Charlie and her family have moved from the big city to a small country village, and everything feels wrong. The cottage they now live in is old and creepy. Anxiety about her new school is causing Charlie's stutter to return. And the villagers are just plain weird: Beautiful young singer Suzy Evans, who glows with a strange light that only Charlie can see. Mysterious classmate Cat, who won't keep her nose out of Charlie's business. And Agatha, who may not have a broomstick or a cauldron, but is definitely a witch. Slowly and steadily, though, the strange surroundings exert their effect on Charlie. Would a bit of Agatha's magic fix her worsening stutter? Nothing else seems to. But bad-tempered Agatha has long since retired from magic. Besides, she tells Charlie, her stutter is part of who she is, not a curse that can be removed. Not like the curse that's been put on Suzy Evans, the sparkling singer, who is set to lose her wonderful voice when she turns sixteen in just a week's time.