Upon traveling to the past, they happen across a witch who has enslaved the nearby town, Cambridge Falls, in an attempt to find the book, known as the Atlas, that the children possess.

As the siblings encounter various magical races in an effort to dispel the witch, Kate discovers that she is intrinsically bound to the Atlas, and that the three children are subject to an ancient prophecy.

After their rejection by a prospective adoptive mother, the children's current residence (called the Edgar Allan Poe Home for Incorrigible and Hopeless Orphans) sends them to a mansion situated in Cambridge Falls.

In escape, they are hunted by wolves; meet someone named Gabriel; and enter a subterranean maze, where Kate and Michael are captured by Dwarves.

In plea, the Countess tells Kate that her mother and father are captives of the Dire Magnus, as bait to lure the siblings into retrieving the Books of Beginning (a trio of volumes enabling command over reality, of which the Atlas is the first) in exchange for their parents’ release.

She held the children of Cambridge Falls hostage to force their fathers to help her find the Books of Beginning.

Kirkus Reviews wrote positively that the main characters have a "likable voice" and the "elaborate story doesn't feel overcomplicated."

The Guardian gave a lukewarm review, saying that while it is "bright and energetic and has some exciting set pieces," it possesses an "everything-including-the-kitchen-sink approach to children's fantasy that it can't quite marshal into overall coherence."

The New York Times said "Stephens spins a tightly paced, engaging yarn, even if his prose can be lurchingly expository."