Locke & Key by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez

Locke & Key is an amazing graphic novel series that takes the reader on a spellbinding trip from start to finish. Locke & Key centres on the Locke family, still reeling from the callous and brutal murder of Rendell Locke – husband to Nina, father to Tyler, Kinsey and Bode. The grief-stricken family relocate to Rendell’s childhood home: The Keyhouse in Lovecraft, Massachusetts. Unbeknown to them there is a creature of great evil lurking in the Keyhouse - the truly maniacal Dodge.

Sociopath Sam Lesser (the man who killed Rendell Locke) is fed messages from Dodge via pictures and communication through telepathy. Dodge convinces Sam to free him from the well where he is trapped at the Keyhouse to take revenge upon the Lockes. Sam escapes prison and leaves a trail of death and carnage in his wake on his fateful collision course with the Lockes.

Unusual and magical keys are discovered at the Keyhouse manor. With powers such as being able to travel out of your body, replace or insert memories and thoughts from someone’s mind, being able to travel to anywhere you want to go – make no mistake these are very powerful keys!! When Dodge is released from his watery prison in the well the fight for the possession of the keys begins!

Locke & Keye is a fast-paced series, taking the reader on a roller-coaster journey of emotions. You feel what the Lockes are going through - Nina drowning herself in alcohol to kill the pain of losing her husband. Tyler, the reluctant older brother figure - blaming himself for his father’s death. Kinsey, the brave and courageous sister dealing with adolescence while trying to hold the family together. Bode, the youngest of the lot, wise beyond his years and with his close connection to the keys.

Dodge is pure evil and will stop at nothing to get the keys, in particular the Omega Key - which holds the key (pardon the pun) to everything. The origins of the keys are explored as are the back stories to Rendell ,Locke and Dodge. Beautifully illustrated by Gabriel Rodriguez, the artwork flows effortlessly with the amazing story Joe Hill is telling – fully engrossing the reader in this magical world.

Make no mistake there is no smooth sailing throughout this series, no character is safe - I’ve shed a few tears along this journey of reading and re-reading it! I’ve recommended this series to a few people and they’ve all enjoyed it.

There have been talks of a TV Series on Netflix for Locke & Key. If one is made, fingers crossed justice is given to this great body of work. I dug this series so much I got two of the keys as tattoos.

Jump in, take a chance on this series, it’s a fast-paced, violent, emotional and magical spellbinding journey you’ll never forget.

Posted by NN

Catalogue link: Locke & Key: Welcome to Lovecraft (book 1)