Midnight for Charlie Bone: The Children of the Red King #1

Midnight for Charlie Bone is a 2002 children’s fantasy novel by British author Jenny Nimmo and the first book in her Children of the Red King series. The story follows Charlie Bone, a young boy who discovers that he has the supernatural ability to hear the voices of people in photographs. Once his power awakens, Charlie learns he is one of the “endowed,” descendants of the mysterious Red King who possess abilities ranging from shape-shifting to controlling the weather. Charlie is sent to Bloor’s Academy, a prestigious and secretive boarding school for gifted children. At Bloor’s, Charlie uncovers the mystery behind the missing girl from the first photograph that spoke to him.

This guide is based on the 2003 hardcover edition published by Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic.

Plot Summary

Charlie Bone, a seemingly ordinary boy, returns home from school to find two surprises. An envelope that he expects to contain a photo of his friend Benjamin’s dog instead contains a photo of a man and a baby, and Charlie hears voices coming from it. This catches the attention of his grandmother, Grandma Bone. She calls her sisters to the house, and, under their scrutiny, it is revealed that Charlie has inherited the powers of their family, the Yewbeams, and is one of the “endowed.” They decide he should attend Bloor’s Academy. Charlie has no choice in this because the Yewbeams have financial control over the family, following his father Lyell’s mysterious death years prior.

While Charlie is home alone, a man named Mr. Onimous approaches the house under the pretense of pest control, accompanied by an unusual trio of cats, the Flames. Mr. Onimous suggests to Charlie that the baby in the photo is now at Bloor’s Academy and that he should return the picture to its owner. Charlie takes the photo to Miss Ingledew, the baby’s aunt, who explains the girl was given away by her brother-in-law, Dr. Tolly. She gives Charlie a robotic dog for Benjamin and a mysterious silver case that says “Tolly Twelve Bells” on the side. When Charlie and Benjamin try to open the case, they find it is locked. Charlie returns to Miss Ingledew with Uncle Paton, his grandmother’s reclusive brother, and she gives them a bag of keys. However, when the boys test the keys, none of them fit.

A cheerful music tutor from Bloor’s named Fidelio Gunn arrives to prepare Charlie for classes at Bloor’s Academy, as he will be placed in the music department. Meanwhile, Benjamin warns Charlie that the Yewbeam sisters have been searching for the case. After Mr. Onimous and the Flames fail to open the silver case, Charlie goes to Miss Ingledew again, only to be intercepted by the Head Boy of Bloor’s Academy, Manfred Bloor. Manfred hypnotizes Charlie into reliving his father’s death, and Charlie realizes the older boy was involved in Lyell’s death. Charlie gets Fidelio’s help in hiding the silver case, and, as Charlie packs for school, his mother gives him his father’s tie.

At the academy, Charlie meets fellow students like the endowed Billy Raven. After losing his school cape, Charlie earns detention from Manfred, along with a girl named Olivia Vertigo. Olivia tells Charlie that Gabriel Silk took his cape. Charlie tries to take his cape back from Gabriel that night, but he begs to keep it. When Charlie agrees to the trade, a grateful Gabriel uses his endowment to read the history of Charlie’s tie. He reveals that Lyell isn’t dead. When Charlie is allowed to go home following his detention, he reunites with Benjamin and Fidelio, and the boys show Fidelio the recording they found in the robotic dog. In it, Dr. Tolly says he was coerced into trading his daughter, Emma, by Manfred’s hypnosis. Emma disappeared, along with Lyell, who had attempted to intervene. Meanwhile, back at the school, a lonely Billy is manipulated by the Bloors’ patriarch, Ezekiel, into telling him everything he knows about Charlie in exchange for a promise of adoption.

On Sunday, Benjamin tells Charlie he got a note saying his parents are away in Scotland and are leaving him under the care of a social worker. The boys take Dr. Tolly’s tape to Miss Ingledew and reassure her that they’ll free Emma. They then visit Fidelio’s home and finally open the case. Inside is the figure of a medieval knight that lets off the sound of 12 bells and Latin chants, which Charlie believes can break Emma’s hypnosis. They plan to bring Emma there the next weekend. Benjamin returns home to discover the “social worker” is one of the Yewbeam Sisters. That night, his dog is attacked by a transformed Asa Pike, Manfred’s henchman. Benjamin goes to Paton for help, who contacts Mr. Onimous to save the dog. Paton says his sisters and the Bloors have finally gone too far.

Olivia befriends Emma and takes her to Fidelio’s house, where the children activate the case. It triggers Emma’s memories, and Charlie and Olivia comfort her. Before they can reunite her with Miss Ingledew, she is taken back to Bloor’s Academy by the Moons, where Manfred locks her in a cell. Emma escapes and finds Paton, who takes her to her aunt. Paton tells Charlie that Emma is safe but warns him that someone betrayed them. The Yewbeam Sisters present Charlie with a new school cape. Despite suspecting it to be a trap, he takes the gift.

At Bloor’s Academy, the students participate in the annual “ruin game,” where students search for a hidden medal in the ruins on the school grounds to earn special privileges for the year. During the music department’s turn in the ruins, Charlie realizes his new cape glows in the dark, making him easier to find. After being separated from Fidelio, Charlie runs into Billy, who shows him the medal before disappearing. Alone again, Asa arrives and chases Charlie, but he escapes with Gabriel’s help, who rallies several endowed students to rescue him.

Later, the Moons threaten to take Emma back from Miss Ingledew, as she has no paperwork proving her niece’s identity. Paton goes to Bloor’s Academy and uses his powers to shatter the windows, forcing the Bloors to relent and give him Emma’s papers. The semester ends with no more incidents. At Miss Ingledew’s party, Emma announces her decision to return to Bloor’s to support her friends, and everyone toasts Charlie for his role in the rescue.