A high octane, high drama romp, following the adventures of Victorian laundry maid Minnie O'Sullivan and her unforgettable band of friends.

After a series of misfortunes, Minnie O’Sullivan is whisked away to Haddington Hall: a nightmarish home for wayward girls. Bad becomes worse when the hall’s ruthless founder, Mrs Haddington, takes an instant dislike to brave, determined Minnie, and she’s in danger of losing everything… But Minnie has never backed down from a fight in her life, and she’s not about to start now! Irresistible characters and a compulsive plot with twists aplenty; Vivian French conjures up the very spirit of Dickensian England in a wonderful new novel for middle-grade readers.

“Delightful … with its edge-of-your-seat pace, it deserves applause.” Sunday Times (Children's Book of the Week) on The Steam Whistle Theatre Company “Vivian French is a writer of tremendous charm.” Literary Review on The Steam Whistle Theatre Company “Storytelling at its best … a classic in the making.” The Scotsman on The Steam Whistle Theatre Company

• An excellent companion to The Steam Whistle Theatre Company, which received brilliant reviews. 
• Historical storytelling at its finest, in the vein of Emma Carroll, Katherine Woodfine and Hilary McKay.
• Packed with delightful period detail, The Shadows of Haddington Hall would be perfect as part of a KS2 English project – building towards the focus on 19th Century texts in Year 6.