The children are off at a cabin in the woods and suddenly SQUIRRELS! IN THE CEILING! Oh, and they also get snowed in by a freak storm that dumps four feet of snow on them. But from the way they go on, the squirrels are totally the problem…

In any case, the first 80% or so of the book is pretty good. It’s nice to see the kids mostly out on their own and the setting is fun. The mystery is… pretty terrible. The secret ingredient in family buns? Really? (And we, the read, never find out!)

Then we get out of the snow and for some reason spend a huge chunk of the book with Grandfather just outright buying a store for someone and setting them up… and even working the counter for a while for a lark?

“That’s why we came,” said Mr. Alden. “You need a change. We’ll sell while you go out to eat lunch.”

Feels weird. Could have just been left out as far as I’m concerned.

Not the strongest, but pretty good.