Ghost of the Firth

Beneath the Law by Julie Campbell

Berwick Law is the hill that dominates North Berwick, a picturesque town on the River Forth a short train ride from Edinburgh. With sweeping views across the Forth to the Bass Rock and Fife and home to seabirds, crows (the clever, talking kind) and the ghost of a whale.

One crow, actually a piebald Jackdaw, makes friends with the ghost whale. He was a bold whale, a little too bold, and he took an inadvisable trip up the River Tay – a whaling port at the time. Hence his ghostliness. But why does he linger on, why does he stay around the Law?

Under the hill is dark and cool. I like it here. Aw come on! You just like to hide in there so you can dream of the sea. Is that what you want to do forever? Just hide and dream? You gotta wake up and live!

The whale has lost his boldness and courage in death. This is the story of how the spectral behemoth tries to get it back.

Julie’s dialog brings this whale tale to life wonderfully with the chatty Jackdaw and his other beaky pals.

Perhaps most striking is the art. The whale and the birds are beautifully rendered – I imagine a lot of observation and reference work by the author. The colour palette is in shades of striking sea-green – cold and fresh, even a little eerie.