Elvis Blue just turned sixteen and struggles with the challenges of becoming a man. In the small town of Hillsborough, North Carolina, there aren't a lot of opportunities for young kids who come from the wrong side of the tracks, especially kids with an alcoholic father and immigrant mother. He is also dealing with the unfamiliar emotions that go with finding his first love in neighborhood girl Maria Palmero. Together with his best friend Monk and loyal puppy Sherlock, Elvis decides to embark on a ghost-hunting career to find his fame and fortune.
Elvis chooses the most haunted place in the county to start the hunt, the rickety old Simmons mansion. Rumors still swirl in town about Josiah Simmons who went on a crazy murder spree forty years ago. No one knows how many people Josiah killed or where he buried his legendary fortune, but Elvis and his friends are determined to find out.
The kids hit an obstacle right off the bat. Somebody else is interested in the old Simmons mansion. Despite warnings, they pursue the investigation and stumble into the middle of another mystery. There is a new killer stalking the town now and the bodies are rapidly piling up. Elvis and his friends must learn how to deal with a lot of devious people and find more clues while handling all of their problems at home.
Unseen danger threatens at every turn, but they learn to support each other and muddle through it. His courage and character are put to the test, and Elvis always comes through. In the end, they will find the ghost, discover the treasure, and then confront the killer. But in order to live through it, Elvis must face his fears and figure it all out.