The Castle Lake Chronicles centre around the Murdock family who have lived on the North American east coast for generations. The first three books tell the adventures of sixteen year old Alicia Murdock as she battles ghosts, spirits and other unsavoury characters who threaten her family's wholesome way of life in the late nineteenth century. The later books follow the adventures of Alicia's descendants in the present day.

In this first volume of the series a terrible tradedy sets in motion a vengeful curse that can turn a girl's sixteenth birthday into her death day. The spirit of profound grief and hatred hangs like the fog over Castle Lake until it can exact its horrific retribution.