Stealer of Souls

The long-awaited, completely new story, first published by HarperCollins in Mixed Magics (2000), is now available as a short story in its own right at a special World Book Day price.

Cat Chant has nine lives and is destined to be the next Chrestomanci. He is not best pleased when young Tonino Montana, a magically-gifted Italian, is invited to live at Chrestomanci Castle. What is so special about Tonino’s powers?

When Cat and Tonino return to Chrestomanci Castle after visiting Gabriel de Wit, Cat is forced to put aside his animosity towards Tonino when they are abducted by a particularly evil enchanter, Master Spiderman. Master Spiderman is a ‘collector’ and it will take all the magic power Cat and Tonino can muster to overcome his plan to become the most powerful enchanter in the world.

Related titles: Cat Chant first appears in Charmed Life. Antonio (known as Tonino) Montana first appears in The Magicians of Caprona. Christopher Chant, Gabriel de Wit, Mordecai Roberts and Miss Rosalie first appear in The Lives of Christopher Chant. Christopher Chant as Chrestomanci also appears in Witch Week and Mixed Magics.

About the author

Diana Wynne Jones (1934–2011) spent her childhood in Essex and began writing fantasy novels for children in the 1970s. With her unique combination of magic, humour and imagination, she enthralled generations of children and adults with her work. She won the Guardian Award in 1977 with Charmed Life, was runner-up for the Children's Book Award in 1981 and was twice runner-up for the Carnegie Medal.