Gabriel and the Phantom Sleepers is a companion novel to the Charlie Bone series by Jenny Nimmo. This story focuses on the character of Gabriel Silk, whose family members have been the guardians of the cloak of the Red King for generations. When Gabriel’s father goes away for an alchemist convention, Gabriel becomes the caretaker of the cloak. It is said that this cloak is filled with magical power. If someone were to wear it, they would become completely invincible. Because of this, Gabriel feels an immense responsibility to protect the cloak from evildoers.

To ensure the cloak’s safety, Gabriel is sent to stay at his uncle’s house for protection. During his stay, the unthinkable happens—the Red King’s cloak is stolen. Gabriel now needs the help of his cousin, Sadie, and many of their friends to reclaim the cloak. Unfortunately for Gabriel, he is also being followed by a group of mysterious beings known as the Phantom Sleepers. Gabriel will soon find out whether these phantoms are friends or foes.

The Charlie Bone books are some of my favorites, so I was very excited when I learned that Jenny Nimmo recently wrote a couple of new books in the same universe. I had high hopes when I got my hands on this book, but it definitely surpassed my expectations. Just like Nimmo’s other books, this one is very well-written and exciting. The characters are compelling, and the story is filled with action, suspense, and magic. In my opinion, this book is even better than many of the books in the original series. I would highly recommend this book to anyone, but I would suggest reading the original Children of the King series first.