Stephanie Edgley is now the mistress of a huge estate! An old house, a dusty library, creaky stairs, secret corners... And also a stranger who knocked down the door and demands some kind of key! You won’t believe it, but the girl was saved by... a living skeleton with the strange name Skalduggery Pleasant. This is an old friend of her late uncle, and he is a detective. Skalduggery claims that it is dangerous to stay here - a hunt has begun for Stephanie. And all because the ancient magician Serpin is sure: she has the key that can find the powerful Scepter of the Ancients. This artifact will turn our world into a place of complete darkness. But Stephanie and Skalduggery will not allow the dark prophecy to come true, even if for this the girl has to... change her own name!