This is a retelling of the old tale of Hansel and Gretel| but set in England in the 1920s. To the children and staff at the orphanage| Auntie Roo is a kindly American widow who gives them a lavish Christmas party each year in her mansion| Forrest Grange. In reality| she is a severely disturbed woman| who keeps the mummified remains of her little daughter in a nursery in the attic. One Christmas| her eye falls upon a little girl who reminds her of her daughter and she imprisons her in her attic. Nobody believes her brother| Christopher| when he tells them what has happened| so he goes to rescue her.