The Haunting at Stratton Falls

When her father, a soldier, is reported missing in action in the autumn of 1944, eleven-year-old Abby and her mother leave their Florida home to stay with relatives in upstate New York. At first Abby is miserably unhappy. Her oldest cousin, Chad, torments her, and his friends are snooty. Her younger cousins are sweet, but they're too little to play with. And of course, she misses her father desperatley and fears he may be dead. But things gradually start to improve between Abby and her cousin, and she makes some friends. Then, as Christmas nears, one of the local girls Abby has befriended tells her of a young girl who drowned in the river on Christmas Day, 1864 while waiting for her father to return home from the Civil War. Now, the girl's ghost supposedly appears every Christmas. When Abby begins to see the ghost, she wonders why she is appearing to her. Is it about Abby's father? Abby herself? Or does the ghost want Abby's help in moving on? Abby has to find out before it's too late. This was an enjoyable, quick read that combines historical fiction with a ghost story. Fans of both genres should enjoy this book.