There’s something wonderfully strange about the retirement home down the street that entices 12-year-old Willa Fuller, all nerves and knobby knees, into taking up the post of housekeeper for the summer. It’s not long before Willa uncovers the alluring secret behind the doors of Eldritch Manor: all its inhabitants are magical creatures, including a forlorn mermaid, an alcoholic centaur, and a very disgruntled fairy. Needless to say, Willa is delighted.

She soon gets more excitement than she bargained for, however, when signs of trouble from the Other Side send the manor’s landlady on a quest for help, and Willa is left in charge. As a dark presence encroaches, it’s up to her to band together the rowdy, bickering group of unlikely cohabitants and protect the house against nefarious creatures trying to force their way into the human world.

There is no shortage of whimsical characters or fantastical dilemmas in this debut novel by B.C.-based Kim Thompson, a filmmaker and writer for children’s cartoons. Scooping up a generous handful of tried-and-true fantasy tropes, the author creates a world that is well-drawn and immersive, if a little familiar. With plenty of mystery – from a Fuller family curse to an unseen cat that haunts the manor – and mounting crises that force Willa to find her confidence, the fun and fast-paced story, buoyed by a smattering of humour, rises to a climax as exciting as it is satisfying and well-earned.

While it risks being lost among a multitude of similar books, Eldritch Manor is a delightful addition to the genre and deserves to reach a wide, appreciative audience.