Ashburton Manor

In 1825, ten-year-old Daniel Cholmondeley is suddenly orphaned and sent from a life of poverty and hunger in Paris to a life of solitude and order at Blisterford Abbey, where he is temporarily cared for by its nuns. Yet, just when he begins to settle in, Daniel is soon sent away again, this time to live with his mother's estranged relatives, the Praxleys, in the remote Ashburton Manor, an enormous Gothic castle perched on the edge of the North Yorkshire cliffs. As soon as Daniel arrives, he is scorned and donned "The Peasant" by his disdainful family and falls under the leadership of Lord Praxley. However, Ashburton's owner turns out to be Daniel's twelve-year-old cousin, Peter Praxley, who inherited the estate and fortune from his father when he was ten.

Soon after he moves in, Daniel finds that he has an ally- an anonymous benefactor who is one of Daniel's relatives and refers to themselves as "X." Every night, X sends messages to him and informs him of years-old secrets and scandals that still lurk behind Ashburton's walls, waiting to be discovered. They also inform Daniel of a malefactor- another relative of theirs- referred to as "Y," who took an "item of extreme value" from him not too long before he arrived by using illegal means, and by disposing of two Praxleys that stood in the way of Y's selfish plan. Now, Daniel must solve the mystery of his family's haunting backstory, discover and return the item of extreme value to himself, bring the truth to light by exposing Y for their wrongdoings against him and his two relations that had stood up for him, and find out once and for all who is whom.

Daniel has been waiting his whole life for purpose and excitement, and is therefore eager to assist X in solving the mystery of Ashburton Manor; however, the secrets Daniel will discover will thrust his life into a world of danger, and, as curiosity killed the cat, so might he meet his end if he is not careful of whom he holds in confidence.