A review by crowyhead
Cold Shoulder Road by Joan Aiken

5.0

Sequel to Is Underground. In the previous book in the series, Is Twite travelled north to find her missing cousin, Arun. Now Arun has been found, and they are going back to his home town to reunite him with his mother. But when they get there, they discover that Aunt Ruth has disappeared. Arun's family was part of the Silent Sect, a strange group of true believers who believe that silence is holy and noise is sinful. But things have changed in the sect since Arun left -- there is a new, charismatic leader named Dominic de la Twite, and it seems that he may be Up To No Good. There is also a band of smugglers operating in the area, the Merry Gentry, who are a bunch of very dangerous ne'er-do-wells. Can Is and Arun get to the bottom of things and find his Aunt Ruth? As always, this was a delight; I think Joan Aiken is one of the most consistently clever and inventive authors one could read.