Four of the seven Trustees have been defeated and their Keys taken, but for Arthur, the week is still getting worse. Suzy Blue and Fred Gold Numbers have been captured by the Piper, and his New Nithling army still controls most of the Great Maze. Superior Saturday is causing trouble wherever she can, including turning off all the elevators in the House and blocking the Front Door.
Amidst all this trouble, Arthur must weigh an offer from Lady Friday that is either a cunning trap for the Rightful Heir or a golden opportunity he must seize--before he's beaten to it!
From School Library Journal
Grade 6–9—Arthur Penhaligon is having a bad week. Of course he is now "Lord Arthur, Rightful Heir to the Architect, Commander of the Army of the Architect, and a whole lot of other stuff" since defeating Sir Thursday, but his job certainly isn't any easier. Lady Friday has supposedly abandoned her claim to the Middle House, and she has challenged Arthur, the Piper, and Superior Saturday to find the Fifth Key and gain control of the Middle. Meanwhile, Arthur's friend Leaf has been captured by Lady Friday and is being used to lure Arthur into her trap. She has become obsessed with "Experiencing" mortal memories and is bent on taking as many humans as she can. As with other books in the series, this story is replete with characters that are good, bad, and ambiguous. The plot is complex, and readers need to read the four previous books to have any sense of what is going on in this one. As always, Nix's writing is witty and the plays on words are entertaining. The author gives just enough new information to keep the series' fans coming back for more, but he doesn't answer many questions.—Cheri Dobbs, Detroit Country Day Middle School, Beverly Hills, MI
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Review
"[Garth Nix is] the coolest read in the playground." Amanda Craig --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
About the Author
Award-winning GARTH NIX is the New York Times bestselling author of The Keys to the Kingdom series, as well as the acclaimed novels Sabriel, Lirael, and Abhorsen. He lives in Sydney, Australia, with his wife and children. When he’s not writing, Garth enjoys bodysurfing and fishing.