AUTHOR: SUSAN K MARLOW
Jem Coulter thinks his family is just on a sightseeing trip to the big city of Sacramento. Then armed bandits hold up the stagecoach for the secret stash theyre carrying: gold for the Union Army fighting the distant Civil War! Suddenly war isnt so far away; its right there on the road to Sacramento, with Jems father, the sheriff of Goldtown, fighting against the rebel armys Knights of the Golden Circle.
When the family finally reaches the city, they think theyre safe at last. Setting out to see the sights, Jem, his sister Ellie, and their cousin Nathan make a new friend. But is Henry the pal they think he is? With a father who is a die-hard Confederate, could Henry be in cahoots with the thieves?
River of Peril gives readers ages 8 to 12 the fast-moving, exciting adventure theyve come to expect in this series, as well as a glimpse into the history of post–Gold Rush and Civil War life in 1860s California, with stagecoaches, steamboats, stowaways—and lots of gold!