A darkly comic Dickensian ghost story from Blue Peter Award winner Gareth P. Trouble is afoot on the 'other side' - there is a horrible disease that is mysteriously imprisoning ghosts into empty houses in the world of the living. And Sam is caught in the middle - will he be able to bring himself to help?Blue Peter Award winner Gareth P.

Sam glanced at his uncle. He had no desire to reveal his gift to him. He tried to ignore the ghost but she continued to go on. 'They say you're a Talker. You can hear and see us. They say you'll help us. Please help me. I must tell my Tom not to marry her.' Sam disliked the maudlers and the mopers most of all, always coming to him, begging for help. At least this one was pretty. A few years older than Sam, twenty perhaps, but even in death he could see she had been a beauty. He shifted his eyes to indicate that he would speak with her outside, then poured a ladleful of soup into the bowl and placed it back in front of his uncle. 'You shouldn't listen to your old man,' said Uncle Jack. 'We used to be as thick as thieves, me and him. I don't know what he's said about me before, but every story has two sides. Most have more.' 'He's never mentioned you,' replied Sam honestly. Jack swallowed a mouthful of soup. 'This tastes better now, lad. You'll make someone a good wife some day.' He laughed. 'Oh, there you go again with your sulky looks. It was a joke.' The lady in the nightdress sniffed. 'And pay no attention to her, neither,' added Jack in a hushed voice. 'I'll bet her chap's better off with the sister than with that moaning old trout.'