Doreen McAvoy

Thirteen-year-old Will Abbott is enjoying his eighth-grade year and looking forward to a fun-filled December packed with basketball games, snowball fights, and Christmas pageant practice. With Otis Mayfield safely behind bars, Will's biggest problem is enduring the antics of the class bully, Beefy Boris. But when an old car belonging to the Mayfield family is spotted in town, Will fears another Mayfield is back. And when his friend Betsy's baby pictures, believed to have been lost in a fire, mysteriously start appearing, Will is certain someone with ties to the Mayfield family is involved. With Betsy's residence in Fern Valley in jeopardy, Will must retain the services of Boris's newly formed messenger service. Can a bit of Christmas spirit help Will and his friends find the answers they need to keep Betsy from leaving Fern Valley?

Thirteen-year-old Will Abbott is enjoying his eighth-grade year and looking forward to a fun-filled December packed with basketball games, snowball fights, and Christmas pageant practice. With Otis Mayfield safely behind bars, Will's biggest problem is enduring the antics of the class bully, Beefy Boris. But when an old car belonging to the Mayfield family is spotted in town, Will fears another Mayfield is back. And when his friend Betsy's baby pictures, believed to have been lost in a fire, mysteriously start appearing, Will is certain someone with ties to the Mayfield family is involved. With Betsy's residence in Fern Valley in jeopardy, Will must retain the services of Boris's newly formed messenger service. Can a bit of Christmas spirit help Will and his friends find the answers they need to keep Betsy from leaving Fern Valley?

Will was looking forward to eighth grade. Will he even make it past September? Will Abbott expects his eighth-grade year at Fern Valley Middle School to be the same as the last seven-school, soccer, and lazy Saturdays. But when a rash of crime strikes his little town, it doesn't take long to realize something peculiar is going on. Will is certain the class bully, Beefy Boris, is involved and suspects he's getting help-from their own classmates As Will and his friends investigate, they stumble upon clues leading them to suspect someone even more sinister is responsible. Can Will and his friends-including a new girl with a mysterious past-trap the criminal mastermind and reveal a secret that has haunted Fern Valley for twelve years?