Emma-Lee Palmer can't decide whether to throttle her obnoxious cousin Coot or simply ignore the beast as he quickly wears out his welcome during an extended visit to her remote island home. Coot soon becomes the least of her worries as Emma-Lee encounters international intrigue and harrowing adventure on Florida's untamed Merritt Island in 1905. Emma-Lee and her hilarious best friend Punkin are sucked into the middle of an island mystery involving a sinister arsonist, German scientist, Seminole Indians, and Alligator Alice, a feisty gator trapper. If you liked Emma-Lee and Punkin's first adventures in The Distant Shore, you'll love this new round of fun, mystery, and budding romance.