As a young boy moves to a whole new place with his mother, he discovers that there are many mysteries in this town. Each answer leads him closer to a mission he will need help for.

Twelve-year-old Jules Quatrenoix leaves Paris to settle in Howlingdeadman with his mother in the summer of 1912. She was hired as a housekeeper at the De Chaussecourtes’ after her husband, a junior officer on board RMS Titanic, went missing. Much to Jules’ annoyance, they have to start a new life in this remote small town.
The holidays promise to be gloomy until that night when Jules hears voices calling him from an abandoned room in the house. Jules is puzzled and starts to investigate. Little by little he discovers the chilling truth about Howlingdeadman – young Barnabé’s death that started it all in 1802; the murders as an offering to Datura, an evil goddess; and the members of the Brotherhood, the most influential people in town, whose ultimate aim is to spread darkness on earth during the Spring fair.
Supported by his dog, Lebrac, and with the help of his two new friends, Aristide and Lothaire, Jules tries to put an end to this madness, thus risking their lives.

As Jules, discover the town of Howlingdeadman, its inhabitants and its secrets. There isn't any chance to get bored in this adventure !

EXCERPT

"‘Did you sleep well, my boy? You look weary this morning! Doesn’t the country air agree with you? Surely it must be better than in Paris!’ teased Monsieur de Chaussecourte over his newspaper.
‘Oh no, Sir! I’m quite rested, it’s only that I heard some noise in the room below. It must have been the boys moving around in their sleep. I had trouble going back to sleep.’
Aimé looked at him quizzically.
‘Noise? In the room below? It can only be rats or mice. The children’s bedroom is not under yours. It must have come from the condemned room. It looks as if only those rodents are allowed inside!’
‘A condemned room? How long has it been here?’ asked Jules in amazement.
‘Oh for years! Even before we moved in. Nobody has ever found how to get inside. The children have spent hours trying to unlock the mystery, though! They’re certain that a treasure is hidden in there. They do have such imagination!’
He resumed reading his newspaper.
‘Those mice again! Something needs to be done, Aimé! They’ll end up gnawing everything!’ Madame de Chaussecourte said, angrily.
Jules was taken aback. He felt anxious and excited at the same time. To hear noises and whispers when the room was supposed to be empty was quite disturbing, but after all he was not going to be bored during the holidays! A secret room! An investigation just like the one in the book he had so much enjoyed reading, The Mystery of the Yellow Room2. He would solve the mystery of that place just like Joseph Rouletabille had! As soon as the family had left he would go in search of the room!"

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tatiana Deschamps : French writer, I wrote this book a few years ago while unemployed. As a child, I had always made up stories and the urge to write crept back little by little. That's how bits of the story, characters and places began to germinate seven years ago. So I do hope you will have a lovely time with Jules and his friends.