FernFolio

Fifteen-year old Luke, and his younger sister Zaidee, have spent most of their lives moving around with their marine biologist father, Dr. Sam Perkins.  Sam works for the wealthy and controversial Anthony Cavenger, who travels the world in pursuit of mythological creatures – yetis, dragons, sasquatches and sea monsters.  This time, Cavenger’s hunt has brought the Perkins to the shores of Lake Alban, near New York’s famous Lake Champlain, where the multimillionaire plans to find irrefutable proof of the water monster whom locales have whispered about for decades.
For Luke and Zaidee, this latest adventure allows them to spend time aboard Cavenger’s search vessel, helping their father and trying to bridge the emotional gaps created by their mother’s recent death from cancer.  Once an internationally renowned scientist, Dr. Sam’s job with Cavenger has jeopardised his professional reputation and eaten away at his spirit.  Though worried about his father, Luke is happy to renew his friendship with Sarah, and to spend time out on the water with her and his sister Zaidee.
Luke and Zaidee and Sarah are all aboard Cavenger’s boats the day that the search team sweeps Lake Alban for signs of the water monster, and all of them are witness to the horrifying events that take place when Cavenger orders great nets to be lowered into the lake in hopes of cornering and capturing the creature.  Once he sees what lurks in the depths of Lake Alban, even the death of one of his crew won’t stop Cavenger’s hunt.
Frightened by what has happened, Dr. Sam orders Luke and Zaidee off the lake but they rapidly get bored of the trailer and their computer games, and decide to sneak in a little fishing from the family bass boat.  Then Luke notices some scrape marks near the shore at the far end of Lake Alban, and makes a discovery that will change his and Zaidee’s and, ultimately, Dr. Sam’s lives forever.
Written by famed author Paul Zindal, who also wrote such classics as The Pigman and The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, Loch is a terrific tale about two young people who discover that distance between fantasy and science, and fear and love, is not nearly as great as you might have imagined.
FernFolio Editor