Mystery at St. Deroin: Shadows Along the River

The river remembers. And so does the ghost.
Mystery at St. Deroin: Shadows Along the River is a chilling, fast-paced middle grade ghost town mystery adventure for kids ages 8-12, perfect for fans of Small Spaces, The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall, and The Last Kids on Earth. When the Evans family arrives at Indian Cave State Park for what was supposed to be a simple research trip, they uncover a terrifying secret buried beneath the muddy currents of the Missouri River-and a lost girl who refuses to be forgotten.
St. Deroin was once a thriving frontier settlement. Now, it is a drowned ghost town swallowed by floodwaters, rotting foundations, and legends. But some stories don't stay buried. Strange footprints appear near the shore. Whispering voices drift through the cabin walls. A broken locket engraved with the initials E.P. turns up in a forgotten cemetery. And every night, the river sounds less like water and more like someone calling for help.
Twelve-year-old Leo, his curious sister Maya, and their fearless little brother Finn soon find themselves caught in a supernatural mystery involving sunken ruins, a haunted cemetery, and the tragic story of Eliza Prewitt-the girl the river took. To help her, they'll have to face the shadows along the river, decode lost journals, explore submerged structures, and confront a secret so powerful that history has tried to erase it.
This gripping paranormal mystery for elementary and middle school readers blends real American history with goosebumps, adventure, and emotional depth. It's a spooky river ghost story for children who love solving puzzles, searching for hidden clues, and uncovering the truth that adults missed. Packed with atmosphere, danger, and heart, this novel invites young readers to explore abandoned river town ruins, decode secret maps, and follow a mystery deeper than the water itself.
Themes include:
- Courage, empathy, and family bonds
- Historical mysteries and forgotten places
- The power of memory and storytelling
- Facing fear and honoring the past
If your readers enjoy haunted history treasure mystery for young readers, adventure books about secrets buried underwater, or kids solving historical clues in a flooded ghost town, this book belongs on their shelf.
Perfect for:
- Classroom and library collections
- Reluctant readers who want high tension and short chapters
- Fans of spooky adventure novels with river legends for kids
- Young investigators who love ghost lore, archaeology, and real places
- Anyone who believes every forgotten town holds a story
The river has waited over a century for someone to listen. Now the kids must decide whether they're willing to hear the final bell-and follow it into the dark.
Because every ghost story... is a story about the living, too.