A disturbing call from her great aunts Astrid and Jeannette sends seventeen-year-old Francie far from her new home in New York into a tangle of mysteries. Ditching an audition in a Manhattan theater, Francie travels to a remote lake in the northwoods where her aunts' neighbours are "dropping like flies" from strange accidents. But are they accidents?
On the shores of Enchantment Lake in the woods of northern Minnesota, something ominous is afoot, and as Francie begins to investigate, the mysteries multiply: a poisoned hot dish, a puzzling confession, eerie noises in the bog, and a legendary treasure that is said to be under enchantment-or is that under Enchantment, as in under the lake? At the centre of everything are a suddenly booming business in cabin sales and a road not everyone wants built.
To a somewhat reluctant northwoods Nancy Drew, the intrigue proves irresistible, especially when it draws her closer to the mysteries at the heart of her own life: What happened to her father? Who and where is her mother? Who is she, and where does her heart lie-in the bustle of New York City or the deep woods of Minnesota? With its gripping story, romantic spirit, and a sly dash of modern-day trouble (evil realtors and other invasive species), Enchantment Lake will fascinate readers, providing precisely the charm that Margi Preus's readers have come to expect.
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Drowning, Francie thought. 1, DROWNING
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(@UMinnPress, 15 March 2015, 200 pages, ebook, copy from the publisher and voluntarily reviewed)
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I've read a few of the author's books over the past few months and have become quite a fan. The Enchantment Lake series has been on my TBR list for ages so I was delighted to get a review copy of all three books. I really enjoyed this book; it's fun, well-written and engaging. The Nancy Drew references are spot on. The book is a bit darker than I was expecting, especially towards the end when Francine starts to get closer to the truth about her past, why people have been mysteriously dying and what exactly the legendary treasure is. Enchantment Lake is part cosy mystery, part thriller. I look forward to reading Francine's next adventure.
