Ruby Gloom and her unusually charming group of friends all live together in a Victorian mansion at the edge of Gloomsville. Ruby begins and ends each book with a letter that includes some of her charming sayings and advice like “Hold on to your friends … but give them room to breathe.” During one of her adventures, Iris finds a beautiful plant and gives it to Ruby Gloom to care for. The next morning, the friends discover that the kitchen has been ransacked and there’s not a crumb left to eat. Skull Boy assumes the role of Sherlock Holmes and investigates the crime—he even interrogates all his friends! After Skull Boy devises an elaborate trap for the culprit, we learn that each night the plant has been creeping out of its pot and devouring everything in sight. In typical Gloomsville fashion, the kids affectionately name the plant “Flora” and plant her outside their kitchen window so they can toss her snacks whenever she’s hungry.

Ruby and her friends hear that an upcoming lunar eclipse will temporarily alter their personalities, and they go camping to see what will happen! Sure enough, the eclipse makes them act very strangely. It’s all fun until Doom Kitty disappears and the kids realize they are being chased by a monster. Will they find Doom before the monster finds them?

On a rainy day in Gloomsviille, Ruby and her friends decide to put on a talent show. But the show can’t go on when Skull Boy’s magic trick actually makes Scaredy Bat disappear. Can the gang find a way to bring Scaredy back? Or will he be lost forever?