Samantha Wolf Mysteries, Book Six - A Mysterious Christmas on Orcas Island

It feels good to get back into the world of Samantha Wolf and her friends. Although it always takes me a bit to really get into each of these books (less because of the story and more because of the present-tense narrative which is difficult to swallow when 99% of the books I read are all written in the standard past tense), but by the half-way mark, I get accustomed to it and don't notice it as much. Plus, by the half-way point, the story is starting to reach its crescendo, the girls are fully delving into the mystery, and there is considerably more action!

A Mysterious Christmas on Orcas Island is set - big surprise! - over the Christmas break. The girls are out of school for the holiday, and Sam and Ally get invited to visit their friend, Sandy Hollingsworth, on Orcas Island. The girls originally met Sandy back in the second book of this series, when they solved a mystery at Camp Whispering Pines (and the book indicates that the camp was "the summer before," indicating that time is definitely moving forward for these characters in this series). It's nice to see that author Tara Ellis does not create throw-away characters. The Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books are famous for introducing "good friends" of the sleuths into various books, who seem to be central to that particular mystery, but then those characters are never seen, heard from, or even mentioned ever again (despite their "good friend" status). So, to have a series where characters are mentioned or, better yet, re-appear from time to time creates a believable world that is considerably enjoyable to read and fall into.

The mystery is not apparent at first - in fact, Ellis gives readers a major red herring - well, actually, TWO major red herrings regarding the mystery with which Sam, Ally, and Sandy will become involved. Why are Adam and Cece acting so strange? What was the conversation Sam overheard? Who is the strange Bikeman that was watching them on the Ferry? Are the flashes of red that Sam keeps seeing in the woods really the ghost of "Alice"? What is the mysterious project that Sandy's father is working on? So many questions, and Ally thought this trip to Orcas Island was going to be a nice, relaxing break. She should have known better, since mystery always has a way of following Samantha Wolf wherever she goes!

One thing about this story that makes it special is the fact that Orcas Island is a real place off the coast of Washington state, as is the village of Eastsound on the island. The Moran Mansion, named Rosario, also exists in the real world, and the legend of Alice the ghost is actually real (the legend - whether she does actually appear or not is a whole 'nother story!). Thus, while the mystery itself and the characters are all a work of fiction, the real setting gives the story a measure of believability that draws the reader in. And when that snow storm hits, trapping Sam, Ally, and Sandy on the freezing cold island with a desperate criminal who will do just about anything to succeed in his/her plan - well, let's just say it results in a kidnapping, an assault, a daring rescue attempt in a blinding snowstorm, and an ingenuous escape plan that would make Nancy Drew proud!

Aside from the present tense narrative, this series is absolutely one that I enjoy and would recommend - the characters are fun, the mysteries are well-plotted, and the supporting cast is always growing.  Hope that Ellis keeps the series going for some time to come!

RATING:  8 games of foosball out of 10 for putting the girls in an entirely new environment that offered up some great new dangers in solving this mystery!