Twelve-year-old Arlo Thorne never quite fitted in. Well, not at school, anyway.

So when he finds out that he is destined to become a student at Brightwell academy, (following a long line of Thornes in the House of Wonder), Arlo begins the feel that he has found his place in the world at last.

But not all is bright and rosy at Brightwell.

Arlo’s compass is behaving strangely, and there are hushed whispers about his grandfather in the halls.

Arlo must use everything he has to uncover the truth about his grandfather, and to figure out why something at Brightwell doesn’t seem quite... right.

Maybe he should have stayed at his old school after all.