Todd and his little sister Laurie usually have their mum or aunt to call on when Dad isn't well, but they're both away and Dad wants to go on holiday in the middle of the night.

Todd can read the signs. One minute his Dad is full of energy and high spirits, the next he's struggling to get out of bed. And Todd knows that Dad hasn't taken his tablets.

They arrive at the seaside hotel to find it very different from how Dad remembers it and his mood plummets. It's clear Dad isn't capable of driving them back home so Todd decides it's up to him to look after the three of them as best he can.

As he and Laurie try to enjoy themselves, they get to know two other children in the hotel who are also having to contend with distracted parents. Together the foursome explore the building. There's talk of a weirwolf in room 13 and a mystery to be solved in room 42. If they can solve the clues to a strange disappearance many years ago, perhaps they can save the hotel from being sold to the horrible Mr Knife?

While there are difficult themes touched on here in terms of mental illness, family breakdown and a poor father son relationship, they are handled expertly, with compassion and resilience. Overarching it all is a warm, amusing, well paced adventure with a puzzle to solve. The children are great characters and it's a really lovely read.