If you’ve spent any time at 35 Portland Row, you know the vibe. Tea, toast, Lucy’s slightly dry wit, and Anthony Lockwood’s infuriatingly charming smile that usually means you're about to die. But here is the thing: most fans of Jonathan Stroud’s universe have devoured the five main novels, yet a surprising number of people have never actually read Lockwood and Co The Dagger in the Desk.
It’s weird.
Actually, it’s more than weird; it’s a genuine shame because this short story is basically the distilled essence of what makes the series work. It was originally released as a sort of "interactive" project with The Guardian, where fans could vote on certain elements of the plot. You’d think that would make it feel disjointed or gimmicky. It doesn’t. It feels like a lost episode of a cult-classic TV show that you found on a dusty VHS tape in a haunted basement.
What is Lockwood and Co The Dagger in the Desk actually about?
The premise is deceptively simple.
A school is haunted.
Typical, right? The headmaster of a school in London is dealing with a haunting that is frankly ruining the vibe of his institution. Enter our favorite psychic detection agency. Unlike some of the high-stakes political maneuvering in The Empty Grave or the grand scale of The Whispering Skull, this story is a localized, claustrophobic nightmare.
The haunting involves a particular desk. And, as you might have guessed from the title, a dagger.
What makes this specific case interesting is how Stroud uses the medium of a short story to showcase Lucy Carlyle’s "Listening" talent. In the main books, we get deep dives into her evolving powers, but here, the brevity forces a focus on the immediate, visceral terror of hearing something that shouldn't be there. The scratch of a pen. The thud of an object. The feeling of a cold spot that isn't just a draft.
The genius of the interactive origins
Back in 2013, Stroud teamed up with The Guardian to let kids and fans help shape this narrative. It was a bold move. Usually, when a writer lets the public touch their world, it turns into a mess. But Stroud managed to weave the audience's suggestions—like specific ghost types or locations—into a seamless piece of canon.
Honestly, if you didn't know it was interactive, you wouldn't guess.
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It feels purposeful. The ghost at the center of the mystery isn't just a "Type One" or "Type Two" filler. It has a tragic, sharp-edged history that fits perfectly into the grim, alternate-history London where "The Problem" has turned the world upside down.
The setting: Why schools are scarier than graveyards
There’s something uniquely unsettling about a school at night. We’ve all felt it. The long hallways that look like they’re stretching, the smell of floor wax and old paper, the silence that feels heavy. Lockwood and Co The Dagger in the Desk leans hard into this.
Graveyards are expected. You go there expecting ghosts. But a school is a place of life, noise, and chaos. When you strip that away and replace it with a malevolent spirit and a sharp piece of iron, the contrast is jarring. Lockwood, Lucy, and George (yes, George and his snacks are present) have to navigate this familiar-yet-alien landscape.
George’s research is, as usual, the backbone of the operation. He finds the "Why."
Why is there a dagger?
Who put it there?
The story reminds us that ghosts in this world aren't just monsters; they are echoes of human failure. Someone failed here. Someone was angry. Someone was hurt. And now, the kids—because let’s not forget the agents are literally children—have to clean up the mess left by the adults of the past.
The Lockwood, Lucy, and George dynamic
If you’re here for the banter, you won’t be disappointed.
Short stories often sacrifice character for plot. Stroud doesn't. You still get that sense of Lockwood’s reckless confidence which is secretly masking a lot of trauma. You get Lucy’s grounded, often skeptical perspective. And you get George being the smartest person in the room while probably having crumbs on his sweater.
It’s the "found family" trope done right.
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They don't just work together; they survive together. In Lockwood and Co The Dagger in the Desk, the stakes aren't the end of the world, but they feel like the end of the world for the person being haunted. That’s the secret sauce of the series. The small cases matter just as much as the big ones because the danger of "Ghost-Lock" is always one mistake away.
One slip of the salt bomb. One second of hesitation with the rapier.
Why the "The Problem" feels so real here
"The Problem"—the epidemic of ghosts that appeared decades ago—is such a brilliant piece of world-building because it’s an economic and social disaster, not just a supernatural one. In this short story, you see the mundane reality of it. A school administrator trying to keep his business running while a spirit literally threatens the students.
It's "business as usual" in a world that is fundamentally broken.
The dagger itself is a "Source." In Stroud’s mythos, finding the Source is the only way to stop a haunting. It’s the physical object the ghost is tied to. Sometimes it’s a bone. Sometimes it’s a locket. Here, it’s a weapon. The irony of a weapon being the source of more violence is a theme that runs through the whole series, but it’s very pointed here (pun intended).
Misconceptions about this "extra" story
A lot of people think they can skip the short stories and novellas.
"It's just a companion piece," they say.
Wrong.
While you won't miss major plot points of the overarching Fittes vs. Rotwell conspiracy, you miss the texture of the world. Lockwood and Co The Dagger in the Desk serves as a bridge. It shows how the agency handles the day-to-day grind. It also features some of the creepiest descriptions Stroud has ever written.
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There’s a specific moment involving the desk that genuinely made me uncomfortable. It’s not gore. It’s the anticipation. The sound of the dagger.
How to actually read it
Since it was a special project, finding it can sometimes feel like a quest in itself. It was published as a small physical book (which is now a bit of a collector's item) but it’s often included in later digital editions or as a bonus in some paperback versions of the main novels.
If you haven’t read it, find it. It takes maybe twenty minutes.
Those twenty minutes will remind you why you fell in love with this series in the first place. It’s the atmosphere. It’s the dread. It’s the click of a rapier being drawn in a dark room.
The legacy of the Lockwood universe
Even though the Netflix show was tragically cut short—don't get me started on that, I'll be here all day—the books remain a masterclass in middle-grade/YA horror. They don't talk down to the reader. They assume you can handle the dark stuff.
Lockwood and Co The Dagger in the Desk is a microcosm of that philosophy. It’s dark, it’s funny, and it’s deeply human. It treats the ghost not just as a target, but as a tragedy to be resolved.
We see the trio at their most efficient. No internal bickering about the "Black Library" or Lockwood’s secret past (well, maybe a little). Just a job to be done.
Actionable steps for the Lockwood fan
If you're looking to dive deeper into this specific story or the series in general, here is what you should actually do:
- Check your local library’s ebook catalog (Libby/Overdrive). Often, this short story is tucked into the "Extras" or "Bonus Material" section of The Screaming Staircase.
- Look for the physical "World Book Day" edition. If you're a collector, this is the one you want. It's a slim, blue volume that looks great on a shelf next to the main hardcovers.
- Read it between books 1 and 2. While it can be read anytime, it fits perfectly early in the series when the trio is still finding their rhythm as a team.
- Pay attention to the "Listening" descriptions. Stroud is a master of sensory writing. Try to notice how he describes sounds versus sights; it’s a lesson in building suspense without relying on visual "jump scares."
- Don't ignore the George moments. In such a short narrative, every line counts. George’s observations about the dagger’s history provide a lot of "blink and you’ll miss it" lore about how Sources work.
Ultimately, this isn't just a "bonus." It’s a core part of the Lockwood experience. It captures that specific feeling of being young, slightly terrified, and incredibly brave, all while trying to make sure you have enough tea biscuits for the ride home.
The dagger is waiting. The desk is cold. You should probably bring some iron filings, just in case.