The Black Book of Secrets

Written by F. E. Higgins

Narrated by James Daniel Wilson

When Ludlow Fitch's parents cruelly betray him, he steals away to the country. He arrives in a remote village, where he meets the tall and limping figure of Joe Zabbidou - a pawnbroker with a difference. For Joe trades secrets, not goods. Employed as Joe's assistant, Ludlow records the villagers' fiendish confessions in an ancient leather-bound volume: 'The Black Book of Secrets'. There's the gravedigger who has been resurrecting bodies; the butcher who made a mouse-meat pie; the wizened bookseller who went to murderous lengths to get her hands on a priceless tome. Ludlow longs to trust his mysterious master, but he senses Joe has much to hide. But then Ludlow Fitch has his own, very dark, secrets...

• Language: English
• Publisher: W. F. Howes Ltd
• Release date: Feb 1, 2008
• ISBN: 9781407416243

F. E. Higgins

F. E. Higgins was born in England but raised in Ireland. She lives and writes in a house that dates back to the fifteenth century, in a small village in rural Kent. THE BLACK BOOK OF SECRETS was her debut novel.

Reviews for The Black Book of Secrets

[yeonjaepx2014 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Ludlow's parents make Ludlow suffer from painess so Ludlow run away from them. He meets a guy called Joe in his escape and lives with him. Suddenly, he heard that Joe killed someone. He knows that he it is in danger. What is Ludlow going to do now?

[rata_4 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really liked this book as it had a very different storyline - a secret pawnbroker (good guy) and a very greedy man (evil guy)by the name of Jeremiah Ratchett. Joe Zabbidou is a secret pawnbroker, he buys peoples most innermost secrets, that continue to haunt them and once bought and told to Joe they feel a lot lighter. Joe takes in a waif by the name of Ludlow Fitch (his destiny)who assists him and eventually is groomed to take over where Joe left. I came across F E Higgins as an author by chance (his books have been greatly reduced at a warehouse sale) and like his style and genre of writing. I had bought The Bone Magician, liked it and was fortunate enough to buy The Black Book of Secrets and The Eyeball Collector (which i'm about to read). F E Higgins is worth buying and reading as they give you an insight into the poverty and life of Dickenson England and seem oh so real.

[inky_fingers · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Couldn't really keep me reading.

[audramelissa_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Ludlow Fitch is running away from his past (and some tooth-thieving parents!). He finds himself in a remote village where he becomes the assistant to a mysterious pawnbroker, Joe Zabbidou. This pawnbroker specializes in people’s secrets and Ludlow is charged with transcribing them in the Black Book of Secrets. Lucky for Ludlow and Joe, this village is full of people with dark and dangerous secrets to pawn. For fans of historically-based fiction and notably that of late 1800s in England with its many gruesome details of teeth pulling (and selling) and grave robbing.

[cjthom · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book had a very Dickensian feel to it. I liked the characters and the atmosphere, but it was a little bit predictable and lacked action.

[joles_3 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Overall I was disappointed by this book. It had redeeming qualities but I wasn't happy about it. The story isn't the least interesting but it feels like a Dickens or Jane Austen novel with the lack of giant climax.I was interested to read everyone's secrets. And I enjoyed the way chapters were set up. Some are from the "memoirs of Ludlow Fitch" others are excerpts from the "Black Book of Secrets" while others are the authors cohesive thoughts tying the two works together.The most interesting part of the book to me was the addendum giving a glimpse into the history of bodysnatching, meat pies and tooth extractors.The book is an easy read, but I felt like I was forcing myself to get through it until close to the end where the climax really hit.I wouldn't say don't waste your time on the book, but be ready to force-feed it to yourself.I'm sure there will be a second book because of loose ends. (Although, the story could end here.)

[lefty33 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

**Spoiler Warning**Ludlow Fitch escapes a wretched existence to begin an uncertain one. Ludlow happens upon Secret Pawnbroker Joe Zabbidou and begins to learn the trade -- pawning secrets. Joe buys secrets from the burdened townspeople and as the secrets are told, Ludlow records them in the Black Book. The small town, which had been run by a greedy landlord, is spared from one man's greed and multitudes of guilt.I thought this was an original story. I liked the idea of haunting secrets being transferred into a book and haunting no more. Ludlow and Joe are fun characters to get to know and wondering how they would resolve their problems kept me interested throughout the book. The questions at the end regarding Joe's past and Ludlow's future made me hope for a sequel.

[smithsj01_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a fast-paced compelling read. I enjoyed every aspect of this book and feel it is 4.5 stars out of 5. The other missing half is because I couldn’t visualise all of the characters – mainly Joe Zabbidou, which for me was a shame. Jeremiah Ratchett was my favourite character and was seemingly straight out of a Dickens’ novel. He was fantastic! Just the right amount of evil and inquisitiveness to keep younger readers engaged. If you have an imagination then this is the book for you, regardless of your age. It is primarily about intrigue, mystery and magic and with this crossover it doesn’t matter if one particular aspect of it is not your usual cup of tea. There’s something in it for all ages and both genders. When Ludlow Fitch makes the hasty decision to leave his home town after suffering years of abuse from his parents, he doesn’t know where his path will take him. Luckily, it takes him to Joe Zabbidou and his black book of secrets. Joe takes Ludlow under his wing, although it isn’t until the end that we really know why.Speaking of the ending, this is excellent and Higgins wrote this beautifully, the imagery was tremendous. I’d be more than happy to go on and read ‘The Bone Magician’ and also further instalments of Ludlow’s adventures.

[emhromp2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a very very very pleasant surprise. I didn't stop reading until I'd finished the book. It is very unpredictable, very lovingly written, I liked the characters, in short, I liked everything about the book! It's 'Gothic Fun' and I would DEFINITELY recommend it to anyone.

[wyvernfriend · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

When his parents try to sell his teeth (fresh from his mouth) to get money for drink, Ludlow Fitch runs away from home. He finds himself in a town and comes into contact with Joe Zabbidou, a pawnbroker, not only of items but of secrets and the secrets he collects changes Pagus Parvus.It's a fun, quick read. While there were parts that seemed a bit rushed and unexplained the story kept me reading.

[br14almo · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book The Black of Secrets is a boring book with an introduction that left me bored. The style of F.E. Higgins writing is odd and the hard cover was appealing. But not appealing enough, because the book has no motive to it. in conclusion I give this book an early said 3.5 unless your ready for a boring read that starts up slowly, this is not your book.

[jadedog13 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is a magical story about a young boy, Ludlow Fitch who leaves his rotten parents and meets up with Joe Zabbidou, a secret pawnbroker. Joe is opening his pawnshop in a poor town that is controlled by an evil man who delights in kicking people out of their homes. Joe can't solve their problems, or the problems of Ludlow, but he encourages people to be patient and good things will come... The story is charming but has a few important twists that young people might miss. Without them, the story is a bit confusing.

[merryann-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It had been a very long time since I'd been surprised by a book. Let's face it, plots can grow predictable, and this is not a bad thing; as a reader I most certainly do look for 'B' to follow 'A'. When I started The Black Book of Secrets I expected a decent story. I got that...and then I got more. Soon, I was lost in the book, having no idea what was going to come next, and loving every minute of it, right through the final page. Highly recommended.

[johngrant1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is one of those books that bedclothes and flashlights were invented for. Young pickpocket Ludlow Fitch escapes his frightful parents in the City and finds himself in the remote village of Pagus Parvus. There he's taken in as apprentice by another newcomer to the village, Joe Zabbidou (as in "Zabbi Zabbi Dou!" this erstwhile Flintstones fan kept thinking), who's a pawnbroker of secrets -- that is, people tell him their deepest secrets while Ludlow records them in Joe's mysterious black book, and then Joe pays them. At first Ludlow naturally thinks the purpose is blackmail, but that isn't it at all . . .

I assume there's a paperback of this by now, but I haven't seen it. The hardback, though, is only $14.95, and I would say worth every penny. Not only is this a book you'll probably want to read again yourself, you're likely to find yourself forcing it on your friends. But that's not the only reason you might want to opt for the hardback. Whoever designed this (Susan Walsh for the book and Rich Deas for the cover, it says here) was obviously as nuts about the novel as I am, because everything about the production looks, feels and even smells appropriate for what's essentially a modern rendering of those books that have had generations of kids reading them obsessively and clandestinely. My only quibble with The Black Book of Secrets is that Higgins seems to be setting herself up at the end for a sequel or even a series, and this is a book that should be left to stand alone as the wonderful creation it is; any sequel can only, by its very existence, detract.

[rosa.mill · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Ludlow runs away from his parents in the city when they try to pull his teeth out so they can have more gin money. He immediately hops on the back of a carriage and ends up in small mountain village where things are very wrong. The local lord has everyone in debt to him and he is using that debt to perform illegal activities. Ludlow ends up working for Joe Zabidou a pawn broker who also deals in secrets. Ludlow wants to trust Joe but he also feels like should do something about the land lord but he wants it to be legal. Ludlow is torn but it quickly becomes clear that the town can't take much more.

Quick, dark mysterious read. Very enjoyable.

[emmabtate · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A really good children's novel, some dark bits in places, but my kids loved it. A really atmospheric mystery story, and I am off to the library to borrow some more by this author!

[arkrayder · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Joe Zabbidou is a secret pawnbroker, who pays for people’s secrets and records them in a black book. Hence the title. Ludlow Fitch is a pickpocket who escapes from his parents as they prepare to sell his teeth to keep them in gin. Pagus Parvus a small desolate mountain village is where these two characters meet and so unfolds a tale that has echoes of Dickens in its atmosphere, dark landscape, gravediggers, street urchins, and a fiendish landlord.The story never dawdles as Zabbidou collects the town's catalog of unhappiness, while his own secret intentions are an enigma to everyone even Ludlow Fitch who he has befriended and taken under his wing.The author uses the device of claiming to have found extracts of Joe's book and Ludlow's memoirs, bridging the gaps with her imagination. The images used are deep-rooted imagery (rat pies, people buried alive) and contrasts of light and dark to illuminate the loneliness of wealth and despair. The story has a share of suspense and the intriguing idea that fear of our own actions is our greatest enemy. The ending leaves an opening for future volumes. This book is a smart, curiously thrilling tale, which for all the grisly details, gets at themes about self-determination and trust. Original and engrossing, The Black Book Of Secrets is a compelling read.

[68papyrus · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Loved this book! It's the perfect book to cozy up with on a chilly winter night. I highly recommend it for fans of Charles Dickens or Roald Dahl.