UNIT: The Secret of Foxfell Forest and The Lucy Wilson Mysteries: The Twelve Days of Christmas are coming soon
Candy Jar Books have announced two new books in their ranges of new adventures in the Whoniverse. UNIT: The Secret of Foxfell Forest continues to explore the earliest days of Earth’s defenders. Meanwhile The Twelve Days of Christmas finally collects in physical form Lucy Miller stories previously only available online.
UNIT: The Secret of Foxfell Forest
The third of the new UNIT range of novels, The Secret of Foxfell Forest, is by popular writer Nick Walters
Range Editor Tim Gambrell tells how this book came about. He says: “Nick contributed one of the early Lethbridge-Stewart novels, Mutually Assured Domination, so it adds a pleasant symmetry having him write one of the first UNIT novels, too. We talked over some initial ideas before Nick suggested he bring back the Valethske from his 2001 BBC [Past Doctor Adventure] Superior Beings. When he laid out the basic premise of The Secret of Foxfell Forest, I knew we were on to a winner.
“Nick’s passion and enthusiasm for the Valethske and the story he wanted to tell was evident from the start,” continues Gambrell. “We agreed the UNIT character split between Foxfell and Iain McLaughlin’s Catacombs of Seville – with the events of both books happening at the same time – and really I just had to light the blue touchpaper and sit back. Having decided that UNIT books two and three would take place simultaneously, splitting the regular cast between them, it was important to make sure both books didn’t tread similar ground.
“It was also important to make sure the stories they told were to the best scale. I think both Nick and Iain judged things perfectly. We have two books telling very different stories, yet both very much UNIT stories. While The Catacombs of Seville takes Major Branwell and Corporal Benton to Spain, The Secret of Foxfell Forest has the more traditional setting of an English manor house and woodland for Captain Turner and CSM Nicholls to explore. And with the Valethske it’s great to have a link to the old BBC Books range.”
“What if the Valethske crash-landed on Earth?”
Author Nick Walters explains the background to the story: “The story of The Secret of Foxfell Forest goes back a long way. It’s an idea I had right after writing Superior Beings, over twenty years ago. What if the Valethske crash-landed on Earth? How would they survive? Because they see humans only as prey – they do not differentiate between us and, say, pigs. They are totally inimical to humans. If you encounter them, it’s game over, man, game over! But stranded on Earth and outnumbered, a handful of Valethske would need to find new ways to adapt and survive.
“So when I was asked to do a UNIT story, this idea resurfaced,” he continues. “UNIT versus the Valethske – it was irresistible. But I wanted this to be more than a mere shoot-em-up, as there’s more to UNIT and the Valethske than that. I wanted to show how UNIT deals intelligently and compassionately with alien threats, and how the Valethske are not mere monsters, but people in their own right, without compromising either. UNIT are still a force to be reckoned with – and the Valethske are still something to be feared. And without giving too much away, they retain their savage integrity right to the end.”
Walters’ new text is mindful that Superior Beings, the BBC Fifth Doctor book which introduced the Valethske “was published over two decades ago and is long out of print. I don’t expect anyone to have read it and you certainly don’t need to have read it before reading The Secret of Foxfell Forest. In fact, it’s probably better the less you know about the Valethske. Having said that, there are Easter eggs for anyone who knows Superior Beings. And, as with Superior Beings, there’s a homage to the film Withnail & I. In fact, the exact same homage! All part of the fun!”
The Lucy Wilson Mysteries: The Twelve Days of Christmas
Candy Jar Books have also announced a new book of festive short stories in The Lucy Wilson Mysteries. This latest collection of Lucy’s chaotic Christmases and will be out before the holiday season kicks off!
The new anthology has the title The Twelve Days of Christmas. It features twelve stories by author Steven Walton, all set just before Christmas 2021. This year’s Christmas instalment begins with a power cut at Lucy’s house, where something mysterious lurks in the darkness in Twelve Drummers Drumming. It wraps up with a whimsical trip around the world with Santa Claus himself in A Partridge in a Pear Tree. While the carol spans Christmas Day to January 5th, these stories take readers on twelve merry adventures leading up to Christmas Day.
In keeping with tradition, The Twelve Days of Christmas was initially free on the Candy Jar website during the lead-up to Christmas 2023 as a gesture of gratitude to fans for their continued support. Following an overwhelmingly positive response, the Candy Jar team felt it was only fitting to release the stories as a collection for Christmas 2024.
Head of publishing at Candy Jar, Shaun Russell, says: “It’s become a bit of a tradition to release a collection of Christmas tales in time for the holidays. A number of our authors have written festive stories for us over the years, it seems to be something that they enjoy and as the whole Candy Jar team loves reading them we wanted to make them easily accessible for fans of the series as well.”
“Writing these stories was an absolute joy.”
The Twelve Days of Christmas is Candy Jar’s third Lucy Wilson Christmas book. The very first collection Christmas Crackers was available online to fans in 2019 and then went to retail in 2021. The second book The Best Christmas Ever followed exclusively to fans in 2022 and then to retail in 2023.
Author, Steven Walton, says: “Writing these stories was an absolute joy. I wanted to capture the spirit of chaos and excitement that the holiday season brings, and I hope readers will find themselves laughing and gasping along the way.”
Earlier in 2024, Steven released his first Lucy Wilson novel, The Mystery of Lucy Wilson: Apocalypse Tomorrow, to all retail outlets. The Twelve Days of Christmas is a great way to close the year. He continues: “The festive spirit is alive in my new book! I can’t wait for readers to join Lucy on her Christmassy adventures.”
Popular Beano artist Steve Beckett continues to helm the series’ artwork. For The Twelve Days of Christmas he delivera one of his most vibrant covers yet, filled with festive finesse.
The Books Council of Wales is distributing The Twelve Days of Christmas. It will be available from all good retailers, including your local independent bookshop.
With guaranteed delivery before Christmas from Candy Jar if ordered before the 15th December 2024.
The Twelve Days of Christmas
By now, Lucy Wilson shouldn’t have expected anything less than a holiday hamper full of monster mayhem at Christmas. But Lucy didn’t really anticipate being attacked by her Christmas dinner!
In the lead-up to Christmas, Lucy must face twelve days of Christmas Chaos. From monsters lurking in the pipes to a Christmas party gone wrong, and even a trip around the world with Santa himself.
This is a collection of twelve stories set just before Christmas 2021. Will Lucy be able to save the world just in time for the holidays?
