Much Ado About Grubstake by Jean Ferris

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During the end of the gold rush, in the Colorado mountains you can find a town called Grubstake; population 62.  Arley is the sixteen year old owner of a boarding house.  The town is down on its lich, and no one has found any gold in the mountains for some time, so when a stranger comes to town and starts buying up people’s claims Arely gets suspicious. 

This book is a fun and clean read for younger teens.  (11-14). There is no bad language or any explicate content. The main character is a pluck girl who solves a mystery and meets a mysterious stranger who may be a good guy or a bad guy.  It has action, adventure, and a little romance; he perfect combination for a younger teen reader.