For ages 7-11 Feenie Bailey lives with her family in a floathome community on the Fraser River, a salty and tidal river in the most southwestern part of Canada. In the middle of a stormy summer night, a boat turns up by the Baileys' dock, with a little old dog on board. Then another dog goes missing. Later another turns up. The dogs are a motley collection: one is ancient, another has an injury, and the third has only three legs. Who would want these dogs? Feenie has a growing list of suspects, but this being-a-detective stuff is new. She's always wanted to be a detective, just like the books she reads, dealing with details and clues! But the worst thing about being a detective? Having to be suspicious of people! It's easy to put the neighborhood "e;grumpy old man"e; on the suspect list, along with Terence Kowalski, school bully, and even Michael Elliot, the scary young entrepreneur. But Mimi Zwick, art teacher extraordinaire, has to be on the list, too...and that's a bit unsettling. Feenie needs to find the truth, especially about her neighbor's missing dog. Feenie and her friend Trixa hold a stakeout and set a trap. They need to find WHO before any other furry ones go missing...
