“- Plan F, we follow Plan F, right now. - Is that the one where we run away? - Not at all. It's the one where we beat a dignified emergency retreat.”

The Whispering Skull by Jonathan Stroud

Lockwood and Co. are back, only more well known after their last adventure. This brings them more business but also more complications and competition, especially with their rivals, Quill Kipps and his team. Kipps seems to know Lockwood and something of his mysterious past, but their rivalry goes even deeper than that. Soon they are matched in a battle of wits and courage.

The second book in the Lockwood and Co. series is even more exciting and funny than the first, especially thanks to the appears of the talking skull who insists on "helping" the team by being as unhelpful as possible. Mostly his job is to sit back and hope they all get killed by ghosts, for his own personal amusement.

This book also introduces Kipps, who has some connection with Lockwood. Of course, secrets are all part of Lockwood's character and therefore little is revealed.

Overall I enjoyed this book even more than the first. The characters were just as life like and fun as before, but it was enjoyable to get to know them even better and spend more time with them. This is an excellent series with the right mix of humor and edge of your seat creepiness.