Book excerpt: *"A wondrous mystery." --Kirkus, starred review*"Suspenseful and spooky...with an edgy battle between good and evil." --School Library Journal, starred reviewIf the deepest secret has been spoken, can the deadliest curse be broken?Sent into the forest to gather firewood for the medieval abbey where he's an apprentice, Will hears a cry for help, and comes upon a creature no bigger than a cat. Trapped and wounded, it's a hobgoblin, who confesses a horrible secret: Something is buried deep in the snow, just beyond the graveyard. A mythical being, doomed by an ancient curse...What does this mystery have to do with the cryptic brotherhood of monks Will serves? What does it have to do with the boy himself? When two cloaked figures darken the church's doorway and start demanding answers, Will is drawn into a dangerous world of Old Magic.*Includes a timetable of daily life in the abbey, a glossary of monastic terms, and a sneak peek at the chilling sequel THE CROWFIELD DEMON!New York Public Library "100 Best Books for Reading and Sharing"A 2011 USBBY Outstanding International BookShortlisted for the Branford Boase Award