Something strange is happening at Hartwell Hall. Eleven-year-old Effie is excited to spend a holiday with her cousin Viscount George Baxter in his grand home, the historic Hartwell Hall. But he mysteriously disappears the very day he is due home from school. What could possibly have happened to him? Effie suspects the new housekeeper may be involved in his disappearance - after all, George did say she looked like a witch. With the help of two maids and Bramble, the family dog, the mystery unravels, and other secrets about the Baxter family are revealed that had lain hidden for years.