"When Gwenifer gets half-wit Harry to take Jeffery's ox home so she can sneak into the woods with her lover, she has no idea the chain of events that she is setting in motion. The ox escapes and tramples Gwenifer's cousin Tilly nearly to death. The people of Grimblebury want someone to pay for the calamity and Harry is an easy target. Luckily for him the town magistrate Shem Wakeman is a wise man, and seeing that what happened was simply an unfortunate accident he decides to send Harry on a long journey to Ransomwood. The purpose of this journey is to gather the tears of a statue which are renowned for their healing power. These will then be brought back to Grimblebury in the hope that Tilly will be cured. As travelling to Ransomwood is an attractive alternative to hanging, Harry is happy to go. When Shem orders that Gwenifer also make the pilgrimage she feels relief. Ever since the accident, her life is falling apart. Jeffery has spurned her affections, her reputation around Grimblebury has been tarnished and her horrible uncle is threatening to marry her off to his awful widowed brother. Shem also has an ulterior motive for sending the pair to Ransomwood. His own mother Dorit is blind and since Shem's master Lord Roderick is travelling his lands, Shem is unable to take her to the weeping statue himself. Harry and Gwenifer will be able to ensure that Dorit arrives in Ransomwood safely. The three embark on a perilous journey and uncover a shocking secret, one that people will kill to keep from being revealed."--Scholastic website. Suggested level: secondary.