One of my favorite whimsical elements in the Secret Staircase Mysteries is the treehouse in the backyard of Tempest Raj’s family home.

Tempest’s grandparents, Ashok and Morag, live in the treehouse. It’s not technically a treehouse any longer, because it was once a true treehouse deck when Tempest was a kid, then as Secret Staircase Construction grew, they experimented with their own home. A child’s treehouse became a fully functional in-law unit built between two giant oak trees, with the old trees used as central points for two decks.

I was delighted to find a company that makes tiny treehouses for houseplants—and one of their treehouses looks so much like the one I imagined for Grandpa Ash and Grannie Mor!

The treehouse in my Secret Staircase Mysteries is has two decks, one of which is the heart of the home with a big family dining table. That deck and dining table are an extension of the kitchen, where Ash cooks family meals (many of his recipes are in the backs of the books).

This tiny treehouse has the dining table deck I imagined long before I found this! So of course I had to buy it for the houseplant that sits at my writing desk.