Ghost Light on Graveyard Shoal

American Girl History Mysteries #21

by Elizabeth McDavid Jones

On an island off the coast of Virginia, the daughter of a US Lifesaver investigates a series of suspicious shipwrecksIt’s 1895. Rhoda Midyette lives on Glenn Island, where her father is keeper of the US Lifesaving Station. He leads rescue operations whenever a ship hits the dangerous shoals around the island—which has happened far too often lately. One stormy night, when Rhoda and her father’s team help the survivors off their destroyed boat, she spies a mysterious light on the cape above Graveyard Shoal. The next day, she finds footprints in the sand. Is someone deliberately causing the collisions? Swaying their lanterns so the sailors will navigate toward the perilous shallows instead of away from them? Or is it a ghost light—and are the footprints those of the mythical mangled mariner? As she digs deeper, Rhoda uncovers clues that threaten everything she knows. With so much at stake—including her best-friendship with the gravely ill Pearl—Rhoda has to trust in herself and find a way to save lives. This ebook includes a historical afterword.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, Childrens, Fiction, Historical, Historical Mystery

137 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2003

About the author

Elizabeth McDavid Jones was born in 1958 in South Carolina. When she was a child, she moved in Raleigh, North Carolina. She graduated from East Carolina University and started a career in social work. When Jones earned a master's degree in literature in 1996, she changed her career to a university literature. During this period, she began writing children's books. She is a mother of four children.

She is the author of nine books and many magazine and serial stories for young people. Her books have sold over 750,000 copies. She is particularly known for her work writing with American Girl.

Reviews

[DaniPhantom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this series as a kid. An easygoing & fun mystery.

[Jim Shaner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good story. A perfect mystery, in a historical setting. I really enjoyed it.

[Bulk Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to go out of order now due to library complications, which is killing me, but I have resigned myself to it.

This book was predictable, but I feel like I can't give it any less than five stars because it did so many things right. For one, the mystery surrounded little known facts about history. It was about a coastal Atlantic island and the lives of surfmen and their families, who were responsible from saving ships from wrecking on the shore. I did not know anything about this lifestyle prior to reading this book, and it was fascinating.

The culprit was someone whose motivation was also historical: they are a "wrecker," who, according to legend, would lure boats to shore with a lantern so that they would crash and then the wrecker could salvage whatever they found amid the cargo. This is so dastardly! I find it much more compelling when these authors tend to center the mystery around history instead of trying to make the historical setting adjust to the mystery.

Furthermore, something these books struggle with is justifying a twelve year-old solving a mystery by themselves without seeking adult help. In this book, the protagonist tries to alert her parents, but they brush off her worries, and so she actually turns to the culprit themselves to help her. This was a clever idea and something new to this series. I knew immediately what was going on, but it would be a good plot twist for a kid who maybe wouldn't pick up on it.

Overall, aside from the predictability, I have no complaints. There were many gripping scenes and the pacing was satisfactory. I can't believe I only have two more books to go in this series.

[Sophie Spruce · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a lovely book. Rhoda and Pearl remind me of Anne and Diana, except this is set in America. Good progression, storyline is tight and the mystery, although predictable was well-written for the age group. Rhoda’s growth as a character was subtle but visible. The epilogue made me cry and felt like a good way to end the book. I love that it introduces children to grief and the idea that even people you love may not be trustworthy.

[SFrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Ms. Jones' books.
To date, her best will remain "The Night Flyers".
In each one of these comprising the American Girl History Mysteries is
a section at the back the book which is a Peek Into the Past, to that time period.
Further, the author always provide her notes of resources important
for future reference.

[Adhrit Pradeep · Rating 5 out of 5]

A girl called Rhoda tries to figure out the mystery of a strange light upon a place called Graveyard Shoal which is supposedly haunted by a ghost captain. She endures many things but when she gets down to the mystery, does she find out who is making the strange light- or encounter the ghost captain?
I recommend it for all the thriller enthusiasts.

[Little Seal]

This book actually made me interested in the history of lifehouses and Lifesaving crews. I'm actually impressed by the author for having a note at the end thanking numerous organizations and people for the research she did for the book. While I hope that most historical fiction is heavily researched, I know that it's not always the case.

[Lionheart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rated 3 1/2 stars
Ages 10+

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one wasn't as much of a mystery, but it really was eerie. I love nautical maritime things, so it was just a nice story. New place and new things to read about.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh sweet nostalgia.

[Madelyn W · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was pretty good. a classic American girl book

[James Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book 21 in the History Mysteries series and is one of the harder books to find.

The story takes place in 1895 and centers around the young girl Rhonda who lives on an island where her father is a member of a group of men that rescue people from boats that get shipwrecked on the shoals.

It's an extremely tough life for her father, and he's way from home six days out of seven, but Rhonda also is very proud of the work her father does.

Her best friend Pearl is very ill and needs to go to a hospital to stay for a while. However, at the same time, it seems that there is someone who is going around and trying to get ships to wreck on purpose so he can claim their cargo and get rich.

Rhonda tries to find out who is doing this and, along the way, runs the risk of losing Pearl's friendship forever. Finally, she must confront the culprit, knowing he will spot her, but knowing that, if she doesn't act, yet another ship will sink and lives will be lost.

I didn't think at first that the book would be very interesting but it turns out it's quite well done and worth reading.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's 1895. Rhoda Midyette has lived all her life on Glenn Island, where her father is keeper of the U.S. Life Saving Station. But she's never before seen the odd light she now glimpses at night, moving along the cape above Graveyard Shoal. Could it be the ghost of the shipwrecked sea captain who is said to haunt the island? Or is it something just as impossible, an islander - a friend or neighbor shining a light to lure ships to their destruction on the dangerous shoal?

Talk about spooky! I got chills at times reading this one! It's part of the American Girl History Mysteries series. I love them all! This author does a great job of pulling the reader into the story and making you feel like you are there with Rhoda trying to solve the mystery and you don't want to put the book down.

[Elevetha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this one pretty well. 9+. I had completely forgotten about this one and then saw the cover and was filled with nostalgia. So fun!

[Meghan · Rating 3 out of 5]

TW: emotional abuse. At least that's how I read the way Rhoda was treated by her father.

[Kristi Clemow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story