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The Den

Published
Aug 2023
Main Genre
General Fiction General Fiction

About This Book

The complicated nuances of teenage friendship are captured perfectly in this story of summer adventure and exploration by award-winning author Keith Gray.

Marshall feels the need to escape because things are so tough at home. Rory is just happy it's the first day of the summer holidays. While out on their bikes they stumble across a long-forgotten underground bunker at the edge of the woods.

This is the den, and going down inside will stretch their friendship to its limits. There will be rivalry and betrayal, but can wrecked relationships be saved before the summer has even begun?

Reviews

"Gritty, bold and brilliant" – Jonathan Stroud

"A thrilling, deeply moving and tense story, that grips by the throat and refuses to let go. Keith Gray has captured the joy, vulnerability and rawness of being a teenager … Each line is written with searing and piercing clarity … It is a book that stays in your mind and heart long after you close the final page." – Varsha Shah

"One page from Keith and I'm fifteen again, remembering the tensions, the friendships, the endless summer holidays. He's a masterful storyteller: one of the finest we have and that's why I savour every word he writes." – Phil Earle

"Yet again Keith Gray reminds us what a great storyteller he is. A pacy, exciting tale that will have you greedily turning each page." – Brian Conaghan

"Quietly powerful and deceptively simple, The Den is a gripping story from a master of teenage voice. Keith Gray writes about the rawness of friendship and family life with real wit and heart." – Lesley Parr

About the author

KEITH GRAY's debut novel Creepers was published when he was only 24 and was shortlisted for the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize. His subsequent books include Ostrich Boys which was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal as well as the Costa Children's Book Award and has been adapted for the stage, The Last Soldier which was shortlisted for the Scottish Teen Book Awards, and The Runner which won the Smarties Silver Medal. Keith lives with his family in Vienna, Austria, where he co-founded the writer development community Kulturverein: Sunday Writers' Club.

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Formats & Editions

Browse the different covers, formats, and publication history for this title.

Paperback

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Paperback
Aug 2023 Barrington Stoke Ltd ISBN 1800901917
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Paperback
Jan 2025 Union Square & Co. ISBN 1454958499
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eBook

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eBook
First Edition Aug 2023 Barrington Stoke Ltd ISBN 1800903022
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eBook
Dec 2013 -- Not Selected ISBN B00I0E8YD8
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Audio

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Audible
Mar 2023 -- Not Selected ISBN B0B23DGJPC
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