An assortment of eccentric adult characters and one undersized 12-year-old boy live in an old Victorian style, badly maintained mansion. Harleigh J. Weatherby IV, raised by his elderly Great Aunt Adelaide while father is away on his architectural research trips, prefers private tutoring by Uncle Edgar to attending school with its cruel and taunting environment. Recovering from yet another heart surgery to remedy his growth issues, Harleigh ventures into the overgrown garden and is surprised by an intruder, Allegra, a young girl dressed in thin rags who claims she “flew” onto the property. So begins a much-needed relationship in Harleigh’s life, friendship that leads to mystery, intrigue and even perilous circumstances. Allegra’s inquisitive interloping inside the large house alerts Harleigh to a hidden family treasure in danger of being stolen by one of the other bizarre residents of Weatherby. Snyder has created a quick, yet multi-layered mystery that incorporates themes of good vs. evil, peer acceptance, self-esteem and confidence. She adds a touch of magic realism to an increasingly captivating story, which builds to a risky and daring climax and concludes with a pleasingly acceptable solution. (Fiction. 9-12)
