The international bestseller * * * * * ‘Profound, funny, clever’ Marian Keyes‘Hilarious and heart-breaking’ Liane Moriarty‘A big, delicious read’ Sierra Greer‘An ingenious concept, beautifully told’ Libby Page* * * * * On a bustling road in Sydney, between a gelato bar and a chemist, lies an unassuming shopfront known simply as the Time Travel Agency. Anna – possibly lightly concussed after a chance encounter with a car, possibly thinking clearly for the first time in a long time – quits her miserable job and agrees to work at the unusual business.Teddy just can't seem to get up since his wife left him for his brother. When he spies an advert promising journeys into your past, he figures he can at least learn what went wrong.And Jade can't stand the place. Behind the cosy waiting room and the smell of freshly brewed coffee, all the agency has to offer is false hope. Over the course of one winter, three lives converge around this unusual agency claiming to offer a chance to revisit past choices. But is it a hoax? And if it's real, what is the catch? * * * * * Readers are loving Time Travel for Beginners 'I couldn’t stop reading it!' 5 stars'What an absolute joy this book is. Perfect antidote to the world' 5 stars'Witty dialogue and creative writing style. I loved all the characters' 5 stars'So multi-layered and so full of heart, it really takes you on an emotional journey' 5 stars'The best kind of book experience for readers all the way around' 5 stars

The international bestseller * * * * * ‘Profound, funny, clever’ Marian Keyes‘Hilarious and heart-breaking’ Liane Moriarty‘A big, delicious read’ Sierra Greer‘An ingenious concept, beautifully told’ Libby Page* * * * * On a bustling road in Sydney, between a gelato bar and a chemist, lies an unassuming shopfront known simply as the Time Travel Agency. Anna – possibly lightly concussed after a chance encounter with a car, possibly thinking clearly for the first time in a long time – quits her miserable job and agrees to work at the unusual business.Teddy just can't seem to get up since his wife left him for his brother. When he spies an advert promising journeys into your past, he figures he can at least learn what went wrong.And Jade can't stand the place. Behind the cosy waiting room and the smell of freshly brewed coffee, all the agency has to offer is false hope. Over the course of one winter, three lives converge around this unusual agency claiming to offer a chance to revisit past choices. But is it a hoax? And if it's real, what is the catch? * * * * * Readers are loving Time Travel for Beginners 'I couldn’t stop reading it!' 5 stars'What an absolute joy this book is. Perfect antidote to the world' 5 stars'Witty dialogue and creative writing style. I loved all the characters' 5 stars'So multi-layered and so full of heart, it really takes you on an emotional journey' 5 stars'The best kind of book experience for readers all the way around' 5 stars

‘Profound, funny, clever’ Marian Keyes‘Hilarious and heart-breaking’ Liane Moriarty‘A big, delicious read’ Sierra Greer‘An ingenious concept’ Libby Page✨🕰️☂️✨🕰️☂️✨🕰️☂️✨🕰️☂️✨🕰️☂️✨🕰️☂️ On a bustling road in Sydney, between a gelato bar and a chemist, lies an unassuming shopfront known simply as the Time Travel Agency. Anna – possibly lightly concussed after a chance encounter with a car, possibly thinking clearly for the first time in a long time – quits her miserable job and agrees to work at the unusual business.Teddy just can't seem to get up since his wife left him for his brother. When he spies an advert promising journeys into your past, he figures he can at least learn what went wrong.And Jade can't stand the place. Behind the cosy waiting room and the smell of freshly brewed coffee, all the agency has to offer is false hope. Over the course of one winter, three lives converge around this unusual agency claiming to offer a chance to revisit past choices. But is it a hoax? And if it's real, what is the catch? * * * * * Readers are loving Time Travel for Beginners 'I couldn’t stop reading it!' ★★★★★'What an absolute joy this book is. Perfect antidote to the world' ★★★★★'Witty dialogue and creative writing style. I loved all the characters' ★★★★★'So multi-layered and so full of heart, it really takes you on an emotional journey' ★★★★★'The best kind of book experience for readers all the way around' ★★★★★

One of Real Simple''s Best Books of the Year"I loved this book. . . . Funny, heartbreaking and clever with a mystery at its heart." —Jojo Moyes"With an eye as keen for human idiosyncrasies as Miranda July''s, and a sense of humor as bright and surprising as Maria Semple''s, this is a novel of pure velocity." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)Twenty years ago, Abigail Sorenson''s brother Robert went missing one day before her sixteenth birthday, never to be seen again. That same year, she began receiving scattered chapters in the mail of a self-help manual, the Guidebook, whose anonymous author promised to make her life soar to heights beyond her wildest dreams.The Guidebook''s missives have remained a constant in Abi''s life—a befuddling yet oddly comforting voice through her family''s grief over her brother''s disappearance, a move across continents, the devastating dissolution of her marriage, and the new beginning as a single mother and café owner in Sydney.Now, two decades after receiving those first pages, Abi is invited to an all-expenses paid weekend retreat to learn "the truth" about the Guidebook. It''s an opportunity too intriguing to refuse. If Everything is Connected, then surely the twin mysteries of the Guidebook and a missing brother must be linked?What follows is completely the opposite of what Abi expected––but it will lead her on a journey of discovery that will change her life––and enchant readers. Gravity Is the Thing is a smart, unusual, wickedly funny novel about the search for happiness that will break your heart into a million pieces and put it back together, bigger and better than before.

Amelia and Riley have transferred to Ashbury for their final year of school, and everyone is completely obsessed with them. Glamorous, talented and totally devoted to one another, the two of them drift through school in their own world. But there's more to the couple than meets the eye - they have secrets. And some of them are dangerous to share. As Riley starts to lose his grip on Amelia, the repercussions affect everyone around them.A spellbinding story about ghosts, secrets, madness, passion, locked doors, femme fatales, and that terrifying moment in the final year of high school when you realise that the future’s coming to get you.

The first in a rousing, funny, genre-busting trilogy from bestseller Jaclyn Moriarty! (Runtime 11 hours, 25 min)

Together, through notes, letters, and late nights, Elliot and Madeleine must find a way to travel across worlds and bring missing loved ones home. (Runtime 13 hours, 52 min)

NAMED A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF SUMMER BY PEOPLE, GOODREADS, SHEREADS, BUZZFEED, AND SOUTHERN LIVINGIn her dazzling new novel, award-winning author Jaclyn Moriarty asks the question, if you could revisit one moment in your life, what would it be?On a bustling road in Sydney, Australia, lies a nondescript storefront known simply as the Time Travel Agency. Inside, you’ll be welcomed by the smell of fresh-brewed coffee, a selection of baked goods…and the question, Where in time do you wish to go?The guidelines are simple: you can go whenever you wish into the past, and there’s no fear of altering the present. Have tea with Jane Austen, scream at a Beatles concert, witness the Olympics in ancient Greece. Perhaps a more personal trip? Visit your long-lost grandmother, recapture the heady days of your youth, return to the idyllic time when your teen was a babbling baby—or watch yourself make the one decision that changed everything.Is it a hoax? And if it’s real, what’s the catch? When single mother Anna is offered a job at the agency, she glimpses the possibility of happiness. Meanwhile, Teddy’s a customer hoping to untangle his recently imploded marriage. And Jade, who has a deeply buried secret, despises the agency for offering false hope. In Jaclyn Moriarty’s incandescent novel, Anna, Teddy, and Jade leap headlong into time, hurtling on a crash course toward one another. At turns entertaining and illuminating, Time Travel for Beginners explores the moments, big and small, that shape our destiny.

Dear Ms Clarry, It has come to our attention that you are incredibly bad at being a teenager. Yours sincerely, The Association of Teenagers When Elizabeth Clarry's best friend Celia runs away to join the circus, Elizabeth has to hurry to the rescue, which isn't easy when she's generally incompetent at being a teenager. Then gorgeous Saxon Walker decides to lend a hand and things get even more complicated. It's a good thing Elizabeth has a new pen pal to talk to - because feeling sorry for Celia is turning out to be a full-time job.

'Clever and magical' - Women's Weekly'Author Jaclyn is the sister of Liane Moriarty (Big Little Lies) and has the same talent for great plots. This unusual novel tugs at the heartstrings.' - Good HousekeepingTwenty years ago, Abigail Sorenson's brother Robert went missing one day before her sixteenth birthday, never to be seen again. That same year, she began receiving scattered chapters in the mail from a mysterious guidebook, whose anonymous authors promised to make her life soar to heights beyond her wildest dreams. These missives have remained a constant in Abi's life - a befuddling yet oddly comforting voice through her family's grief over her brother's disappearance, a move across continents, the devastating dissolution of her marriage, and the new beginning as a single mother and café owner in Sydney.Now, two decades after receiving those first pages, Abi is invited to learn 'the truth' about the book. It's an opportunity too intriguing to refuse - she believes its absurdity and her brother's disappearance must be connected. What follows is an entirely unexpected journey of discovery that will change Abi's life - and enchant readers. Gravity Is the Thing is a smart, unusual, wickedly funny novel - heart-warming and life-affirming.

'Perfect for fans of Lemony Snicket' – a Book of the Year in the i News'A whirligig of adventure' – The Telegraph_______________Bronte Mettlestone is ten years old when her parents are killed by pirates.This does not bother her much: her parents ran away to have adventures when she was a baby. She has been raised by her Aunt Isabelle, with assistance from the Butler, and has spent a pleasant childhood of afternoon teas and riding lessons. Now, however, her parents have left detailed instructions for Bronte in their will. (Instructions that, annoyingly, have been reinforced with faery cross-stitch, which means that if she doesn't complete them, terrible things could happen) She must travel the kingdoms alone, delivering gifts to ten other aunts: a farmer aunt who owns an orange orchard, a veterinarian aunt who specializes in dragon care, a pair of aunts who captain a cruise ship, and a former rock star aunt who is now the reigning monarch of a small kingdom.But as she travels from aunt to aunt, Bronte suspects there might be more to this journey than the simple delivery of treasure; though little does she suspect that she will have to play such a big part in the extraordinary events that follow.Fans will also love book II in the series:9781913101107 The Slightly Alarming Tale of the Whispering Wars

The fantastic followup to The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone.The town of Spindrift is frequented by pirates, Shadow Mages and charlatans. It's also home to the Orphanage School, where Finlay lives with Glim, Taya and Eli. Just outside town is the painfully posh Brathelthwaite Boarding School, home to Honey Bee, Hamish and Victor, Duke of Ainsley. When the two schools compete at the Spindrift Tournament, stakes are high, tensions are higher, and some people are out to win at any cost. Before long, the orphans and the boarding school are in an all-out war.Then Whispering Wars break out, and Spindrift is thrust onto the front lines. Children are being stolen, Witches, Sirens and a deadly magical flu invade the town, and all attempts to fight back are met with defeat.Finlay, Honey Bee and their friends must join forces to outwit the encroaching forces of darkness, rescue the stolen children, and turn the tide of the war. But how can one bickering troupe outwit the insidious power of the Whisperers? And who are the two mysterious figures watching them from the shadows?From the award-winning Jaclyn Moriarty comes a spellbinding tale of unlikely friendship, unexpected magic and competitive athletics.

Esther Mettlestone-Staranise (cousin to Bronte) is looking forward to another year at Katherine Valley Boarding School. But she arrives to find a number of strange and unsettling changes. Her new teacher is rumoured to be an Ogre. The mountains surrounding the school - usually a delight of glaciers, teashops, lakes and Faeries - are now crowded with wicked Shadow Mages. Meanwhile, on the other side of the kingdom, the little Prince of Cloudburst who was stolen from the seashore by a Water Sprite, has found his way home. The King and Queen are planning the biggest party in their Kingdom's history to welcome him.As secrets and dangers escalate, Esther - who is not talented like her sisters, nor an adventurer like her cousin - must find answers to several puzzles. Why is her teacher behaving so oddly? Which of Esther's classmates is the Spellbinder? And could the Stolen Prince of Cloudburst be connected in some way…?Perhaps Esther is more talented than she thinks as she must battle to save her school, her family, and possibly her whole world… Esther Mettlestone-Staranise (cousin to Bronte) is looking forward to another year at Katherine Valley Boarding School. But she arrives to find a number of strange and unsettling changes. Her new teacher is rumoured to be an Ogre. The mountains surrounding the school - usually a delight of glaciers, teashops, lakes and Faeries - are now crowded with wicked Shadow Mages.

Welcome to the world of Lillian Velvet: a very proper girl named Lillian Velvet is living a very lonely life with a nasty grandmother; she's given a jar of coins, each with the power to take Lillian on a journey to a different time and place…and also to grant a single wish. She comes across a small boy in a barn about to be crushed to death by a load of hay; a family, each member in mortal danger, who are strangers to Lillian (but whom clever readers will recognise...). And a web of dangerous magic is closing tight around all. Who IS this Lillian Velvet? And what on earth is her secret?

The international bestseller * * * * * ‘Profound, funny, clever’ Marian Keyes‘Hilarious and heart-breaking’ Liane Moriarty‘A big, delicious read’ Sierra Greer‘An ingenious concept, beautifully told’ Libby Page* * * * * On a bustling road in Sydney, between a gelato bar and a chemist, lies an unassuming shopfront known simply as the Time Travel Agency. Anna – possibly lightly concussed after a chance encounter with a car, possibly thinking clearly for the first time in a long time – quits her miserable job and agrees to work at the unusual business.Teddy just can't seem to get up since his wife left him for his brother. When he spies an advert promising journeys into your past, he figures he can at least learn what went wrong.And Jade can't stand the place. Behind the cosy waiting room and the smell of freshly brewed coffee, all the agency has to offer is false hope. Over the course of one winter, three lives converge around this unusual agency claiming to offer a chance to revisit past choices. But is it a hoax? And if it's real, what is the catch? * * * * * Readers are loving Time Travel for Beginners 'I couldn’t stop reading it!' 5 stars'What an absolute joy this book is. Perfect antidote to the world' 5 stars'Witty dialogue and creative writing style. I loved all the characters' 5 stars'So multi-layered and so full of heart, it really takes you on an emotional journey' 5 stars'The best kind of book experience for readers all the way around' 5 stars

The international bestseller * * * * * ‘Profound, funny, clever’ Marian Keyes‘Hilarious and heart-breaking’ Liane Moriarty‘A big, delicious read’ Sierra Greer‘An ingenious concept, beautifully told’ Libby Page* * * * * On a bustling road in Sydney, between a gelato bar and a chemist, lies an unassuming shopfront known simply as the Time Travel Agency. Anna – possibly lightly concussed after a chance encounter with a car, possibly thinking clearly for the first time in a long time – quits her miserable job and agrees to work at the unusual business.Teddy just can't seem to get up since his wife left him for his brother. When he spies an advert promising journeys into your past, he figures he can at least learn what went wrong.And Jade can't stand the place. Behind the cosy waiting room and the smell of freshly brewed coffee, all the agency has to offer is false hope. Over the course of one winter, three lives converge around this unusual agency claiming to offer a chance to revisit past choices. But is it a hoax? And if it's real, what is the catch? * * * * * Readers are loving Time Travel for Beginners 'I couldn’t stop reading it!' 5 stars'What an absolute joy this book is. Perfect antidote to the world' 5 stars'Witty dialogue and creative writing style. I loved all the characters' 5 stars'So multi-layered and so full of heart, it really takes you on an emotional journey' 5 stars'The best kind of book experience for readers all the way around' 5 stars

‘Profound, funny, clever’ Marian Keyes‘Hilarious and heart-breaking’ Liane Moriarty‘A big, delicious read’ Sierra Greer‘An ingenious concept’ Libby Page✨🕰️☂️✨🕰️☂️✨🕰️☂️✨🕰️☂️✨🕰️☂️✨🕰️☂️ On a bustling road in Sydney, between a gelato bar and a chemist, lies an unassuming shopfront known simply as the Time Travel Agency. Anna – possibly lightly concussed after a chance encounter with a car, possibly thinking clearly for the first time in a long time – quits her miserable job and agrees to work at the unusual business.Teddy just can't seem to get up since his wife left him for his brother. When he spies an advert promising journeys into your past, he figures he can at least learn what went wrong.And Jade can't stand the place. Behind the cosy waiting room and the smell of freshly brewed coffee, all the agency has to offer is false hope. Over the course of one winter, three lives converge around this unusual agency claiming to offer a chance to revisit past choices. But is it a hoax? And if it's real, what is the catch? * * * * * Readers are loving Time Travel for Beginners 'I couldn’t stop reading it!' ★★★★★'What an absolute joy this book is. Perfect antidote to the world' ★★★★★'Witty dialogue and creative writing style. I loved all the characters' ★★★★★'So multi-layered and so full of heart, it really takes you on an emotional journey' ★★★★★'The best kind of book experience for readers all the way around' ★★★★★

One of Real Simple''s Best Books of the Year"I loved this book. . . . Funny, heartbreaking and clever with a mystery at its heart." —Jojo Moyes"With an eye as keen for human idiosyncrasies as Miranda July''s, and a sense of humor as bright and surprising as Maria Semple''s, this is a novel of pure velocity." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)Twenty years ago, Abigail Sorenson''s brother Robert went missing one day before her sixteenth birthday, never to be seen again. That same year, she began receiving scattered chapters in the mail of a self-help manual, the Guidebook, whose anonymous author promised to make her life soar to heights beyond her wildest dreams.The Guidebook''s missives have remained a constant in Abi''s life—a befuddling yet oddly comforting voice through her family''s grief over her brother''s disappearance, a move across continents, the devastating dissolution of her marriage, and the new beginning as a single mother and café owner in Sydney.Now, two decades after receiving those first pages, Abi is invited to an all-expenses paid weekend retreat to learn "the truth" about the Guidebook. It''s an opportunity too intriguing to refuse. If Everything is Connected, then surely the twin mysteries of the Guidebook and a missing brother must be linked?What follows is completely the opposite of what Abi expected––but it will lead her on a journey of discovery that will change her life––and enchant readers. Gravity Is the Thing is a smart, unusual, wickedly funny novel about the search for happiness that will break your heart into a million pieces and put it back together, bigger and better than before.

Amelia and Riley have transferred to Ashbury for their final year of school, and everyone is completely obsessed with them. Glamorous, talented and totally devoted to one another, the two of them drift through school in their own world. But there's more to the couple than meets the eye - they have secrets. And some of them are dangerous to share. As Riley starts to lose his grip on Amelia, the repercussions affect everyone around them.A spellbinding story about ghosts, secrets, madness, passion, locked doors, femme fatales, and that terrifying moment in the final year of high school when you realise that the future’s coming to get you.

The first in a rousing, funny, genre-busting trilogy from bestseller Jaclyn Moriarty! (Runtime 11 hours, 25 min)

Together, through notes, letters, and late nights, Elliot and Madeleine must find a way to travel across worlds and bring missing loved ones home. (Runtime 13 hours, 52 min)

NAMED A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF SUMMER BY PEOPLE, GOODREADS, SHEREADS, BUZZFEED, AND SOUTHERN LIVINGIn her dazzling new novel, award-winning author Jaclyn Moriarty asks the question, if you could revisit one moment in your life, what would it be?On a bustling road in Sydney, Australia, lies a nondescript storefront known simply as the Time Travel Agency. Inside, you’ll be welcomed by the smell of fresh-brewed coffee, a selection of baked goods…and the question, Where in time do you wish to go?The guidelines are simple: you can go whenever you wish into the past, and there’s no fear of altering the present. Have tea with Jane Austen, scream at a Beatles concert, witness the Olympics in ancient Greece. Perhaps a more personal trip? Visit your long-lost grandmother, recapture the heady days of your youth, return to the idyllic time when your teen was a babbling baby—or watch yourself make the one decision that changed everything.Is it a hoax? And if it’s real, what’s the catch? When single mother Anna is offered a job at the agency, she glimpses the possibility of happiness. Meanwhile, Teddy’s a customer hoping to untangle his recently imploded marriage. And Jade, who has a deeply buried secret, despises the agency for offering false hope. In Jaclyn Moriarty’s incandescent novel, Anna, Teddy, and Jade leap headlong into time, hurtling on a crash course toward one another. At turns entertaining and illuminating, Time Travel for Beginners explores the moments, big and small, that shape our destiny.

Dear Ms Clarry, It has come to our attention that you are incredibly bad at being a teenager. Yours sincerely, The Association of Teenagers When Elizabeth Clarry's best friend Celia runs away to join the circus, Elizabeth has to hurry to the rescue, which isn't easy when she's generally incompetent at being a teenager. Then gorgeous Saxon Walker decides to lend a hand and things get even more complicated. It's a good thing Elizabeth has a new pen pal to talk to - because feeling sorry for Celia is turning out to be a full-time job.

'Clever and magical' - Women's Weekly'Author Jaclyn is the sister of Liane Moriarty (Big Little Lies) and has the same talent for great plots. This unusual novel tugs at the heartstrings.' - Good HousekeepingTwenty years ago, Abigail Sorenson's brother Robert went missing one day before her sixteenth birthday, never to be seen again. That same year, she began receiving scattered chapters in the mail from a mysterious guidebook, whose anonymous authors promised to make her life soar to heights beyond her wildest dreams. These missives have remained a constant in Abi's life - a befuddling yet oddly comforting voice through her family's grief over her brother's disappearance, a move across continents, the devastating dissolution of her marriage, and the new beginning as a single mother and café owner in Sydney.Now, two decades after receiving those first pages, Abi is invited to learn 'the truth' about the book. It's an opportunity too intriguing to refuse - she believes its absurdity and her brother's disappearance must be connected. What follows is an entirely unexpected journey of discovery that will change Abi's life - and enchant readers. Gravity Is the Thing is a smart, unusual, wickedly funny novel - heart-warming and life-affirming.

'Perfect for fans of Lemony Snicket' – a Book of the Year in the i News'A whirligig of adventure' – The Telegraph_______________Bronte Mettlestone is ten years old when her parents are killed by pirates.This does not bother her much: her parents ran away to have adventures when she was a baby. She has been raised by her Aunt Isabelle, with assistance from the Butler, and has spent a pleasant childhood of afternoon teas and riding lessons. Now, however, her parents have left detailed instructions for Bronte in their will. (Instructions that, annoyingly, have been reinforced with faery cross-stitch, which means that if she doesn't complete them, terrible things could happen) She must travel the kingdoms alone, delivering gifts to ten other aunts: a farmer aunt who owns an orange orchard, a veterinarian aunt who specializes in dragon care, a pair of aunts who captain a cruise ship, and a former rock star aunt who is now the reigning monarch of a small kingdom.But as she travels from aunt to aunt, Bronte suspects there might be more to this journey than the simple delivery of treasure; though little does she suspect that she will have to play such a big part in the extraordinary events that follow.Fans will also love book II in the series:9781913101107 The Slightly Alarming Tale of the Whispering Wars

The fantastic followup to The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone.The town of Spindrift is frequented by pirates, Shadow Mages and charlatans. It's also home to the Orphanage School, where Finlay lives with Glim, Taya and Eli. Just outside town is the painfully posh Brathelthwaite Boarding School, home to Honey Bee, Hamish and Victor, Duke of Ainsley. When the two schools compete at the Spindrift Tournament, stakes are high, tensions are higher, and some people are out to win at any cost. Before long, the orphans and the boarding school are in an all-out war.Then Whispering Wars break out, and Spindrift is thrust onto the front lines. Children are being stolen, Witches, Sirens and a deadly magical flu invade the town, and all attempts to fight back are met with defeat.Finlay, Honey Bee and their friends must join forces to outwit the encroaching forces of darkness, rescue the stolen children, and turn the tide of the war. But how can one bickering troupe outwit the insidious power of the Whisperers? And who are the two mysterious figures watching them from the shadows?From the award-winning Jaclyn Moriarty comes a spellbinding tale of unlikely friendship, unexpected magic and competitive athletics.

Esther Mettlestone-Staranise (cousin to Bronte) is looking forward to another year at Katherine Valley Boarding School. But she arrives to find a number of strange and unsettling changes. Her new teacher is rumoured to be an Ogre. The mountains surrounding the school - usually a delight of glaciers, teashops, lakes and Faeries - are now crowded with wicked Shadow Mages. Meanwhile, on the other side of the kingdom, the little Prince of Cloudburst who was stolen from the seashore by a Water Sprite, has found his way home. The King and Queen are planning the biggest party in their Kingdom's history to welcome him.As secrets and dangers escalate, Esther - who is not talented like her sisters, nor an adventurer like her cousin - must find answers to several puzzles. Why is her teacher behaving so oddly? Which of Esther's classmates is the Spellbinder? And could the Stolen Prince of Cloudburst be connected in some way…?Perhaps Esther is more talented than she thinks as she must battle to save her school, her family, and possibly her whole world… Esther Mettlestone-Staranise (cousin to Bronte) is looking forward to another year at Katherine Valley Boarding School. But she arrives to find a number of strange and unsettling changes. Her new teacher is rumoured to be an Ogre. The mountains surrounding the school - usually a delight of glaciers, teashops, lakes and Faeries - are now crowded with wicked Shadow Mages.

Welcome to the world of Lillian Velvet: a very proper girl named Lillian Velvet is living a very lonely life with a nasty grandmother; she's given a jar of coins, each with the power to take Lillian on a journey to a different time and place…and also to grant a single wish. She comes across a small boy in a barn about to be crushed to death by a load of hay; a family, each member in mortal danger, who are strangers to Lillian (but whom clever readers will recognise...). And a web of dangerous magic is closing tight around all. Who IS this Lillian Velvet? And what on earth is her secret?