The Sign of the Raven

‘Incredibly vivid storytelling - atmospheric, dangerous and fast-paced. Pippa Dunn is a wonderful new voice!’ – Jasbinder Bilan, winner of the Costa Children's Book Award

'The Sign of the Raven is that rare thing: a book at once timely and timeless, which will captivate readers for years to come. Spellbinding, exhilarating and full of heart, Ashlyn's story is destined to be an instant classic.' – Bori Cser, author of Mirrorwoven

'With richly imagined historical detail, beautiful writing and a plucky heroine, I galloped through sixteen year old Ashlyn’s double life as a government messenger by day and lucid dreamer by night. Fresh and original, this is a fantastic teen adventure and I’m sure it will fly off the shelves!' – A. M. Howell, bestselling author of The House of One Hundred Clocks

'A dazzling dream of a debut. Gorgeously written and impossible to put down, this is an extraordinary story. I loved it!' – Laura Noakes, award-winning author of the Cosima Unfortunate series

'Utterly enthralling, The Sign of the Raven lovingly creates a new Victorian world' – Dr Fern Riddell. Historian. Author. Broadcaster

In this teen historical fantasy set in nineteenth-century London, the boundary between sleep and the waking world begins to dissolve, forcing one audacious dreamer to face a reality more dangerous than any nightmare.

Sixteen-year-old Ashlyn Threadneedle lives a double life. By day she works as a government messenger for Lord Whitaker, but by night she escapes into vivid, lucid dreams, navigating the Stream – a dreamworld in which time bends and the only limit is her imagination.

When her long-dead mother appears in a dream, secrets of the Stream are uncovered, Ashlyn's life is turned on its head, and the future of her loved ones hangs in the balance. In a quest for answers, she joins a secret society of lucid dreamers who are fighting to protect the Stream from a powerful enemy who wants to manipulate people's thoughts and seize control of London.

Ashlyn must unravel the mysteries of her family and the Stream before the freedom of thought is lost. But the Stream is a dangerous place and Ashlyn must risk both her past and future to protect the freedom of thought itself.

Experience Ashlyn’s adventure in a whole new world with full sound design throughout the audiobook. Enjoy the expressive and atmospheric music and sound effects that captures the audiobooks’ tone and enhances Daphne Kouma’s warm and thrilling narration.

Pippa Dunn grew up in a misty mill village on the edge of the Peak District. She began her career by founding an independent Scottish arts festival, and then moved to London to work with a whole host of charities. Now, Pippa lives in Hackney with her husband, and can usually be found scribbling in one of her local coffee shops, exploring London’s hidden history, or waiting for the lights to go down at one of the city’s many theatres.

Daphne Kouma brings her magical voice to this thrilling adventure set in an alternate London. This adds to her library of over 130 books narrated, including Antonia Hodgson’s The Raven Scholar for which she won the 2025 Earphones award for Best Narrator: Fantasy.

© 2026 Pippa Dunn (P) 2026 DK Audio