The story begins when Riley is bullied by his uncle, and his anger spirals out of control, kicking up a rooster tail of rage. He’s pushed too far when his best friend, a fast-talking squirrel, becomes the bully’s next target. When he learns about a sorcerer using black magic who can make his uncle disappear altogether, the search for her begins.

This lands them in the Aisle of Indifference. It’s a warped carnival town buzzing with carnies, clowns, and crooked tents, where everything around Riley begins to look the way he feels. Misery is the owner of the Aisle, a hairless cat with jagged teeth who has every desire to keep Riley put. Her loyal recruiter, Crowpee, gives Riley clues that don’t add up, luring him deeper into the Aisle’s grip, making him angrier than he was.

Now all he wants is to get out of the Aisle, but instead gets an invitation to Misery’s Lucky 13 Dinner. And the party has a secret—fourteen are invited. When Misery sets her sights on Stedman, the seemingly friendly invitation becomes a race for survival. Riley’s only chance to escape and save his friends will require him to outsmart the Aisle’s most dangerous illusion, avoid becoming what he hates most, and face the monsters inside him that keep the Aisle alive.