Deep Dark

‘Zohra Nabi has clearly done her research. Deep Dark dives into history to enthralling effect. The street life of the time, particularly London’s lost economy of patterers and ballad-sellers, shouting out the latest songs and stories, is brought into raucous, vivid colour … Outstanding.’ –The Times Children's Book of the Week

The dark was deep; it opened like a cavernous mouth and swallowed the boy whole. Cassia Thorne leads a double life. By day, she sells ballads at Bartholomew Fair. By night she spends her evenings locked up in Fleet Prison. Cassia has plans of escaping both of these lives. But this year there are rumours of children being snatched off of the streets of London and no one willing to help.

So Cassia decides to take matters into her own hands; with the help of a young pickpocket, Teo and her friend Felix, Cassia starts to investigate the disappearances. She soon discovers a sinister conspiracy at the heart of the city - mysterious men in blue coats and whispers of a beast that lives in the deep dark tunnels below the city. Can Cassia get to the bottom of the mystery and rescue the missing children before it's too late?

Join Cassia and her friends on a spine-tingling supernatural adventure through the streets of London!

This is a breathtaking new direction from a rising star and the author of The Kingdom Over the Sea, a Waterstone's Children's Book of month.

Praise for Deep Dark:

'This book is stunning – Zohra Nabi writes like a dream and has achieved the impossible by conjuring up a living, breathing Victorian London right before my eyes. I felt like I was right there with Cassia while reading it, magic sparkling around us.' – Natasha Hastings, author of The Miraculous Sweetmakers

‘A spine-tingling, Dickensian adventure.’ – The Bookseller

'Meticulously researched and sparklingly written, with an irresistible heroine.' – The Guardian

‘An atmospheric adventure with a wonderfully engaging heroine – this richly evocative story will sweep you away to the streets of 19th century London.’ – Katherine Woodfine, author of The Clockwork Sparrow

© 2025 Simon & Schuster Audio UK (Audiobook): 9781398532885

Release date

Audiobook: 27 March 2025