Contraband

"Contraband" by Clarence Budington Kelland is a story set in a small town where a young woman named Carmel Lee inherits a struggling local newspaper after her uncle passes away; she must navigate the quirky staff and challenging local power dynamics as she tries to make the newspaper successful again. Carmel arrives in Gibeon and quickly learns about the problems she faces if she wants to revive the dying "Gibeon Free Press," finding herself up against the cynical Tubal, the ambitious Simmy, and the powerful Abner Fownes. As Carmel tackles the challenges, including a new female editor on the horizon and a missing sheriff, the story follows her determination to revive the newspaper while unraveling the town's secrets and political mysteries.