Elizabeth is back at Winterhouse and this time to stay. She will be living with her grandfather Norbridge and one day all of Winterhouse will be hers. For now she is just happy to be back with Norbridge, Freddy and Leona and all the others at Winterhouse. After the events of last year she is suspicious that Gracella is really gone. Her suspicions are also raised by the horrible Powter family and Elana Vesper and her grandmother. They seem to be searching for something in the hotel. 

Elizabeth and Freddy team up to try and decipher the Winterhouse seal. They discover there are four doors leading to secret passageways that seem to tie into the seal. When a staff member is attacked near one of the secret doors, Elizabeth and Freddy know someone else is on the trail. Could Gracella be back? How are the Powters and Vespers connected to each other and to Gracella?

I really enjoyed the first Winterhouse book and was eager for this one. I still enjoyed the story, but I found Elizabeth more grating than the last book. I also thought the Powters were over the top in everything. They were beyond rude and privileged with no real motivation behind it. Most of their interactions with Elizabeth made little sense even once their identities were revealed.