Skeleton Creek

Grounded after a mysterious accident, and forbidden to have any contact with his headstrong, curious best friend Sarah, Ryan begins a new secret journal to record his memories of the night when he broke his leg. He and Sarah secretly communicate through email and videos she posts online, which the reader is asked to watch at certain points in the diary. Discoveries, and more mysteries, unfold as this curious ghost story moves quickly forward through the days following Ryan's release from the hospital. Their hometown, Skeleton Creek, is home to some strange legends and history, and even stranger characters: the gun-toting librarian, the new Ranger who seems scared of what the kids might find, and parents who don't seem to be telling the whole truth about their motives. All of these curiosities center around a dilapidated old building called “the Dredge”, used long ago to mine the land for gold, and the site of at least one “accidental” death.

The videos are a gimmick that works, with just enough starts and thrills to keep the reader/viewer on the edge of her seat when accessing Sarah's missives. Though the acting is corny, each segment moves the story forward, incorporating Sarah's thoughts into what would otherwise be a very one-sided (and uneventful, since Ryan is housebound) exploration of the aftereffects of that spooky night.

Cliffhanger ending.