If a story has a cemetery central to its plot, you know things are going to be interesting. In The Key to Extraordinary by Natalie Lloyd, the protagonist Emma lives in an old church that has been turned into a cafe and is next to a famous cemetery in the town of Blackwood Hollow.

Emma loves her home-cum-cafe, as it has memories of her mother who has passed away and is next to the graveyard where her mother is buried. Emma gives tours at the cemetery and knows all about the people who rest there, and all the local stories and legends about the place too.

She cherishes everything of her mother, especially a book she gave, The Book of Days, which is a family heirloom. It contains stories, admonitions, newspaper clippings, trinkets and the ‘Destiny Dreams’ of the women in their family. Emma comes from a long line of extraordinary women and Emma has something special in store for her but she doesn’t know what, and this book is all about her quest for it and upholding a remarkable legacy.

Emma finally finds her calling when she gets to know about a legendary treasure rumoured to be hidden in the cemetery, but can she find something that’s been missing for centuries and might be protected by a mysterious singing ghost? Emma also needs to find this treasure for it’s the only way to save her beloved Boneyard Cafe from being sold.

The Key to Extraordinary has a vibrant, magical setting seeped in memories, traditions, history, legends, ghosts and all the emotions that go with these. The characters are well-drawn and lovable, even the minor ones come alive through the writer’s skilled depiction.

Published in Dawn, Young World, April 7th, 2018