This is a splendid, new, magical adventure from Diana Wynne Jones, set in the worlds of Chrestomanci.

Conrad is young, good at heart, and yet is apparently suffering from the effects of such bad karma that there is nothing in his future but terrible things.

Unless he can alter his circumstances well, quite frankly, he is doomed.

Conrad is sent in disguise to Stallery Mansion, to infiltrate the magical fortress that has power over the whole town of Stallchester, and to discover the identity of the person who is affecting his Fate so badly.

Then he has to kill that person. But can any plan really be that simple and straightforward?

Of course it can't! And things start to go very strangely for Conrad from the moment he meets the boy called Christopher.

This is trademark DWJ; packed with laugh-aloud humour, insane logic, spot-on observations, organised chaos, and all wrapped up in a rattling good adventure which oozes magic from every seam.

Literally.