While waiting for the extraordinary Reverend Timas to take choir practice in the village church, one Thursday evening in September, 13 year old Chrissy Danvers and her best friend Joan Parsons catch a glimpse of a mysterious shadow pass by the Church bell tower window. Chrissy's curious nature and her constant desire for new adventures, encourages her to persuade Joan to investigate this mysterious shadow further, especially after the Reverend Timas had told them the story of his missing spectacles that had mysteriously reappeared on the bell tower steps, in the church. Little did the girls know that they were unearthing a long forgotten story of one of the former wealthy families of the village they lived in! Their continued investigation leads the girls through more adventures than they ever imagined, taking them into dark and dangerous places, one of which led to a near fatal accident for one of the two. But their determination to solve the mystery that is unfolding before their very eyes finally brings about rewarding results which helps reunite and restore good fortune to a very needy local family and gives Chrissy some useful growing up lessons.