The Door by the Staircase


Book Description

Twelve-year-old Mary Hayes can't stand her orphanage for another night. But when an attempted escape through the stove pipe doesn't go quite as well as she'd hoped, Mary fears she'll be stuck in the Buffalo Asylum for Young Ladies forever. The very next day, a mysterious woman named Madame Z appears at the orphanage requesting to adopt Mary, and the matron's all too happy to get the girl off her hands. Soon, Mary is fed a hearty meal, dressed in a clean, new nightgown and shown to a soft bed with blankets piled high. She can hardly believe she isn't dreaming! But when Mary begins to explore the strange nearby town with the help of her new friend, Jacob, she learns a terrifying secret about Madame Z's true identity. If Mary's not careful, her new home might just turn into a nightmare. Award-winning author Katherine Marsh draws from Russian fairytales in this darkly funny middle-grade fantasy novel Praise for Jepp, Who Defied the Stars New York Times Notable Children's Books of 2012 The Wall Street Journal Best Children's Books of 2012 * "This shining gem is a must-have." ??? School Library Journal, starred review * "???an epic search for love, family, respect, and a destiny of one's own making." ??? Publishers Weekly, starred review * "???this outstanding work of historical fiction provides readers with more than just an imagined biography. Incorporating elements of adventure, romance, tragedy, intrigue, and science, the novel conjures a place and time not commonly explored in young adult fiction ???" ??? Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review "Rich, absorbing storytelling???a terrific read in every way." ???Nancy Werlin, National Book Award Finalist and author of Impossible "Narrating a young adult novel from a dwarf's perspective is nothing short of inspired. ??? Marsh transcends genre to create an engaging narrative complex enough to keep not-so-young adults turning its pages." ??? The New York Times Book Review Praise for The Twilight Prisoner * "Readers should




Under the Stairs


Book Description

Two children open a forbidden door under the stairs... A barkeep shuts his doors one night every year for a special party... Do you really know the Muffin Man... A boy's chance to save the world rests in the hands of a dismissive pterodactyl... Big troubles come to a wizard when he loses his hat... A former police officer decides to face the events of his past... A woman's relationship with her husband causes her to face a disturbing truth... A time when the end is really the beginning... The short story collection "Under the Stairs" was an idea born in response to Flash Fiction Month on a popular art and literature website. This collection contains 20 stories of various genres written by authors from around the world. Each story is under 2000 words in length and is sure to keep the reader entertained.




The Crooked Staircase


Book Description

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Jane Hawk—who dazzled readers in The Silent Corner and The Whispering Room—faces the fight of her life, against the threat of a lifetime, in this electrifying thriller by #1 New York Times bestselling suspense master Dean Koontz. “I could be dead tomorrow. Or something worse than dead.” Jane Hawk knows she may be living on borrowed time. But as long as she’s breathing, she’ll never cease her one-woman war against the terrifying conspiracy that threatens the freedom—and free will—of millions. Battling the strange epidemic of murder-suicides that claimed Jane’s husband, and is escalating across the country, has made the rogue FBI agent a wanted fugitive, relentlessly hunted not only by the government but by the secret cabal behind the plot. Deploying every resource their malign nexus of power and technology commands, Jane’s enemies are determined to see her dead . . . or make her wish she was. Jane’s ruthless pursuers can’t stop her from drawing a bead on her prey: a cunning man with connections in high places, a twisted soul of unspeakable depths with an army of professional killers on call. Propelled by her righteous fury and implacable insistence on justice, Jane will make her way from southern Southern California to the snow-swept slopes of Lake Tahoe to confront head-on the lethal forces arrayed against her. But nothing can prepare her for the chilling truth that awaits when she descends the crooked staircase to the dark and dreadful place where her long nightmare was born. Don’t miss any of Dean Koontz’s gripping Jane Hawk thrillers: THE SILENT CORNER • THE WHISPERING ROOM • THE CROOKED STAIRCASE • THE FORBIDDEN DOOR • THE NIGHT WINDOW Praise for The Crooked Staircase “An absorbing thriller full of fresh touches . . . Writing his unusual heroine, Koontz keeps the pages alive with attitude as well as action. . . . For Hawk, who is as fearless as she is beautiful, no obstacle is too great, especially with the well-being of her hidden-away five-year-old son on her mind.”—Kirkus Reviews “Spellbinding . . . Beautifully plotted and written with notable care and flare . . . The Hawk series . . . is among [Koontz’s] best work.”—Booklist (starred review) “Unrelenting . . . [Jane] rivets readers’ attention. . . . Michael Crichton fans and thriller aficionados who appreciate a fierce female protagonist . . . should be urged to meet Jane Hawk.”—Library Journal




The Secret Under the Staircase


Book Description

"So, you're the ones..." A mysterious package appears just as Maya and Nate start helping in their grandparents' store. Inside is just one book: a faded copy of Free to Choose. In a race against time, they must decipher a series of cryptic messages to discover the secret under the staircase. But can a bunch of kids really solve the centuries-old riddle? Can they save their beloved town before it's too late? Under the Staircase Books---A mystery and adventure series that teaches treasured values: personal responsibility, individual liberty, and economic freedom. Psst! Grown-ups--The first book in the series introduces a variety of Milton Friedman's concepts-the Power of the Market, the Tyranny of Controls, What's Wrong with Our Schools?, and other topics-using examples from kids' day-to-day lives in school, with friends, and in familiar situations. Explore Under the Staircase at underthestaircase.com."




A Gate at the Stairs


Book Description

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • From “one of the most acute and lasting writers of her generation” (The New York Times) comes a piercing novel of race, class, love, and war in America. Twenty-year-old Tassie Keltjin, the daughter of a gentleman farmer, has come to a university town as a student. When she takes a job as a part-time nanny for a mysterious and glamorous family, she finds herself drawn deeper into their world and forever changed. “An indelible portrait of a young woman coming of age in the Midwest in the year after 9/11…. Moore has written her most powerful book yet.” —The New York Times




Emily Feather and the Starlit Staircase


Book Description

Emily Feather is an ordinary girl in an extraordinary family of fairies. When Emily finds out her adopted mother is pregnant, she can't help feeling upset. This means there will be another sibiling who will actually belong, unlike Emily. Emily's brother uses a magical door to show her what might have been had Emily not become part of their family.




Beyond the Black Door


Book Description

Beyond the Black Door is a young adult dark fantasy about unlocking the mysteries around and within us—no matter the cost... Everyone has a soul. Some are beautiful gardens, others are frightening dungeons. Soulwalkers—like Kamai and her mother—can journey into other people's souls while they sleep. But no matter where Kamai visits, she sees the black door. It follows her into every soul, and her mother has told her to never, ever open it. When Kamai touches the door, it is warm and beating, like it has a pulse. When she puts her ear to it, she hears her own name whispered from the other side. And when tragedy strikes, Kamai does the unthinkable: she opens the door. A.M. Strickland's imaginative dark fantasy features court intrigue and romance, a main character coming to terms with her asexuality, and twists and turns as a seductive mystery unfolds that endangers not just Kamai's own soul, but the entire kingdom ... An Imprint Book “I couldn’t put down this deliciously dark dream of a fantasy.” —New York Times bestselling author Lisa Maxwell “A dark delight, gorgeously written and as twisty and enigmatic as a labyrinth at twilight. I wanted to stay lost in its pages forever, wandering ever deeper into the maze of Strickland’s beguiling, intricately imagined world.” —Margaret Rogerson, New York Times bestselling author of An Enchantment of Ravens




The Circular Staircase


Book Description

Unravel the mystery in Mary Roberts Rinehart’s thrilling novel, "The Circular Staircase." This captivating tale of suspense and intrigue takes readers on a journey through a haunted house filled with secrets waiting to be uncovered. As the plot unfolds, you'll be drawn into a web of unexpected twists and turns, where each revelation leads to more questions. Rinehart's masterful storytelling keeps you on the edge of your seat, blending elements of mystery and psychological tension seamlessly. But consider this provocative thought: What if the greatest mysteries lie not just in the events that unfold, but in the characters themselves? How well can we truly know those around us? In "The Circular Staircase," the tension mounts as the protagonist navigates a series of chilling events that threaten to unravel her sanity. Rinehart's ability to create atmosphere and suspense invites readers to experience the thrill of the unknown. Are you ready to explore the depths of mystery with "The Circular Staircase"? Join the adventure and uncover the secrets lurking within! As you delve into this gripping narrative, you'll find yourself questioning what lies beneath the surface and the hidden truths we often overlook. This is a story that captivates and compels you to keep turning the pages. Will you dare to uncover the mysteries that await? Secure your copy of "The Circular Staircase" today and immerse yourself in a world of suspense!




Beneath the Stairs


Book Description

In this spine-tingling, atmospheric “nail-biter of a novel” (Shelf Awareness), a woman returns to her hometown after her childhood friend attempts suicide at an alleged haunted house—the same place where a traumatic incident shattered their lives twenty years ago. Few in sleepy Sumner’s Mills have stumbled across the Octagon House hidden deep in the woods. Even fewer are brave enough to trespass. A man had killed his wife and two young daughters there, a shocking, gruesome crime that the sleepy upstate New York town tried to bury. One summer night, an emboldened fourteen-year-old Clare and her best friend, Abby, ventured into the Octagon House. Clare came out, but a piece of Abby never did. Twenty years later, Clare receives word that Abby has attempted suicide at the Octagon House and now lies in a coma. With little to lose, Clare returns to her roots to uncover the darkness responsible for ruining their lives. A “spellbinding horror story, where the terror comes not from ghosts, but from the haunted places we find within ourselves” (Elizabeth Brundage, author of The Vanishing Point), Beneath the Stairs is perfect for fans of Jennifer McMahon, Simone St. James, and Chris Bohjalian.




The Hidden Stairs and the Magic Carpet (The Secrets of Droon #1)


Book Description

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! Eric, Julie, and Neal have just found something magic in Eric's basement. They have discovered a staircase to another world! The world of Droon is amazing - full of magic, flying lizards, and fun, furry creatures. But how will Eric, Julie, and Neal find their way home? Maybe their new friend, Princess Keeah, can help?