Publisher Description
From Ethan M. Aldridge, bestselling creator of Estranged, comes a gothic middle grade prose novel that follows a nonbinary student who is drawn to their boarding school’s forbidden east wing, where something stalks the shadowy corridors. Perfect for fans of J. A. White and Mary Downing Hahn!
When Guinevere "Nev" Tallow receives an acceptance letter to the exclusive Deephaven Academy, they know it’s the fresh start that they’ve been looking for.
But things are strange from the moment they arrive—the house itself seems to breathe, students whisper secrets in dark corridors, and the entire east wing of the academy is locked away for reasons no one wants to explain. And Nev knows something ragged stalks the shadowy corridors, something that sobs quietly and scratches at the walls, waiting to be released.
With the help of another first-year student, Nev takes it upon themself to unravel the mysteries hidden in Deephaven's halls. But will they risk their fresh start to bring the academy’s secret to light?
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Following their mother's disappearance during the Depression and their father's later arrest, nonbinary amateur inventor Guinevere "Nev" Tallow takes their curious invitation to Deephaven Academy as a chance to start over. Upon arrival at the secluded New England school, they quickly realize that the institution is hiding something—and so are some of its students. After encountering a terrifying beast in the abandoned east wing, where a student purportedly died the year before, Nev, portrayed with pale skin, and new friend Danny, who has brown skin, set out to unravel Deephaven's secrets. As Nev confronts a seance, a mysterious code, and devious prefects, they wonder if they're doomed to be alone in the world and what kind of person they are. Through Nev's insatiable curiosity, Aldridge (The Legend of Brightblade) cultivates a sometimes hazy magical-school plot that energetically conjures plenty of twists and a genuinely creepy vibe. Fine-lined b&w art enhances the atmosphere; the school's student body is intersectionally diverse.
