Jordan Grimsley thinks he is doomed to the most agonizing Spring Break ever. His parents received a letter telling them that they have inherited a house deep in the Florida Everglades, adjacent to the Okeeyuckachokee Swamp. Mr. and Mrs. Grimsley love old things and love fixing up old things even more, so they are excited about the prospect of rehabbing the old house and turning it into a Bed & Breakfast. Jordan and his sister Abbie miss the comforts of the big city - including their friends, Abbie's pet lizard, Wi-Fi and cell service. The house is next to a retirement community, so there aren't a lot of prospects for making new friends, even if their parents don't keep them busy with nonstop chores from Dad's to-do list.
But things turn out to be a lot more exciting around the old house than they expected. They find out that Grandpa Grimsley was a cryptid hunter and spent his life tracking down mythical creatures like the Loch Ness Monster. One of the last creatures he claimed to have found was the Florida Skunk Ape, but then he was arrested for pulling a hoax on everyone and generally being a nuisance. He disappeared into the swamp in his pajamas and was never seen again. Jordan learns some of this history from a Badger Ranger named Eldon who has a lemonade stand in the neighborhood. Eldon convinces Jordan that he should become a Ranger Runt and learn all about spoor and tracking. What the boys discover is a very large mystery.
If you enjoy stories about cryptids like skunk apes, jackalopes, and chupacabras, and you also like a little humor mixed in with the excitement, then this could be the first in a new favorite series for you. There are some tense moments, but nothing that will keep you awake at night jumping at every little sound. And the characters are amusing, especially the contrast between the almost "goodie goodie" Eldon and the Wi-Fi junkie Jordan.
I read an e-book provided by the publisher through edelweiss.
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