Nancy loves a good mystery. That's why she, Bess, and George are volunteering at Persimmon Woods Pioneer Village, a living history museum of the 1830s. Nancy's heard that a lot of weird things have been happening there, like the eerie sightings of the Lantern Lady­ the ghost of an original settler.

But as soon as Nancy starts investigating, she learns that even though the workers at Persimmon Woods are in costume, the danger isn't an act. Someone has concocted a cunning scheme to destroy the village—and if Nancy doesn't find the culprit, she could become history, too.