Gracie has an unusual appetite for ghosts, a secret she has kept from everyone she know. After her parents move to a new house located directly across the street from an old cemetery, her late-night eating habits spin so out of control the ghosts have finally had enough. The infamously corrupt Ghost Council takes her by force to the underworld where she faces severe punishment for her crimes against the dead. The only chance Gracie has to return to the land of the living is to complete three seemingly impossible tasks which have been chosen by the ghosts. Gracie must rely on her cunning and the help of a few unexpected friends to return home safely, learning along the way that she truly is stronger than she believes.

Having been victorious over the ghosts, Gracie turns to a new, more fearsome foe: goblins. A chance encounter with the creatures turns into a full-scale rescue operation when Gracie's baby brother is kidnapped and taken to the notorious Goblin World. With help from best friend Clara, Gracie's stuffed cat Mr. Jippers, and Clara's annoying little brother Stuart, Gracie must deal with deadly traps, vicious creatures, and shocking surprises to rescue her brother from the evil goblin witch Karmen and her three sons. It will require determination, teamwork, and plenty of help from some magical swords for this crazy rescue plan to have any chance of success.

It is a city of seemingly irreconcilable opposites, simultaneously glorious and ghastly. And it is Ben Taylor’s remarkable ability to meld these contradictions into a whole that makes this the exciting and original book it is. He takes his stroll around the bay with the acute sensitivity of a lover, the good humor of a friend, and the wisdom of a seeker who has immersed himself in all aspects of this contrapuntal culture. His curiosity leads him to many byways, both real and metaphoric, and his passion for this ancient city and its people becomes, in his graceful prose and amusing anecdotes, irresistibly contagious.