When a spooky nocturnal creature starts terrorizing the riverfront, Mr. Rat's clever daughter sets to work solving the mystery and unmasking the culprit. But that is only the beginning of the intrigue and adventures one summer on a New England coastal estuary in the 1920's. The book is full of natural history and sailing adventures in wooden boats. It also features an mysterious Native American prophesy, a suspected sea monster, a scavenger hunt with a surprising twist, a ruthless croquet tournament, some historical fiction, an unusual square dance with fireflies, persnickety weasels, a campfire on the beach at night watching shooting stars, a devious fox, a mysterious clue etched on a piece of birch bark, a devastating hurricane, a heroic rescue, and lots of gentle humor.Set in coastal New England in the 1920's, this tale is about the denizens of a very special river. For like their relatives on the other side of the ocean, this river had its own Rat, Mole, Badger, Otter, and Weasel clans.All the natural history and science in this book is accurate and will inspire young readers to learn more