Mr Hood's Holiday House has stood for a thousand years, welcoming countless children into its embrace It is a place of miracles, a blissful round of treats and seasons, where every childish whim may be satisfied.

There is a price to be paid, of course, but young Harvey Swick, bored with his lite and beguiled by Mr Hood's wonders, does not stop to consider the consequences It is only when the House shows its darker face - when Harvey discovers the pitiful creatures that dwell in its shadow - that he comes to doubt Mr Hood's philanthropy.

The House and its mysterious architect are not about to release their captive without a battle, however. Mr Hood has ambitions for his new guest, for Harvey's soul burns brighter than any soul he has encountered in a thousand years...