When Valkyrie Cain, who carries a dark secret, decides that “sealing” her true name – Darquesse – will save the world from destruction and secretly meets doctor Nye for the required procedure, little does she realise that those who regard her as their new saviour are already out to destroy the world.

The “body-snatching Remnants”, who take over innocent mortals to achieve their mission, pose a stiff challenge to Cain, Skulduggery Pleasant and his loyal band of assistants. Will the Magician-Warrior-Detective and Cain be forced to accept defeat?

‘Skulduggery Pleasant Mortal Coil’, the fifth book in the ‘Skulduggery Pleasant’ series, is a chilling account of blood-thirsty Remnants and crazy necromancers. It is also yet another heady adventure of the exploits of the skeleton detective and his team in a very creepy world.

Pretty young Stephanie Edgely or Cain, who is the central character of this story, is sure to find favour with the reader because she has a mind of her own. She has her demons — rather vampires — to slay. And she faces them with courage.

The story is a treat for those who love edge-of-the-seat action. The encounters with Tesseract, the hired killer, merit particular mention.

Book: Skulduggery Pleasant — Mortal Coil
Author: Derek Landy
Publisher: HarperCollins
Price: Rs 299