Seven-year old Ellen bought a very intriguing old lamp at a garage sale in Los Angeles. Although her older brother Joey and sister Beth mocked her, she started calling it her "Aladdin's Lamp". While Ellen was rubbing the lamp to clean it up, it suddenly got so hot that it burned her hands. Yet, when her sister picked it up it was cold. A few nights later, the kids lost their mother to an apparent murder-in their living room while they slept! And with all the doors locked!

Their father Gavin, remarried after the divorce, was forced to pick up the kids and take them to live with his new wife, Faye, in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Gavin's job required him to travel, and he could only join the family on weekends. Faye took up the challenge and quickly began to relate well to the kids. However, their neighborhood was soon disrupted by violent events. Each occurred in strange circumstances, and there was a lingering smell of smoke following each event. Faye was forced to call Gavin and ask that he take some time off. Although the family celebrated his homecoming, the celebration was to be short lived . . .