The BigBadRead was inspired by Mark Walden’s debut children’s novel H.I.V.E. Standing for Higher Institute of Villainous Education, H.I.V.E is a comedy thriller about a young boy, Otto Malpense, who finds himself at a mysterious school where he is to be trained as a master villain. H.I.V.E is the second school, along with Hogwarts, on Bloomsbury children’s list that readers will wish they could attend.

Mark Walden has always been intrigued by villains: ‘Who wouldn’t want to write about villains? They have the best lines, the best costumes and the best toys! You can get away with a lot more with a villain too, they can do things that would be wholly out of character for the hero and for me that makes them far more interesting’

Click here to visit the H.I.V.E. website