The year is 1880 and Jackson Junction is about as wild as any town on the western frontier. A national depression in 1873 has forced many men out of their jobs. One sheriff depends upon volunteers for his posses to keep the peace. It's in this social climate that Toby, a 15-year-old, arrives on an orphan train from New York City to be adopted by the Oliver family and to be put to work as a cub reporter for Mister Dunn, editor and publisher of the Junction Citizen Press. Mister Dunn is tired of printing only planting schedules for farmers and cooking recipes for the town's wives. He wants exciting stories in his newspaper, and gives that assignment to Toby. Of course, with 67 saloons on Main Street and a news tipster by the name of Captain Pig Reardon of the Michigan Central Railroad Police, Toby has no trouble finding excitement to write about for Mister Dunn. "Train Town," as Toby likes to call Jackson Junction, because of the numerous trains, and their whistles, provides plenty of exciting stories for Toby to write. There are bank robberies by an elusive gang, a terrible collision of two passenger trains near the depot, a coal mine explosion, a cyclone, a wild cattle drive through town that has a fatal ending, a wild west show that almost gets Toby killed and a pair of court cases which involve the Michigan Central Railroad just to mention a few of Toby's big stories. And, there's Bethany Wiggins, who, at 15, has her eye on Toby as her future husband ... and, not too far in the future as far as she's concerned. There's never a dull moment with Captain Pig Reardon around to bend Toby's ear with "scoops" for him to write about for the Junction Citizen Press. However, Pig always has anulterior motive, hoping to lure Toby into one of his quick-money-making schemes to help Pig finance his way east, so he can perform on the New York stage. "Train Town" will take the reader back into a time of oil lamps, dirt streets and the smell of horse manure, wooden sidewalks, bare-knuckle prize fights, twenty-five cent meals at restaurants and boarding houses for a good many of the town's families. And, of course, the railroads. They never stop building new lines into Jackson Junction. They come from the east, the west, the south and the north. There'll be three different passenger depots in town, plus freight yards, roundhouses and miles and miles of track. "Train Town" has it all, and Toby Oliver, cub reporter, is ready to tell you every exciting minute of it in the action-packed pages of this novel.

Daisy Dibbins is a woman caught up in The Great Depression in the years 1930 to 1940. She sees herself as a slave of endless hours of work in her Grandmother's Grocery store, which struggles to keep from going bankrupt. Daisy and Moses Potter, crime reporter for a local newspaper, fall in love, but Daisy refuses Moses' repeated proposals of marriage. Daisy wants to become somebody. Somebody famous before she becomes a wife and mother. Daisy's determination to become that somebody leads her into numerous adventures in "The Knight Before Last, A Return To Jackson Junction."

A serial killer is stalking Jackson Junction A serial killer who has murdered three elderly people, who have played controversial roles in the life of August (Augie) Hans Kruger. Augie and his older cousin, Willie, find themselves as the prime suspects of the three murders by Jackson Junction Police Chief Junior Phillips, who will do anything within his power to see the Krugers sent to prison for the rest of their lives. Ironically, that's exactly the goal of the serial killer, at least in the case of Augie Kruger. And, if the serial killer can't see Augie found guilty of the murders and sent to prison, the only other recourse will be to have Augie murdered as well. Augie starts the month of August, 1970, simply planning a family reunion on the 31st to resolve some feuds, mend some fences and bring all the Krugers, American and German, back into one happy fold. That, in itself, seems to be an impossibility, since nobody is ready to raise a white flag first. However, August of 1970 turns out to be the hottest month in the history of Augie's home town of Jackson Junction. And, not just hot with 90-degree temperatures. The heat really gets turned up when Augie and his older cousin, Willie, are arrested and charged with the three murders. A trial must be held in a hot and humid court room, jammed to capacity with spectators, newspaper, radio and television reporters and a jury which must try to survive death threats from one of its own members, if they don't vote guilty. Ron, a famous defense attorney from Florida, has promised Augie and Willie that neither will ever go to prison. However, Barbara, Jackson Junction's first woman prosecutor, is just as sure that she can send the Krugercousins to prison for the rest of their lives. And, Barbara looks to have the upper hand when she announces that she has a secret eye-witness, who will testify to seeing Augie and Willie stab at least two of the murder victims to death.

A serial killer is stalking Jackson Junction A serial killer who has murdered three elderly people, who have played controversial roles in the life of August (Augie) Hans Kruger. Augie and his older cousin, Willie, find themselves as the prime suspects of the three murders by Jackson Junction Police Chief Junior Phillips, who will do anything within his power to see the Krugers sent to prison for the rest of their lives. Ironically, that's exactly the goal of the serial killer, at least in the case of Augie Kruger. And, if the serial killer can't see Augie found guilty of the murders and sent to prison, the only other recourse will be to have Augie murdered as well. Augie starts the month of August, 1970, simply planning a family reunion on the 31st to resolve some feuds, mend some fences and bring all the Krugers, American and German, back into one happy fold. That, in itself, seems to be an impossibility, since nobody is ready to raise a white flag first. However, August of 1970 turns out to be the hottest month in the history of Augie's home town of Jackson Junction. And, not just hot with 90-degree temperatures. The heat really gets turned up when Augie and his older cousin, Willie, are arrested and charged with the three murders. A trial must be held in a hot and humid court room, jammed to capacity with spectators, newspaper, radio and television reporters and a jury which must try to survive death threats from one of its own members, if they don't vote guilty. Ron, a famous defense attorney from Florida, has promised Augie and Willie that neither will ever go to prison. However, Barbara, Jackson Junction's first woman prosecutor, is just as sure that she can send the Krugercousins to prison for the rest of their lives. And, Barbara looks to have the upper hand when she announces that she has a secret eye-witness, who will testify to seeing Augie and Willie stab at least two of the murder victims to death.

The year is 1880 and Jackson Junction is about as wild as any town on the western frontier. A national depression in 1873 has forced many men out of their jobs. One sheriff depends upon volunteers for his posses to keep the peace. It's in this social climate that Toby, a 15-year-old, arrives on an orphan train from New York City to be adopted by the Oliver family and to be put to work as a cub reporter for Mister Dunn, editor and publisher of the Junction Citizen Press. Mister Dunn is tired of printing only planting schedules for farmers and cooking recipes for the town's wives. He wants exciting stories in his newspaper, and gives that assignment to Toby. Of course, with 67 saloons on Main Street and a news tipster by the name of Captain Pig Reardon of the Michigan Central Railroad Police, Toby has no trouble finding excitement to write about for Mister Dunn. "Train Town," as Toby likes to call Jackson Junction, because of the numerous trains, and their whistles, provides plenty of exciting stories for Toby to write. There are bank robberies by an elusive gang, a terrible collision of two passenger trains near the depot, a coal mine explosion, a cyclone, a wild cattle drive through town that has a fatal ending, a wild west show that almost gets Toby killed and a pair of court cases which involve the Michigan Central Railroad just to mention a few of Toby's big stories. And, there's Bethany Wiggins, who, at 15, has her eye on Toby as her future husband ... and, not too far in the future as far as she's concerned. There's never a dull moment with Captain Pig Reardon around to bend Toby's ear with "scoops" for him to write about for the Junction Citizen Press. However, Pig always has anulterior motive, hoping to lure Toby into one of his quick-money-making schemes to help Pig finance his way east, so he can perform on the New York stage. "Train Town" will take the reader back into a time of oil lamps, dirt streets and the smell of horse manure, wooden sidewalks, bare-knuckle prize fights, twenty-five cent meals at restaurants and boarding houses for a good many of the town's families. And, of course, the railroads. They never stop building new lines into Jackson Junction. They come from the east, the west, the south and the north. There'll be three different passenger depots in town, plus freight yards, roundhouses and miles and miles of track. "Train Town" has it all, and Toby Oliver, cub reporter, is ready to tell you every exciting minute of it in the action-packed pages of this novel.

"August in a Haunted House" is not your usual type of ghost story. Far from it, in fact. This is a story more about the living than the dead, although a ghost certainly does enter into the tale on more than one occasion ... such as breathing down the back necks of visitors to the house, blowing up Augie''s favorite radio, turning his new radio onto weird stations and playing strange music, and even helping to decorate the family''s Christmas tree for 1950. So, what is it like to live in a haunted house? What is it like to be told your house has a treasure buried somewhere in the basement? Those two questions provide a multitude of mysterious adventures for Augie Kruger, his wife, Ruthie, and their daughter, Amelia, as well as for the rest of the Kruger clan, whom readers of the series of August novels have grown to know. Of course, Augie and his older cousin, Willie, have to find that buried treasure in the basement of Augie''s home. Willie already has his heart set on buying himself a new Cadillac with his share of the treasure. But, there are complications. A neighbor of Augie''s, by the name of Archie Crane, also has his eyes on the house and its treasure and will do anything to get possession of the house, including taking Augie and his ghost to court. A ghost in court? That''s a case Augie and his attorney, sly, old Lucas Spivey, must win in order for Augie to keep his home and continue digging for the buried treasure. When Sheriff Timble delivers the summons for Augie to appear in court, he tells Augie to make sure his ghost wears a clean, white sheet because Judge Strong is a stickler for neatness. You''ll always find humor in Frey''s novels. It proves to be the most unusual lawsuit ever to be heard by a jury in Jackson Junction. A case that has several twists and turns before coming to a surprise ending. But, the court case''s surprise ending can''t compare to the surprise ending when Augie and Willie

"August in a Haunted House" is not your usual type of ghost story. Far from it, in fact. This is a story more about the living than the dead, although a ghost certainly does enter into the tale on more than one occasion ... such as breathing down the back necks of visitors to the house, blowing up Augie''s favorite radio, turning his new radio onto weird stations and playing strange music, and even helping to decorate the family''s Christmas tree for 1950. So, what is it like to live in a haunted house? What is it like to be told your house has a treasure buried somewhere in the basement? Those two questions provide a multitude of mysterious adventures for Augie Kruger, his wife, Ruthie, and their daughter, Amelia, as well as for the rest of the Kruger clan, whom readers of the series of August novels have grown to know. Of course, Augie and his older cousin, Willie, have to find that buried treasure in the basement of Augie''s home. Willie already has his heart set on buying himself a new Cadillac with his share of the treasure. But, there are complications. A neighbor of Augie''s, by the name of Archie Crane, also has his eyes on the house and its treasure and will do anything to get possession of the house, including taking Augie and his ghost to court. A ghost in court? That''s a case Augie and his attorney, sly, old Lucas Spivey, must win in order for Augie to keep his home and continue digging for the buried treasure. When Sheriff Timble delivers the summons for Augie to appear in court, he tells Augie to make sure his ghost wears a clean, white sheet because Judge Strong is a stickler for neatness. You''ll always find humor in Frey''s novels. It proves to be the most unusual lawsuit ever to be heard by a jury in Jackson Junction. A case that has several twists and turns before coming to a surprise ending. But, the court case''s surprise ending can''t compare to the surprise ending when Augie and Willie

Daisy Dibbins is a woman caught up in The Great Depression in the years 1930 to 1940. She sees herself as a slave of endless hours of work in her Grandmother's Grocery store, which struggles to keep from going bankrupt. Daisy and Moses Potter, crime reporter for a local newspaper, fall in love, but Daisy refuses Moses' repeated proposals of marriage. Daisy wants to become somebody. Somebody famous before she becomes a wife and mother. Daisy's determination to become that somebody leads her into numerous adventures in "The Knight Before Last, A Return To Jackson Junction."