The Secret of Falcon Heights

Sandeep and his younger brother, Manish, are not looking forward to spending three months in the remote, Internet-challenged hill station of Pahadpur, especially under the eagle eye of their military-minded great aunt. Apart from taking care of their kid sister, Chubs, who has a tendency to wander off on her own, the boys have absolutely nothing to do in the holidays. But there is more to Pahadpur than meets the eye. Sandeep and Manish discover that the neighbours next door, at Falcon Heights, are shunned and called 'lepers' by all the townsfolk. Who is the sullen, mysterious girl who lives there and flies a falcon every morning? Why do perfectly respectable citizens get up and leave, muttering darkly,every time she enters a shop or cafe? As Sandeep unravels the mystery, two terrible but seemingly plausible stories emerge, only one of which can be true.

Ranjit Lal has written fiction and non-fiction for both adults and children. His books for Puffin include The Caterpillar Who went on a Diet and Other Stories, When Banshee Kissed Bimbo and Other Bird Stories, The Battle for No. 19 and Faces in the Water, which won the Crossword Best Children's Book Award in 2010 and the Laadli National Media Award.