The final instalment in the Books of Beginning series.

Emma, Michael and Kate are locked in a race against time: to find their parents; to defeat the evil Dire Magnus; and to locate the final Book of Beginning. When all three books are united, their power will be unstoppable.

Embarking on a perilous journey to the land of the dead, Emma is forced to confront terrifying monsters and ghosts. As the fabric of time begins to fray, she becomes the final piece of an extraordinary puzzle.

Only she can master the Book of Death.

John Stephens received his MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Virginia in 1998. He then moved to Los Angeles, where he has worked as a writer-producer on Gilmore Girls and The O.C. He was most recently executive producer on Seasons 2 and 3 of Gossip Girl and has also directed episodes of The O.C. and Gossip Girl. John Stephens is taking leave from his television career to pursue his passion for writing for children. The Black Reckoning is the final novel in The Books of Beginning series.