RUTH STANTON, a junior at Skylar High School in 1942, is in charge of seeing after her older brother Jack's house while he serves in the United States Navy. Ruth possesses the only key, so when someone repeatedly gains access to the dwelling with no signs of forced entry, leaves puzzling clues inside, and attacks her friends, she's determined to find answers before something worse happens. CALVIN WEEDSLO has just turned seventeen and is a longtime friend of Ruth's. He vows to protect her and, unfortunately, has reason to believe his dad, the principal at Skylar High, is part of a shady operation involving a newcomer, the drugstore owner, and a drifter who refuses to leave town. Calvin fears the alleged illegal operation might be directly related to the situation with Jack's property and the harrassment toward Ruth. When Jack's house--and Ruth's safety--are directly threatened on Halloween night, urgency reaches an all time high and the search picks up speed. With the help of the town outcast and his beagle, Jack's friend Fender, Ruth's ten-year-old brother, and the Skylar police department, Ruth and Calvin launch an all-out effort to discover the truth and bring the offender to justice. If you're seventeen, can't wait to turn seventeen, or remember being seventeen, check out this story from a simpler day and time--a tale of true friendship and loyalty for the young and the young at heart.