When Carole Hanson and her father travel to Minnesota to visit relatives, Carole has the perfect opportunity to work on a school assignment to create a family tree. Ever since her mother died, Carole has been curious about that side of the family, especially about an ancestor who journeyed North along the Underground Railroad. Then Carole discovers a secret lurking in her family tree, and she begins to question where shes come from. Do bloodlines matter as much with people as they do with horses? Carole discovers the answer when a dangerous horseback ride threatens the life of one of her relatives.

Bonnie Bryant is the author of over a hundred books about horses, including The Saddle Club series, Saddle Club Super Editions, and the Pony Tails series. She has also written novels and movie novelizations under her married name, B. B. Hiller.

Bonnie began writing The Saddle Club in 1986. Although she had done some riding before that, she intensified her studies then and found herself learning right along with her characters Stevie, Carole and Lisa. She claims that they are all much better riders than she is. Bonnie was born and raised in New York City, where she continues to live today.