Originally published under a pseudonym, ‘Annabel’ by famous ‘Oz’ author L. Frank Baum follows the story of young Will Carden, whose family has fallen on hard times. Will grows close to the beautiful local young heiress Annabel Williams, as the pair unite in their suspicions about Ezra Jordan – the man who is managing Annabel’s fathers Mill and who is staying with the Carden family. The pair find themselves caught up in a tale of international espionage and intrigue as they team up to discover the truth about Ezra.
Lyman Frank Baum (1856 – 1919) was a prolific and well-known American writer. He is best known for his famous series of modern fairy tales set in the imaginary land of Oz. The first of the books, ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’ is widely considered to be the first true American fairy tale and was the basis for the hugely popular 1939 classic musical ‘The Wizard of Oz’ starring Judy Garland. Born and raised in New York, Baum held a range of jobs including as a poultry farmer, clerk, and storekeeper before pursuing his talent for writing at the age of 41. He wrote 14 novels in the Oz series, as well as over 40 other novels and over 80 short stories. He died in California in 1919.