The Night Gardener - Jonathan Auxier

Molly and Kip are hired by Master Windsor to help out around the house.  While making their way to Windsor Manor they come across an elderly woman at a crossroads.  She will tell them the way in return for a few stories from Windsor manor.  Molly agrees and when they arrive they see a run down house with weeds and vines growing all over.  The most peculiar part is the tree that seems to be a part of the house.  They also see a figure running across the grounds in a top hat.  Mistress Windsor is not happy with Molly and Kip.  She claims she doesn't need any help, but after Molly tells her a story they are allowed to stay.  Molly does the laundry, cooking, and tucking in of Penny and Alistair.  Kip tends to the grounds and begins to make the house look normal.  Master Windsor comes home that Friday.  Later in the night Molly hears thumps from above and finds a black top hat.  She knows now the figure they saw on the night they arrived is real.  The next day she sees Master Windsor bring down sacks of money from a green doorway at the top of the stairs.  Her curiosity is starting to get the better of her and she wants to know what is up there.  When Kip waits for the post the elderly woman, Hester, comes looking for Molly.  Kip comes back and tells Molly Hester is looking for her.  They see the night man again and hear him digging.  They pass out and awake the next morning.  Molly goes about chores and hears Penny giggling behind the green door.  When she opens it there is a note for her from her parents.  Over the next few weeks Molly continues to get notes which she reads to Kip.  Mistress Windsor gets sicker and sicker as the weeks go by.  When the doctor can't find what is wrong with Mistress Windsor, Molly decides it is time to figure out who the night man is and what this tree really does.

I really enjoyed this story.  It is a good one to read around Halloween, and any time you want a scary story.  The adage "be careful what you wish for" kept going through my head as I was reading this book.  Everyone was getting what they wanted, and didn't realize until it was almost to late how it was affecting them.  Sometimes things are too good to be true, and with the Windsor's it almost cost them their lives. 

T.B.
7/1/14