The Wolves of Greycoat Hall: Boris in Switzerland; Lucinda Gifford

With his parents heading to Switzerland to go and look after Great Aunt Orfilia following her accident, Boris is being packed off for a term at the prestigious Institute of International Excellence. But on arriving things are not excellent for Boris. He’s stuck in the scholarship room - which is more like a broom cupboard - with a strange roommate, has worries about food and friends, and the principal and vice principal are incredibly rude. Things then get more worrying…Boris spots a shadowy nighttime figure - is it a ghost? Someone leaves him a threatening note. And the principal won’t let him look at the school’s priceless collection of famous art masterpieces. Something funny is going on at the school and Boris is going to sniff out the truth…

I love a good boarding school story and this is a cracking read which I’ll be howling loudly about. Boris in Switzerland is the second book starring Boris, Leonora and Randall, aka the Wolves of Greatcoat Hall. It isn’t a problem if you are not familiar with the first book as this reads perfectly well as a standalone.

Well-written and full of super illustrations, this wolfish adventure of heroes and villains is a delight from start to finish. Great characters, an intriguing mystery to solve, lots of delicious Swiss food, and themes of inclusivity, diversity, friendship, family and bullying will have readers gobbling up this as quickly as Boris devours a cheese platter.

With huge thanks to Walker for the copy I received in exchange for an honest review.

Recommended for 7+.