Olivia Wilson lives with her dad, Mr. Wilson. Not far from their house lives James, her twin brother. Because their parents wanted James and Olivia to be kept apart, they never told James and Olivia the truth about each other. One day, Olivia and James go out for a picnic on the mini hill between the two houses. James tells Olivia that it was kind of her father to let her take time off from studying and being a lady in order to join him. Olivia exposes a guilty look. James asks if she really had permission. Just then, her father comes storming up the hill.
Dunya Khair, a published writer in an unnamed Muslim country, is wasting away in prison. In her cell with only a mouse and insects for company, Dunya reflects on the events of her life that led to her imprisonment: her outspokenness, her calling to write the truth, and her declaration of apostasy. In her country, not being Muslim is a heinous crime; the only thing worse is writing about not being Muslim. But prison is only the beginning of Dunya’s journey.
When Mr. Snipperside arrives in Concordia, trouble begins for Toby, the King’s page. First, he can't read, so he's embarrassed. Then a boy named Harley tries to blackmail him. The Kingdom of Concordia has problems of its own: Queen Gabrielle has to deal with a poisonous spider on her dress, a disastrous picnic, and a forest fire caused by the heat in Concordia. Will Toby be able to stop Harley from blackmailing him? Will he learn to read? Will Queen Gabrielle and King Bartholomew fix the damage the fire caused? Find out in this suspenseful book.
Beth Teller, dead after an automobile accident, sticks around to help her grieving father. She hopes an investigation is just what he needs to distract him from mourning. Detective Michael Telling can see and hear his daughter, and she is determined to help him reconnect with the world of the living. A home for troubled children burns down, and the discovery of a dead body makes it a homicide. The detective and his daughter go to the hospital to interview a witness, Isobel Catching. They discover that she is an aboriginal like Beth and her mother.
Prince Jasper of Thisley and his father are fighting. Jasper is punished and hopes for a way out of his duties. However, as he works in the stables, he sees his punishment in a different perspective. Meanwhile, on the other side of the mountains, Jasper's sister is giving birth. Jasper's mom decides to visit her, after her daughter pleads for her to come to Concordia. To keep her husband and Jasper from fighting, she insists that Jasper tag along. Jasper doesn't like this idea but decides that it it's for the best.
Rachel has just returned to Riverside Academy from her Easter vacation. One day a mysterious man comes for a tour of her school. When he sees her wearing her bracelet, he returns to his car and speeds away. The next day he comes for a tour again. The day after that, Rachel and her friend Benjamin walk to the post office. While Benjamin runs in to mail some things, Rachel stays outside enjoying the view. All of a sudden, a paper note comes flying and hits her on the head. Rachel unfolds the note, and it reads, “Meet me at one o’clock tonight at the gates to the school.
LaLa wakes up in a mood. A bad mood. She doesn’t know why, and she doesn’t care. Mom doesn’t let LaLa’s bad mood take her down. Instead, she seems cheerful, but why? Will Mom’s advice change LaLa’s day from horrible to wonderful?
