Darkside by Tom Becker

“The darkening son, I can feel the darkening…”

Jonathan Starling is used to being on his own, going unnoticed by
almost everyone around him. His mother disappeared before he was old
enough to remember her and his father, Alain, spends the majority of
his time locked away in his study, suffering periodic episodes,
claiming he can feel “the darkening” that is coming. With only his
neighbor Mrs. Elwood to keep an eye on him, London is Jonathan’s
playground.

One night, while alone in his house after another one of his
father’s breakdowns, Jonathan hears an intruder downstairs. He runs
hiding in his father’s study barricading the door while something
scratches violently trying to get in. The next day at the library he is
almost kidnapped by a strange woman and two sinister looking men.

When Alain hears of these events sends his son to seek out Carnegie,
the only one who would be able to protect him. However, Carnegie lives
in a part of London that most people have never noticed…and are better
off for it. Called Darkside, it is home to the city’s most dangerous
and undesirable people and creatures, none of whom should ever be
trusted. With people who will stop at nothing to capture him, will
Jonathan be able to find safety a place like Darkside? And more
importantly, exactly who is after him?

This is a great book for fans of Darren Shan’s Cirque du Freak
series. Becker has created a spine chilling world, filled with things
that go bump in the night. Originally published in England, Darkside is the first in a series; the sequel Lifeblood is also currently available.