The Peculiar is a children's fantasy novel written by Stefan Bachmann and published on September 18, 2012, by Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollins.

In the faery slums of Bath, Bartholomew and his younger sister Hettie live in fear of discovery by the outside world.

But when changelings start showing up in London murdered and covered with red tattoos, and a mysterious lady in a plum colored dress begins stalking the streets of Bath, Bartholomew breaks all the rules and sets out to discover the truth.

recalls Dostoevsky, Dickens, and more recent classics, such as J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events .

"[3] In a starred review, Publishers Weekly called it “An absolute treat for readers of any age" and chose it as one of their best books of 2012.