The Valley of Secrets

This book is one of my beloved Boo-Girl's suggestions. It's the story of Stephen, an orphan who learns that his great-uncle has just died and left everything to him. Stephen sets off to claim his inheritance, but there's nothing and no one to greet him at Lansbury Hall except a mystery.

( Spoilers under the cut. )

Written by Charmian Hussey and illustrated beautifully by Christopher Crump. Young adult ecological fantasy mystery fiction, originally published in 2003 by Simon Pulse.

I give it 7 out of 10.