Charlie Lair, the protagonist, recently lost his mother and is now haunted by a series of terrible nightmares. The appearance of his new stepmother, Charlotte, only makes matters worse, especially when she takes him along with his father and younger brother to go live in her purple mansion. Such a place hides many secrets and unimaginable terrors behind its walls, forcing Charlie s nightmares to slowly leak into the waking world. However, the young boys manage to attack these terrors with the help of curious characters they meet along the way. This is the first book of a trilogy, promising other youthful adventures for children."