Lloyd Lewis is moving to yet another children's home, but this one is different. It seems to be cast in an unremitting, sunless winter. The staff and children are surly and aggressive, and he soon discovers why: Sarson Hall is gripped in a curse. There are poltergeists creating constant disruptions and, in the cellar, a terrifying ghost. Lloyd's survival has always depended on his fighting spirit, and he sets about confronting the mayhem surrounding him. In his quest to remove the curse, he finds he possesses a rare power, which leads him to link what is happening to a nearby ravaged stone circle. But can he do anything to remove the curse from Sarson Hall, and can he bring peace once more to the old building and its occupants?