Department Nineteen

Department 19 introduces Jamie Carpenter, a teenager whose life is upended by personal tragedy and a shocking discovery: a secret organization, Department 19, dedicated to battling supernatural forces like vampires. Founded by Abraham Van Helsing, this group pulls Jamie into a dangerous world spanning historical periods and global locations, from Victorian London to Arctic Russia. The book masterfully blends elements of a modern thriller with classic horror, offering a fast-paced, suspenseful narrative. Parents should be aware of themes of grief, loss, and moderate violence inherent in a story about fighting monsters, but it also explores themes of belonging, bravery, and justice.

Jamie Carpenter's father is dead, his mother is missing, and he was just rescued by an enormous creature named Frankenstein. Now Jamie is pulled into a secret organization responsible for policing the supernatural, founded more than a century ago by Abraham Van Helsing. . . . Department Nineteen takes us through history, across Europe, and beyond - from the cobbled streets of Victorian London to prohibition-era New York, from the icy wastes of Arctic Russia to the treacherous mountains of Transylvania. Part modern thriller, part classic horror, it's packed with mystery, mayhem, and a level of suspense that makes a Darren Shan novel look like a romantic comedy.