13-year old Matt is spending the holidays at the dilapidated Woodhall mansion where his spirited step-sister Caroline works as cook. In a faded rose garden Matt meets Alix, proud old Madame Ayre’s granddaughter, and is introduced to the tension-filled relationship between the embittered mother and her crippled son Theo.

Matt must learn to judge character rather than appearances as Theo strives to turn the house into a home for orphans. Alix, through her willful foolishness, puts Theo’s life in danger and brings a dramatic confrontation: Christian hope versus fatal self-pride.

A timeless book with a fast-paced plot and vivid characters.

Book Details:

• Time period: 1960’s
• Location: England
• Content suitability (age): 12-up
• Read-aloud interest: 11-up