Danger at Kohatu House – Paperback

Two children. One hidden staircase. A journey to the wild whaling days of the 1800s.
When the past swallows you up, will you know how to survive?

Twelve-year-old Tom is stuck in Russell for the holidays. All he wants is a decent internet connection and a chance to compete in a gaming tournament with his friends. Instead, he finds a staircase hidden inside an old house. A staircase that leads to the past.
When Tom and his new friend Pita venture down the mysterious stairs, they find themselves in nineteenth-century New Zealand, where whaling ships fill the bay and danger waits at every turn.
Tricked aboard a whaling ship, the boys are swept into a deadly mystery surrounding the legendary Bear Tooth, a scrimshaw treasure rumoured to hold magical powers. Someone will do anything to possess it. Even kill.
Far from home and trapped at sea, Tom and Pita must uncover the truth and find a way back to shore. If they fail, they could be carried across the world and lost in the past forever.

An exciting time-travel adventure filled with mystery, Danger at Kohatu House explores themes of courage, friendship, identity, heritage and belonging.

If you enjoy Lucy M. Boston’s Green Knowe series or Tom’s Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce, you’ll love this gripping time-travel adventure.

Book 3 in The Secret Staircase Series