David approaches Ruben Hart in hopes of collecting information
to write a newspaper article. Rumor has it that Mr. Hart had been
involved in the illegal smuggling of alcohol during the
Prohibition. Mr. Hart denies it and sends him on his way. But David
is desperate for a story, so he does a bit of research at the
library. He learns that besides the big time business of the mob,
some of the smuggling occurred small scale, like poor farmers
looking for some extra money during those lean times. He also finds
a boat named the Black Duck mentioned in some old newspaper
clippings.

David returns to Mr. Hart and tries again. This time Mr. Hart opens
up a bit, agreeing to some of the info David repeats from his
research. But when David mentions the Black Duck, Mr. Hart clams up
and ushers him out the door. David can feel a story just begging to
be told, but how can he get at the truth? A few days later, Mr.
Hart calls him up; he's ready to tell his story.

Ruben and his best buddy Jeddy often comb the beaches of their New
England home looking for lost lobster traps. If they can return
them to the owners, they often get a bit of money for their
troubles. In 1929, extra money for teenagers is a bit scarce. 
But this time, they find more than just lobster traps --- they
uncover a body! Ruben and Jeddy search the dead man's pockets for
identification, but find only a pipe and tobacco pouch...and a
bullet hole in his neck. They rush home to tell Jeddy's father, the
town sheriff, but by the time they get back to the beach, the body
has disappeared.

Warned to keep quiet, Ruben and Jeddy wonder if the body is
connected to the alcohol smuggling occurring in the area. Everybody
is aware of it, and almost everyone knows someone involved. When
jobs are so hard to come by, who can blame a person for trying to
put food on the table, even if it is against the law? Jeddy can,
that's for sure. He completely backs up the law and his father as
the sheriff. But Ruben finds himself involved, whether he likes it
or not. When Ruben offhandedly stuffs that pipe and tobacco pouch
in his pocket, he accidentally digs himself into the middle of a
smuggling operation. And more than one group of people is desperate
and willing to do anything to get at him!

Pages filled with mystery, suspense, danger and action can be
difficult to put down, and BLACK DUCK definitely falls into this
category. The fascinating and in-depth characters surging
throughout the book are especially impressive, as are the emotional
and moral struggles the characters must go through. Janet Taylor
Lisle truly has done an amazing job. She based the book on a real
smuggling boat called the Black Duck, and then spun such a golden
web of a story that readers will not want it to end.

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