A time-slip novel for children.
Carrie, a contemporary child, has what seems to be an irrational fear of her grandmother's house. She has recurring glimpses of a child standing at an upstairs window enveloped in a red glow. Determined to find the cause of these visions, Carrie sets out to explore the old house. She discovers a key which opens up an attic, in which is a perfectly kept child's bedroom complete with toys - old-fashioned toys. Carrie also discovers an old diary, her great-grandfather's.
One night, unable to sleep, Carrie ventures back up to the attic and lies down on the child's bed. This acts as the catalyst for the time-slip part of the book as Carrie is transported back to 1906 and becomes Edwina, sister of Jim who is, in fact, Carrie's great-grandfather.
As she lives the life of Edwina, Carrie eventually discovers the awful truth behind the child in the upstairs window. It is Edwina. She died during a fire in the house, caused by her younger brother's night-time candle. This is confirmed as she reads her great-grandfather's diary, written in the trenches during the First World War, as he reflects upon his life.
