Ben Guterson will stop by Eagle Harbor Book Company at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 12 to discuss his new young adult urban fantasy novel “Winterhouse,” for middle readers ages 9-12.

Orphan Elizabeth Somers’s malevolent aunt and uncle ship her off to the ominous Winterhouse Hotel, owned by the peculiar Norbridge Falls. Upon arrival, Elizabeth quickly discovers that Winterhouse has many charms — most notably its massive library.

It’s not long before she locates a magical book of puzzles that will unlock a mystery involving Norbridge and his sinister family. But, the deeper she delves into the hotel’s secrets the more Elizabeth starts to realize that she is somehow connected to Winterhouse. As fate would have it, Elizabeth is the only person who can break the hotel’s curse and solve the mystery.

But will it be at the cost of losing the people she has come to car for, and even Winterhouse itself?

Guterson was born and raised in Seattle. Before working at Microsoft as a program manager, he spent a decade teaching public school on the Navajo reservation in New Mexico and in rural Colorado. He has written features and book reviews for newspapers, magazines and websites, as well as a nature-travel guide to the Southwest.

Guterson and his family live in the foothills of the Cascades east of Seattle. “Winterhouse” is his first book.

Visit www.eagleharborbooks.com to learn more.