Cadvan of Lirigon, one of the most brilliant Bards of his generation, has been exiled for a terrible crime that unleashed the power of the Bone Queen and wrought destruction across Annar. Meanwhile, in Lirigon, several unnerving events suggest that the Dark is growing in strength once again, and that the Bone Queen may yet lurk in the world. If he is to save both the living and the dead, Cadvan must once again face the evil that almost destroyed him....

Orphan Elizabeth Somers's malevolent guardians ship her away over the holiday break to the Winterhouse Hotel owned by the mysterious Norbridge Falls. Upon arrival, Elizabeth quickly discovers that Winterhouse has many charms - most notably its massive library. It's not long before she locates a magical book of puzzles that will unlock a mystery involving Norbridge, his sinister family, and a fateful curse. As fate would have it, Elizabeth is the only...

"Tess and Max encounter a new adventure through time, this time in London at Christmas"--