“The following is inspired by the reporting of a 9-year-old journalist, Hilde Lysiak.”

 

When Matt Lysiak loses his job as a journalist in New York City,loses he ends up moving his family across the country to the small town of Eric Harbor, WA, in which he grew up. He says he’ll be working on his book but 9-year-old Hilde knows her parents aren’t happy. They’re moving into her grandfather’s home because he’s moved into an “old folks home” and they can live there for free. 

 

Hilde soon learns that when her father was a boy, his friend, Richie Fife was abducted and was never found. 

 

In Brooklyn, Hilde created her own neighborhood newspaper. She considers herself a journalist like her father. When she was a toddler and they had no childcare, he would take her to crime scenes that he’d cover. Hilde’s older sister, Izzy, hopes that HIlde will act more normal here in Erie Harbor. Hilde also has a young sister, Ginny. 

 

Hilde makes friends with Penny Gillis, who knew her father. Penny’s brother was convicted of murdering Richie Fife. Penny sends Matt an old bicycle that obviously brings back memories. 

 

Later, Penny turns up dead in her home. The Sheriff says it was an accident, that she was trying to change a lightbulb and she fell down the stairs, but Hilde notices the busted lock on her garage, oddly shaped footprints, and other oddities that make her think Penny may have been murdered. 

 

When she asks to see the police report, the Sheriff won’t give it to her and literally pats her on the head. Officer Trip, a young, female officer takes Hilde aside and goes over the police report with her. It’s obvious that her male colleagues don’t take her seriously either. 

 

From the crime scene photos, HIlde realizes that someone took Penny’s old VCR that she had seen when she visited. 

 

Hilde begins to publish her own online paper in Erie Harbor called The Magic Hour Chronicle, (magic hour being the hour when it gets dark) which she posts online She writes about her theory that Hilde was murdered. The whole town is upset. The kids at her new school ostracize Hilde. Her Principal calls Hilde’s mother, Bridget, in to talk. Bridget stands up for Hilde and points out that she hasn’t broken any school rules. 

 

When Bridget and Matt see the hateful comments that people have left on Hilde’s article, they print them out but shut off the comments and tell her none were left. Later, Hilde finds the comments that were printed and is furious that her parents lied to her. At school, as everyone mocks her, she stands up on a table in the cafeteria and reads the awful comments of people criticizing her. Her sister, Izzy and two other kids stand with her. Then a food fight breaks out and the Principal calls HIlde into her office. 

 

When the Principal leaves Hilde alone in the office, she finds the missing VCR in her closet and takes it. At home, Izzy and Hilde set up the VCR on an old TV in the garage and play the tape that’s in it. It’s old video of one boy being dragged from his bike into a van and another one screaming for help. The one screaming appears to be Matt.

 

Matt finds that the doorway to the attic staircase has been papered over so it takes it down to go upstairs.

 

HIlde is determined to continue her investigation. Matt is hesitant but he gives her his old camera. She rides off on the old bike.