Most days, the seaside town of Elston-Fright is a sleepy fishing village, but that all changes when its lighthouse goes dark. And in the dark is where spooky sorts are found.
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To the rescue comes Flip Little, and his ghostly friends, Corpse and Girl. They'll need to work together to find and return the missing Light to the lighthouse, and save their town from the ancient weather ghouls.
For most readers, that town will seem a mystical, far off place. But for Dunsborough locals, it will seem eerily familiar.
Author Reece Carter spent much of his childhood around Geographe Bay, and used its coastline as inspiration for the setting of his now two-part series of children's novels.
The first instalment, A Girl Called Corpse, was released last year to rave reviews. Now its sequel, The Lonely Lighthouse of Elston-Fright, has hit shelves.
"When I started writing A Girl Called Corpse I intended it to be a standalone title, but by the time I'd finished it I realised that Elston-Fright was too full of secrets, too riddled with potential for more adventures. I knew straightaway that I had to write more," Carter said.
Carter grew up in the Wheatbelt town of Tammin, but spent large chunks of his childhood with family in Dunsborough, and around Cape Leeuwin. He said landmarks in the area directly inspired locations in the novels.
The lighthouse at the centre of the novel is based on the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse, and The Rock That Doesn't Exist - the mystical home of the series' ghostly characters - was inspired by Sugarloaf Rock. There also appears "A familiar cave" later in the story, which Carter didn't want to spoil.
"It's a beautiful part of the world we have," he said.
"As soon as I step out of the car when I'm down south, this feeling just washes over me. There's just something magical about it.
"There's something about the fact that it is slightly removed. Almost a little isolated. It makes it feel like there's secrets hidden in its bones, and that there's magic and stories to be told."
The Lonely Lighthouse of Elston-Fright is the second of what will be a three book series. Carter currently lives in Sydney, but he's headed home soon to draw inspiration for the next chapter in the world he's built.
"The deeper I get into the world, and the more of the world I create, the more stories I want to tell, so we'll see if three is the end."
The first installment was shortlisted for an Australian award for its cover design, and illustrator Simon Howe returns for book two.
"Simon Howe is just phenomenal," Carter said.
"His work is beautiful, and it's perfect for the story, and the tone of the story."
Despite being a horror story, full of undead and supernatural abominations, the tone remains light - perfect for its intended middle grade audience. Carter said it's a delicate balance between little moments of humour, while also staying true to the themes.
"I don't shy away from the fact that there is darkness in these stories, and I don't think we should in children's books.
"I don't write these stories because I love terrifying children, obviously.
"I think it's great for kids to see kids overcoming difficulty. We don't write monsters to show kids that monsters exist, we write about monsters to show kids that monsters can be defeated."
The Lonely Lighthouse of Elston-Fright is available now at all good book stores.
