Lyssie, 15, spends a lot of time wishing. Now that her family has moved to a new town to take care of cranky Aunt Reva, she wishes that she could have a boyfriend, a best friend and voice lessons, and that Reva would laugh. For Lyssie's birthday, Reva gives her an antique mirror that had been her sister's. Reva drops enticing hints about her sister's death, and about the mysterious power of the mirror, which Lyssie thinks is just talk until she discovers Reva's diary. Then she realizes that there are strange forces at work, and she knows she must get rid of the mirror before another tragedy like the one that killed Reva's sister occurs.