Book excerpt: Believable characters, lively and contemporary dialogue, and fast-moving story lines quickly draw 8- to 12-year-old readers into the first book of the Ally O'Connor Adventure Series. Summer vacation brings Ally and four friends to North Carolina's Outer Banks. The kids have heard stories about the wild mustangs living on the island and would do almost anything to catch a glimpse of the majestic animals. While following tracks in the sand, Ally and Nick, both fourteen, accidentally uncover a cruel plot to kill the mustangs. Their determination to protect the horses leads to excitement as a mystery unfolds. Who are those two dirty men following the horses? Why is one of them carrying a rifle? Finding themselves in grave danger, Ally and her friends learn to depend on God and each other for help.