Ghosts, a kidnapping, a crew of young detectives, and family secrets mix in this new standalone mystery set in the world of the best-selling Greenglass House, from a National Book Award nominee and Edgar Award–winning author.

Marzana and her best friend are bored. Even though they live in a notorious city where normal rules do not apply, nothing interesting ever happens to them. Nothing, that is, until Marzana’s parents are recruited to help solve an odd crime, and she realizes that this could be the excitement she’s been waiting for. She assembles a group of kid detectives with special skills—including the ghost of a ship captain’s daughter—and together, they explore hidden passageways, navigate architecture that changes overnight, and try to unravel the puzzle of who the kidnappers are—and where they’re hiding. But will they beat the deadline for a ransom that’s impossible to pay?

Legendary smugglers, suspicious teachers, and some scary bad guys are just a few of the adults the crew must circumvent while discovering hidden truths about their families and themselves in this smart, richly imagined tale.

When Marzana forms her own team to investigate, they uncover a puzzle far more complex than a simple kidnapping. Can a new crew of kid detectives—including one ghost—outsmart the city’s most dangerous criminals?

• A Crew of Kid Detectives: Aspiring sleuth Marzana recruits a magician, a codebreaker, a loner, and her best friend to form their own investigative team: the Thief Knot.
• A Supernatural Mystery: Their most unusual team member isn’t just a girl with special skills—she’s the ghost of a ship captain’s daughter with secrets of her own.
• A Magical World: Explore the notorious city of Nagspeake, a place of smugglers and strange rules, where hidden passageways appear and architecture shifts overnight.
• A Greenglass House Story: Perfect for fans of the bestselling series and new readers alike, this standalone adventure returns to the richly imagined world of Greenglass House.