Summer is here and Ellen is starting her own newspaper. She promises her subscribers a paper that is truthful and mistake-free but finds out that journalism isn't easy. Obituary notices for pets annoy their owners, an incorrect muffin recipe causes disaster, and the village librarian discovers several spelling and grammar mistakes. But with all these challenges, Ellen is fearless in her pursuit of the truth, particularly when she finds an opportunity for some investigative reporting. Ellen's digging brings up some intriguing questions: Is the secretive stranger who has moved next door the sinister person the village gossip thinks him to be? Is the Fremedons' new housekeeper the upright member of the community she appears to be? Even members of Ellen's own family turn out to be not quite what they seem. This smart sequel in the tradition of Harriet the Spy brings back the eccentric denizens of Partridge Cove, both old and new -- Ellen's philosopher dad, her best friend, Jenny, the impossible twins, the Bible-quoting Mrs. T., Larry the librarian, and Nerissa, the glamorous and mysterious neighbor.