Dive into the captivating world of Penny Parker, a spirited teenage sleuth and budding reporter blessed with an exceptional talent for unraveling the most peculiar and often bizarre mysteries. As the only daughter of widower Anthony Parker, publisher of the Riverview Star, Penny has been raised to be independent, outspoken, and remarkably resourceful. Her bubbly and conversational demeanor cleverly masks a razor-sharp intellect. Created by the talented Mildred A. Wirt, who also authored the original Nancy Drew series under the pseudonym Carolyn Keene, Penny embodies the daring spirit Wirt longed to showcase. In The Clock Strikes Thirteen, Penny is drawn into an enthralling dual mystery the eerie extra chime from the Hubell Clock Tower at midnight and the unsettling replacement of its dedicated caretaker by a questionable associate of a real estate developer. Meanwhile, local farmers face a horrifying series of attacks, including barn burnings, seemingly at the hands of a notorious gang called the Night Riders. With her loyal friend Louise by her side, Penny races against time to unravel both mysteries, thwart another attack, and save an innocent man from wrongful imprisonment. - Summary by Cheryl Adam