Alexandra DesDemonta is a fourteen-year-old who is not happy with her family situation. Her real father died when she was a child, leaving her nothing but memories and a ring with the inscription, "It always goes on." She has a little brother, Taylor, who seems to be the favorite child now that her mom is remarried. Even worse, Alex is talked into babysitting Taylor on Halloween. It is then that Alex notices a mysterious book on the shelf in her home. It is called The Saga of DesDemonta, and Alex has never seen the book before. She can't help but be interested; she also can't know the damage the book can cause. Before she makes sense of her new discovery, she is forced to move to a new school-but family secrets follow. What really happened to her father, and what does it have to do with Alex's new book? She has a feeling her mother knows the answers, but Joyce is hesitant to tell her daughter the truth; it could bring them lots of trouble. Soon, however, Alex's family history puts her friends in danger, and together they must fight a force much darker than any school exam-a force that threatens to kill.