Deep in the heart of Virginia’s dense backwoods, the Wayward Home for Unruly Boys hides more than just troubled youth. Under Madame Eldridge’s watchful eye, three strict rules govern their behavior
1. What happens here stays here.
2. You must complete all eight steps—no exceptions allowed.
3. Forget your name; you’ll be known only by your problem.
But, there’s one unspoken rule that sends shivers down the boys' never enter the forbidden third-floor bedroom of the boy who vanished, leaving nothing behind but whispers.
When Vandalize and Stealer defy this warning, they uncover a treasure trove of bewitched artifacts, each with a strange and powerful ability. Using these relics, the boys tackle Madame Eldridge’s whimsical—and often bizarre—challenges, only to learn magic always demands its price.
Amidst the chaos, Fibbsy stumbles upon a peculiar object that sends him hurtling back in time, revealing an unfathomable truth about Madame Eldridge, the eerie town, and the missing boy’s fate. But who will trust the words of a liar?
Bound by the house’s darkest mysteries, Fibbsy, Defiance, Slob, and Secret form an unlikely friendship as they race to unveil the shrouded secrets surrounding the Wayward Home. Together, they confront their deepest fears, uncovering that the real magic lies in facing their own personal demons—and each other.
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Ok, so one of the rules is to never go into a forbidden room. And you tell this to a bunch of boys who are already off the rails with their individual problems. And expect them to just…obey? Ahahahaha! Whew. That’s a good one Madame Eldridge. Of course some of the boys go in that room. What did she think? Or maybe she wanted them to go in there? Hmmm…no. I think she was very serious in her warnings. In any case, the whole week goes off the rails when a few of the boys discover secrets about that room and the person who lived there.
I wasn’t sure what to think when I started this book and discovered what a huge weirdo Madame Eldridge was. Wow. She would be a cool eccentric if there wasn’t something just so off about her. Then there’s the whole 3rd floor bedroom thing. And calling the boys by their problem. The strange tasks they have to do? What is going on here?!
The boys don’t disappoint with their behavior and they dig where they shouldn’t, finding out things that are confusing and dangerous. In the meantime, even though Madame Eldridge is super weird, the boys are learning to control their problems. So there is that at least. But there’s evil in the house and some of the boys are determined to figure it out.
The writing is top notch and the whole book comes to life. Great characters and a definite mystery to solve round it all out to make this book an entertaining read.
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