The early summer of 1732 bring Suzette and her family to La Pointe Island on Lake Superior. The Ojibwe people camp by the French fur-trading fort on the island every summer. Suzette's mother is an Ojibwe woman. Her father is a Frenchman who works for the French fur-trading company. Ordinarily, Suzette's father would have to spend each winter in faraway Montreal, but this year there is a competition among the trappers. If Suzette's father wins, he will be able to pay off his company contract and stay with his Ojibwe family year-round. Then things get complicated. First, someone sabotages the canoe carrying Suzette and her family to the island. Her father almost losses some furs. Suzette almost drowns. Next, the competition is halted when a bale of furs is stolen from the fort. Evidence begins to point to Suzette's father as the thief. Can Suzette figure out who the real culprit is and save her father from exile? Can you figure out what's going on before Suzette?
My daughter didn't like this "History Mystery" as well as the others we have read. I think she might have been put off by the fur-trading aspect of it. The idea of men competing to see who can get the most animal skins didn't sit very well with her. On the other hand, that was a fact of life in those days. We can't ignore the past just because some aspects of it conflict with our modern sensibilities. I thought this was one of the more engaging mysteries in the series. Suzette comes across as a bit more aggressive than a girl in her circumstances might be allowed to be, but she is brave and she comes through when the chips are down. This is a good book for young readers, with all the positive aspects I've cited in my reviews of other entries in this series. I recommend it highly to kids and their parents.

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