The Door by the Staircase

Twelve-year-old Mary Hayes is desperate to escape her orphanage and fears she might be trapped in the Buffalo Asylum for Young Ladies forever. When a mysterious woman named Madame Z arrives to adopt her, Mary revels in the comfort of her new life—until her curiosity about the town reveals a chilling secret about Madame Z’s true identity. As Mary navigates her new surroundings, she must confront the unsettling reality that her seemingly perfect home could become her worst nightmare.