Be careful what you wish for, it might just come true . . .

Mr. Hood's Holiday House has stood for a thousand years, welcoming children into its embrace. It is a place of miracles where every whim may be satisfied. There is a price to be paid, of course, but young Harvey Swick, bored with his life and beguiled by Mr. Hood's wonders, does not consider the consequences.

It is only when the house shows its darker face—when Harvey discovers the pitiful creatures that dwell in its shadows—that he comes to doubt Mr. Hood's generosity. But the house and its mysterious architect will not release Harvey without a battle. Mr. Hood has plans for his young guest, a boy whose soul burns brighter than any he has encountered in ten centuries. . . .