The Winter Place (Carton of 28 Hardcover Books)

People in Tess Fortune's life have a way of vanishing. Like her mother, who died before Tess was old enough to remember her. Or her father, who has just been killed in a freak accident. But then again, they also have a way of appearing out of thin air. Like those Finnish grandparents she never knew about until she learned that she and her little brother, Axel, now have to live with them. In Finland.

But Axel doesn't mind the surprise. He's actually become quite accustomed to people appearing out of thin air. Well, rather, their ghosts. He's convinced that his mom and dad are not gone forever—that they're only lost deep in a haunted forest in the wilds of northern Finland, accompanied by a keeper of souls. As Tess frantically tries to keep what's left of her family intact, Alex disappears into the winter landscape in search of his parents—onto a path where he's certain he belongs.

In a very real world of ghosts and grief, Tess will do anything to keep Axel in the world of the living, even while he's doing everything in his power to join the dead.