For ages 12+. A strange encounter on a train transports young Peter back to the Middle Ages to take part in a mystery play where the actors become the characters they portray. Peter believes he has been brought there to counter an unearthly, menacing influence, but a succession of terrifying experiences leads him to suspect that he might be destined to cause the disaster he is trying to avert. He needs courage to face the crisis and intelligence to solve the mystery. Dennis Hamley -- author of over 50 books -- tells a rousing tale; his knowledge of medieval drama gives an extraordinary power to 'Pageants of Despair'.