In this sequel to The Boggart, Emily and Jessup are back in Scotland to visit Castle Keep, and the family’s Boggart that lives there. The Boggart is a mischievous spirit that usually attaches himself to a particular family.
While in Scotland, they decide to visit Loch Ness, and the Boggart tags along, only to find a familiar presence there. It turns out that the the Loch Ness Monster is a Boggart (the Castle Keep’s Boggart’s cousin), but he’s been sleeping at the bottom of the Loch in the shape of a monster so long, he can’t remember how to return to his natural form. And that’s a bad thing, because a scientist with sonar is making a sweep of the lake, and they’ll probably find him. It’s up to Emily and Jessup and their friends Tommy and Mr. Maconochie to help the Boggart help Nessie find his way back to his true form.
This is a neat little book – it skews a bit younger than many of Cooper’s other books (The Dark is Rising Sequence especially), which makes it a quick read. Like her other books, she offers a great flavor of the place where it’s set – I totally want to go to Scotland now…