makes up for any of it’s shortcomings, and I definitely do recommend it.