It has been adapted into various mediums, including a play script, feature film titled Seventh Son, and a French graphic novel.

It is revealed that one of the deceased was Billy Bradley, who had his finger bitten off and died from loss of blood while fighting a particularly dangerous boggart.

The contract states that as long as the roof is standing, the boggart must guard the home and kill intruders (as well as cook and clean for the Spook and his apprentices).

Tom is sent out on an errand to pick up some food for the house (as the boggart kills guests, provisions are supplied by having someone go to the town grocer).

Tom refuses and the boys are about to beat him when suddenly a girl in pointy shoes shows up and scares them away by telling them a certain person is back.

The mysterious girl's name is Alice Deane, and she is a relative of some of the most dangerous witches in the county: Mother Malkin and Bony Lizzie.

Alice tricks Tom into giving cakes, which he does not know contain blood, to Mother Malkin, a powerful witch Gregory has imprisoned in his garden.

In 1983, upon relocating to the village of Stalmine, Joseph Delaney stumbled upon historical accounts of a boggart discovered there by a priest, a detail he meticulously documented.

[2] Struggling to gain traction with science fiction and fantasy novels aimed at adults, his agent suggested exploring writing for a younger audience, in line with a children's publisher's requirements.

[3] To meet the publisher's criteria, Delaney revisited a story he had crafted in 1993, drawing inspiration from Stalmine's boggart and Lancashire's folklore, history and geography.

[13] Lawrence Downes, writing for The New York Times, stated that Delaney's narrative effectively builds suspense through eerie encounters and atmospheric illustrations, but the story's reliance on exposition occasionally detracts from its potential enchantment.

It was directed by Sergey Bodrov, and Ben Barnes played Tom Ward, Jeff Bridges was the Spook, Julianne Moore was Mother Malkin, Alicia Vikander was Alice Deane, Kit Harington was Billy Bradley, Djimon Hounsou was Radu (an original character), and Antje Traue was Bony Lizzie.