Fathomless - (Spineless) by Samantha San Miguel

About the Book

The year is 1898, and Lulu Davenport is looking forward to summer vacation at her home on the southwest Florida coast. Her best friend, Algie Emsworth, will be spending his vacation with the Davenports, but his widowed mother has fallen on hard times, so he's gotten a job at the local grocery store. Lulu is looking forward to spending her days in the sun, but she hears about a possible haunting in a nearby abandoned fort and rumors of hidden treasure. Lulu along with Algie and her sister Frankie team up to investigate and discover some very real dastardly deeds going on, and the villain is much closer to home than they expected!

Book Synopsis

"Pure storytelling at its best."--Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

Ghostly pirates, lost treasure, and high adventure abound in Fathomless, the sequel to Spineless, set in glittering Gilded Age Florida.

After months away at boarding school, Lulu Davenport was looking forward to summer vacation at her home on the southwest Florida coast, especially since her best friend, Algie Emsworth, will be spending his vacation with the Davenport family. But since his widowed mother has fallen on hard times, he's gotten a job nearby that keeps him away from the house most of the day. And Frankie, Lulu's sister and usual companion, is out of commission after injuring herself while sailing. But when Lulu hears about a possible haunting in a nearby abandoned fort and rumors of hidden treasure, she decides it's time to strike out on her own and solve the mystery herself. In the process, she meets Vic, a blind boy who's just moved to town, and the two of them embark on a hunt for clues about the ghostly appearances. Soon enough, Frankie and Algie join them, and the four friends uncover all sorts of very real dastardly deeds going on, and the villain is much closer to home than they expected!

Fathomless is full of hijinks, mystery, and heart, as Samantha San Miguel brings readers into the wild and wonderful world of nineteenth century Florida in this sparkling sequel to Spineless.

Review Quotes

Praise for Fathomless

"The plot is original and surprising, with themes about belief in oneself and sibling rivalry that stay true to the age of the audience; the story also incorporates well-presented ideas about morality, ethics, family, and the frailties of adults....A clever plot, taut writing, and sophisticated emotional themes bring a remarkable depth to this sequel."
--Kirkus, Starred Review

Praise for Spineless

"San Miguel concocts a comical and exciting tale that leads to a wild, suspenseful, storm-tossed climax while weaving in thoughtful ruminations on the necessity of giving science, people, and nature their just dues, too."
--Booklist, Starred Review

"This exceptionally well-written story gives a nod to the era's fascination with creepy hauntings and dastardly secrets as it expertly transports readers into the atmosphere of 19th-century Florida, uniting well-drawn, nuanced characters with imaginative and tension-building plot twists. . . . Pure storytelling at its best."
--Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

"Algie has a winsome urgency that makes him likable. . . . His relationships with his family and new friends are realistic and evolve as Algie, Frankie, and Lulu face dangerous adults. In the life-threatening denouement, Algie displays a nuanced empathy for others."
--School Library Journal

About the Author

Samantha San Miguel grew up on the Treasure Coast of Florida. Living sandwiched between ocean and estuary gave her a wholehearted respect for wildlife, especially the kind that can eat you. She's spent countless hours scanning for sea monsters, but the only ones she's seen so far have been in her imagination. Samantha dreams of one day seeing with her own eyes the landscapes from her abuelito's stories of Cuba. She currently lives in Texas, and she can be found online at samanthasanmiguel.com.