"How can you tell if a person's a witch?" asks Theo.
"It isn't easy but there is a way. Witches' tears turn to crystal as soon as they fall. Only thing is witches don't cry or hardly ever."

A new edition of this wonderfully atmospheric novel published into the First Modern Classics list fantastic stories for young readers.

In a whirl of rainy weather a strange woman appears on Theo and Dodie's doorstep making Theo very uneasy. His mother and little sister do not seem at all alarmed by her. Dodie loves Mrs Scarum's stories and her wild dancing. But Theo suspects there might be trouble afoot not helped by the fact that his father usually as reliable as the clocks he repairs has failed to return home. The blizzard continues and the night is long... there may be tears before morning.

A beautifully written story for confident young readers from an award-winning author.