When Lin Fox’s father decides to chase academic glory in Germany, Lin and her entire family have to move from London to a small German town for a year. Doctor Fox is researching the infamous Allerheiligen stained glass windows that have been missing for hundreds of years. If found, the windows could fetch millions of dollars and guarantee the ambitious Doctor Fox the media attention her craves. But the Allerheiligen windows are also said to be cursed by the evil glass demon, Bonschariant, who appears through the colourful glass. Lending these rumours weight is the fact that history of the windows is littered with murder and misfortune.

From the moment Lin and her family settle into their new home, nestled ominously amongst the ruins of a castle and thick forest, I started to get chills down my spine! The town locals seem scared or reluctant to discuss the windows, and everyone agrees that the forest is no place to go walking. Lin is initially sceptical about the Bonschariant myths, but as she delves deeper into the history of the windows and the body count slowly rises, she is forced to reconsider what forces might be at play.

This is such an intriguing and original book! Its genius lies in the fact that the reader, like Lin, is left in the dark for most of the book about whether the shocking things that happen are criminal or supernatural in nature. I found the history of the Allerheiligen windows (based on the real-life history of the famous Steinfeld windows) fascinating, and the atmosphere perfectly gothic and chilling. Lin is a cagey narrator who doesn’t always tell all, and her complicated family life is beautifully drawn. I defy you not to get completely caught up in this absorbing and scary story!