The stunning story of a young girl's quest to shape her own destiny from the author of the Lie Tree, winner of the Costa Prize 2015 Frances Hardinge weaves a dark, otherworldly tale in a Skinful of Shadows, her first book since the Costa Award-winning the Lie Tree. 'Everyone should read Frances Hardinge Everyone right now' - Patrick Ness 'Hardinge is a talent who deserves to be read by children and adults alike' - Guardian When a creature dies, its spirit can go looking for somewhere to hide. Some people have space inside them, perfect for hiding. Makepeace, a courageous girl with a mysterious past, defends herself nightly from the ghosts which try to possess her. Then a dreadful event causes her to drop her guard for a moment. And now there's a ghost inside her. The spirit is wild, brutish and strong, but it may be her only defence in a time of dark suspicion and fear. As the English Civil War erupts, makepeace must decide which is worse: Possession or death.