It appears only once every nine years. And when it opens, four mysterious figures step into the streets of London. A wizard, an ogre, a fey and a young hag have come to find the prince of their kingdom, stolen as a baby nine years before. But the prince has become a horrible rich boy called Raymond Trottle who doesn't understand magic and is determined not to be rescued.

Eva Ibbotson (born 21 January 1925) is an Austrian-born British novelist. She is known for her award-winning children's books and for her romance novels, which have been marketed to both a young adult and adult readership.