Nancy Drew Mystery Stories # 145 - The Missing Horse Mystery

"Danger's riding high ... and Nancy's in its path!" (cover blurb)

 

"A search for a missing horse leads Nancy to a dark discovery!" (back cover blurb)

 

I've noticed a trend in recent digests that I have read that seems to lean toward more mature mysteries, often using deadly weapons and individuals within the stories becoming gravely injured.  Two of the last three books that I've read involved serious attempts on Nancy's life, well beyond the normal foibles of getting knocked unconscious or run off the road - and this book is no exception.  I've often heard people say that once the Nancy Drew Files ended in 1997, some unused manuscripts and plots were integrated into the digests; and, after reading these recent bout of Nancy Drew Mystery Stories (142, 143, and now 145), I would have to agree.  These plots definitely seem more fitting for the older audience at which the Files were aimed.

 

The Missing Horse Mystery takes Nancy, Bess, and Ned to the Illinois Horse Park for the Midwest Grand Prix Dressage Championship. Surprisingly, there appears to be an actual Illinois Horse Park located in Triumph, Illinois, made up of approximately 80 acres of historic farmland about an hour away from Chicago.  Not too often does the Nancy Drew series use actual locations such as this (excepting the use of real cities).  Whether the author intended this to be the same "Illinois Horse Park" or not is unknown.  However, the fact it is specifically set in Illinois once again gives rise to the ongoing consensus that River Heights is located somewhere near Chicago (and since The Case of the Capital Intrigue specifically indicated Chicago is the nearest big city to River Heights, this book simply reiterates it).  George is off-screen in this book, said to be "having a great time teaching at a soccer clinic" (p. 2).  This is another aspect I have been noticing about the series as it progresses:  the ghostwriters appear to prefer using either Bess or George in the stories, not as often using both of Nancy's best friends.  Perhaps the authors simply don't know how to utilize both characters alongside Nancy with these shorter mysteries (this book clocks in at only 147 pages), and so it is easier to use one cohort rather than two.  Even at that, Ned is actually more involved in this mystery than Bess - she meets a foreign competitor named Gunter and spends most of the book going out with him instead of helping Nancy!

 

As with most of these "vacation mysteries," Nancy has come to Illinois Horse Park to enjoy a weekend getaway, not to be involved in a mystery.  Even when she catches wind of a fire in the stables by the end of the first chapter, she resolves not to look for a mystery where there may not be one.  But, of course, as always, there is a mystery, and soon enough, Nancy is in the middle of it.  A valuable horse vanishes, and the groomer is seriously injured and taken to the hospital, where she lies in a coma.  The night before, however, the groomer had given Nancy a small bit of information that plays a very large part in this mystery - in fact, for me, it basically gave away the entire plot and the culprit.  But, I am not the intended age group for reading this kind of mystery, so perhaps the intended readers might not find the clue quite so revealing.

 

The author does throw in a number of possible suspects.  From one of the competitors who has made it clear that he will do anything to win the competition to one or more of the security guards who are not necessarily all they appear to be to rival horse owners who want to win the big prize.  It seems there is quite a lot of money on the line, and the question Nancy must figure out is who benefits the most from the prize horse's disappearance?  Nancy and Ned must face off against some violent rottweilers, and they find themselves at gunpoint, their deaths certain as the real villain lets them know in no uncertain terms that they will not foil his plans.  The grievous blow to the groom's head, the rottweiler attack, the beating of an accomplice, and the threat of gun violence definitely set a much darker tone for this mystery.  The stakes are higher than Nancy Drew's normal cases, and Nancy and Ned take some dangerous chances by sneaking into the security guard's offices, as well as the private offices of another suspect,  However, despite all that danger, Nancy reveals the true criminal by the end of the story (although, surprisingly, she actually believes the crook's excuses several times before realizing what he was truly up to, which is something the Nancy Drew everyone knows and loves is not prone to do!).

 

Interestingly, when talking with their friend, Lee Anne Suna, who invited the girls to come watch the show, Bess makes the comment, "Nan and I have been riding since we were about eight" (p. 9).  I automatically assumed this was a references to the Nancy Drew Notebooks series for young readers, which began about four years prior to the publication of this book in 1998.  In that series, Nancy and her friends are eight years old, and at least two books in that series deal with horses (books 26 and 37).  And, since this book has advertisements in the back for the Nancy Drew Notebooks series, it is an easy assumption that the author, and potentially the publisher as well, wanted to promote that series. 

 

Another somewhat factual point raised within the story is the distance from the Illinois Horse Farm to the Iowa state line, which Nancy and Ned must cross over in order to follow-up on a clue.  Nancy casually mentions to Bess that "Ned and I are going to tour a farm in Iowa," (p. 103), leading one to believe it could not be far, if they planned to simply "visit" the farm and be back the same day.  When the two actually head out, it is stated the farm was only about "a half hour's drive" (p. 110).  In reality, Triumph, Illinois (the home of the Illinois Horse Farm) is approximately 83 miles from the closest point of the Iowa state line - so, for Nancy and Ned to make it to that point in a half hour would have to mean they were driving nearly 160 miles per hour!  (Of course, they are not in the real world, so in the book, the Illinois Horse Farm must have been located considerably closer to the state line...)

 

The ghostwriter for this particular mystery is Alison Hart.  If this is the same Alison Hart who has written a number of horse-related novels, including books in the Horse Diaries series, then it would not be surprising, considering the subject matter of this book.  This is actually the fifth of six books that Ms. Hart has written for the series (the other being Magnolia Mansion, Stranger in the Shadows, Masked Rider, Twin Teddy Bears, and Gold Doubloons).  The cover art is again provided by Ernie Norcia, depicting a scene early on, when Nancy smells smoke and releases a horse from its stall where the first has been set (p. 11).

 

Not a bad read, but as indicated above, the solution was given away too early.  Better than a number of the digests, but not within my top ten.

 

RATING:  7 long metal rasps with blood on it out of 10 for trying to mislead readers with several very unlikable characters who you would almost want to be the villain of the story! 

A Zebra Mystery Puzzler #33 - Who's Next?

This thirty-third entry into the Zebra Mystery Puzzler series is the second book authored by Joan Allan, whose true identity remains a secret (although there is a clear connection with author Martin A. Grove, who wrote a number of books in this series under the pseudonym "Marjorie Grove").  While the first book by Allan, Who Killed Me?, has a dedication to "Marjorie, Martin and Geoffrey Eric Grove," this book has a dedication to Marjorie and Geoffrey - with Martin noticeably missing!  Once again, this begs the question as to whether "Joan Allan" is just another pseudonym for Grove himself.  In any event, this book sees the return of advertising executive Valerie Lambert, who must play amateur sleuth once again when faced with an ever-growing pile of dead bodies!

 

Who's Next? takes Valerie and her assistant, Oscar Fryman (known simply as "Fry"), to Paris, France, where they are to meet with the owner of her agency's latest client, Abbe-Roi, a vineyard famous for its champagne that is hoping to break into the American market.  Joining Val and Fry for the trip is wine expert Franklin Hertford, an Englishman who has agreed to offer his expertise to assist Val in coming up with a campaign for Abbe-Roi.  While there for the weekend, the trio are staying with their host at a rather lavish - and, coincidentally, very isolated - chateau that once belonged to the original owner of the land - Pierre Alexandre Saulnier, who was brutally murdered on the property and who is said to still haunt the halls of the somewhat worn down homestead.  No one believes in ghosts, of course, but for Val, it does set the mood for what is about to be a terrifying weekend!

 

Allan eases readers into the story, with 60 pages of build-up as Val and Fry first meet Hertford, and the three travel more than a couple of hours by limousine to the chateau.  They are welcomed and introduced to their hosts, Henri-Robert Verlaine and his wife, Claudine.  At the lavish wine-tasting being held down in the wine cellar, Val and Fry also meet the other guests for the weekend:  Michael Rochambeau, the vineyard's chef de caves; Edouard Cherbourg, the vineyard's advertising director; Nicole Courteline, who is Edouard's secretary; Roger Saint-Benoit, head of sales for the vineyard; and Alexandre Saulnier-Carpeaux, descendant of the original owner of the chateau.  Of course, there is also Gerard (the butler), Caroline (the maid), and Alain (the cook).  With the cast fully introduced, Allan wastes no time at that point getting to the murder we've all been waiting to happen.

 

Rochambeau is the first to be killed, before the wine tasting can even get off to a good start.  With everyone there in the room, it's next to impossible to figure out who the killer is.  Then Cherbourg's secretary is killed rather gruesomely, with a mess left behind (hint: this is the scene from the cover of the book).  After that, Saint-Benoit literally has his brains beaten out of his skull, making him victim number three.  Before the night is even over, Hertford is nearly killed, saved only by the fortunate turn of his head at the most opportune moment!  One of the survivors of the group disappears, leaving everyone else to wonder if perhaps this points to the guilt of that person - but that suspicion comes into question when two more dead bodies turn up, bashed in their heads by a heavy tree branch (with a rather horrific image of those bodies depicted in one of the internal illustrations, page 171!).  With everyone being picked off so quickly, over the span of one evening, it leaves Val and Fry wondering - who's next?  (Hence, the book title!  In fact, the author asks this question three times in the story:  pages 82, 108, and 143.)

 

I was actually rather surprised by the rather explicit descriptions of the bloody deaths.  "Roger Saint-Benoit's skull had been cracked open ... The sight of his brains splattered among the bedclothes was sickening..." (p. 103).  The last two victims "had been bludgeoned to death ... and now lay in a shallow pool of blood that trickled directly across the narrow trail" (p. 165).  This is a murder mystery, so I would certainly expect some description of the crime scene; but I believe this is the most horrific descriptions I have seen to date in any book in this series.  And the illustration on page 171, with those last two victims - definitely not for the faint of heart!

 

Speaking of illustrations,  Sanford Hoffman once again provides the internal illustrations, and interestingly enough, three of the six internals are horizontal, rather than vertical.  Normally, we might see one or two in this way, but to see half of them depicted in this form is a bit unusual.  What is not unusual is the framing around the illustrations, since that seems to be a standard for Hoffman in this series, which, to be honest, I rather like.  Especially when he has part of the illustration extend beyond that frame (as he does with that gruesome scene on page 171).  The clues in the illustrations are not obvious at all, except maybe for the one on page 151, which becomes extremely clear once you know the identity of the killer.

 

There was a part of me, as I was reading the story, that was hoping this would all turn out to be some elaborate hoax, such as the film April Fool's Day (1986), and in the end, it would turn out no one was dead, but it was all staged just to test the analytical and detecting skills of the guests.  But, alas, it was not.  Instead,we got a replay of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None, in which ten individuals at a secluded estate suddenly find themselves being picked off one by one (with the only obvious difference being not everyone dies in this tale!).

 

There are a few things worth pointing out about this book.  Published in October 1979, I was surprised to see a reference to Star Wars (p. 14).  Yes, the movie had been out for two years at this point, but normally I would not expect a pop cultural reference like this to appear so soon.  The author also throws in a number of real newspaper columnists, such as Dorothy Kilgallen and Louis Sobel from the New York Journal-American; Frank Farrell from the World Telegram; Earl Wilson and Leonard Lyons from the New York Post; and Walter Winchell from the New York Daily Mirror (p. 44).  These came up as Val revealed her original dream of becoming a columnist, before changing direction and working in advertising.

 

9 shattered bottles of champagne out of 10 for piling up the bodies, subtly laying out the clues, and providing readers with a creative climax to the story! 

The Evils of Peyton Place - the fifth Peyton Place novel by Roger Fuller

As I've been watching more and more episodes from the Peyton Place television show (the first couple of years, in the mid-60s), it reminded me that I still had more Peyton Place novels by Roger Fuller to read.  The books definitely follow the story as originally penned by Grace Metalious, and are not at all related to the television show, which deviated so far from the books - changing so many elements of Metalious' original, scandalous tale.  Fuller, on the other hand, not only builds on the original scandals in Metalious two-book story, but he goes well beyond what was considered morally and ethically acceptable back in those days!  This particular book, published in January 1969, contains probably some of the most "shocking" content of any of the prior four books in this series!

 

The Evils of Peyton Place introduces readers to yet more newcomers to the small New England community.   Willie Higginbotham is a filthy rich man who has never really had to work a day in his life.  He married Anne Higginbotham, known as "Higgie," who is anything but a usual housewife.  In fact, when it comes to being filthy rich, Higgie enjoys the filthy part more than the rich part.  Rarely sober, dependent on drugs prescribed by her questionable doctor, and in total reliance on her husband's support - physical, emotional, and psychological - Higgie is always looking for something new to satiate her depraved desires.  Never in a million years did Willie think all those kinks would find kindred spirits in a small community like Peyton Place ... but little did he know!

 

Fuller doesn't hold back any punches with this story, as he delves into the sexual escapades of Higgie and her way-too-permissive husband, Willie.  Thankfully, he does not involve any of the mainstay characters in Peyton Place (such as Mike Rossi, Michael Swain, Constance MacKenzie-Rossi, or even the gruff Sheriff Buck McCracken), and while Leslie Harrington is mentioned (as is his deceased son, Rodney), he is never actually seen in the story.  Rather, Fuller introduces other members of the small town who participate in Higgie's "Charades and Anagram Circle" (which is the cover-name for the orgies held at the Higginbotham home).  In fact, the book actually goes into a bit of detail about each of the town's families that secretly participate in these clandestine gatherings, expanding the known residents in Peyton Place.

 

What I think pushes the boundaries a bit too far with the story is when Fuller not only has Higgie engaging in sexual acts with their housekeeper's daughter (who is barely old enough to be out of high school!), but she also makes overtures towards the daughter of her husband's business partner - a girl that IS still in high school!  Thankfully, nothing every actually happens - it is merely threats made by Higgie; but Willie does finally put an end to the shenanigans and the marriage when he catches her in bed with his business partner's wife - a decision that has devastating consequences for not only Higgie, but for Willie as well.  This book has an extremely sad ending, moreso than any book that has come before in this series.  Of course, that does ground it somewhat in reality, as actions do have consequences, and the moral of this story definitely plays out - engaging in reckless, careless behavior, living a life of lies and secrets, will eventually catch up to you!

 

One thing I did like about this book - when characters or situations from previous books are mentioned, there is a footnote on that particular page that provides the reader with the title of the book wherein that particular character appeared or story took place (p. 21 references The Pleasure of Peyton Place and p. 125 references Again Peyton Place).  That's a nice way to refresh the memories of those who have read all the books, and a great reference for those who pick up and read this book before any of the others.

 

Of all the books, I would say this is probably the one I liked the least.  It is a bit difficult to get through because of the subject matter and because of the constant switch in point of view to the various characters introduced.  I still have several more books in the series to read, so we will see how they play out...

 

RATING:  6 scantily-clad fire-dancers out of 10 for pulling back the curtains on the sordid lives of the rich and bored behind closed doors in a small-town USA. 

Ghost of Dark Harbor - the first Dark Harbor Gothic Novel

"Visions of a terrifying phantom sent her to an institution.  Cured, she returns ... only to be tormented again!"  (cover blurb)

 

Having finished the Lucifer Cove series by Virginia Coffman, I decided to try a Gothic series by one of my favorite authors, W.E.D. Ross - this time, writing under his pseudonym Clarissa Ross.  The Dark Harbor series consists of six books, published between 1974 and 1975.  The books are set on "Pirate Island," a fictional island said to be set 30 miles south of Cape Cod (p. 12).  Ross goes on to describe the dimensions of said island as "fourteen miles long and three miles wide at its widest point" (p. 12).  The specific distance from Cape Cod, and the specific dimensions for the size of the island clearly indicate Ross was using Nantucket for his "Pirate Island," as Nantucket is literally 30 miles south of Cape Cod, and it is 14 miles long and approximately 3.5 miles wide.  An online search reveals that Ross's other series, Fog Island, also appears to be based on the island of Nantucket, leaving one to wonder if Ross regularly visited the often fog-shrouded island and found it the perfect setting for his stories.

 

Ghost of Dark Harbor is the first book in the series, and introduces readers to the island community, which was said to have been named Dark Harbor because its original settlers had left the mainland under the suspicion of being in league with the devil (p. 13).  The reader is brought to the island along with the main character for this story, Joyce Mills.  Poor Joyce has just been released from a mental hospital, where she was being treated after a complete breakdown following the death of her young daughter, Lucie.  The doctor has proclaimed she is sufficiently of sound mind to return home, but Joyce is not so sure.  Even her husband, Derek Mills, seems to be unsure, with his attitude towards her somewhat distant.  Without a doubt, her mother-in-law (Regina Mills) and sister-in-law (David's adopted sister, Mona) believe she is still mad, and they make it clear they do not want her back on the island, with their constant quips and smart remarks regarding her mental state.  The only understanding she receives is from the young David Chase, a painter who is staying at Mills Castle while he uses his talent to paint some ships for the Dark Harbor Museum (where Derek works).  While the household staff are nice enough, Joyce can see it in their eyes and in the quiver of their voice that they are wondering about her mental state.

 

Of course, it doesn't help that when she first arrives home, the black cat, Timmy, appears out of nowhere, startling her so that she screams in terror - after all, Lucie had been chasing after Timmy when she fell to her death from atop the high cliff behind the great house.  Then the ghostly apparitions start to appear.  Joyce is sure that she sees the ghost of Captain Peter Mills, that sea-faring man who build the castle for his new wife, then killed her and her lover when he returns home to find him in bed together, after which he took his own life by hanging himself in the basement.  No one believes her, but Joyce knows what she saw.  Only David Chase listens to her without judgment, as he admits that he was once in a mental hospital following a horrific car accident in which a friend of his was killed.   Ross slowly builds the suspense in the story, as Joyce's visions become more frequent, and it is not until she speaks with Zachary Miller, an elderly man who used to be a ship captain many years ago, that she begins to wonder if the apparitions are not ghosts at all, but a real person who is purposefully trying to scare her away.

 

Is it her own husband doing this?  After all, she did find an old captain's uniform hidden in the chapel near Mills Castle, and he was upset that she had discovered it.  Could he be trying to get rid of her so he would be with Faith Patterson, the woman with whom everyone says he is having an affair?  Or is it Regina and Mona, working together to remove a woman they do not see mentally fit to be a member of their prestigious family?  With her gone, Mona would have a chance with her adopted brother (since they are not blood related).  Or, as much she hates to think it, could it be Uncle Henry Mills, her husband's uncle who lives with them at the castle, and who spends most days drinking more alcohol than he should while living off of his relatives' money.  He seems to be in the right place at the right time whenever Joyce has a scare.  Could he have some secret reason for wanting her gone?  And what about David Chase?  She really knows nothing about him, and although he has declared his love for her and wants nothing more than to rescue here from the taunts and terrors of the Mills family, could he be trying to scare her so that he can have her all to himself?

 

Ross certainly provides the readers with plenty of suspects, plenty of motives, and plenty of questions as to whether Joyce is really seeing anything at all, or if it is all in her imagination.  Regina and Mona are downright nasty, and I kept waiting for Joyce to stand up for herself against them (the few times she does, I nearly cheered!).  Even Derek, her own husband, comes across as cold and pretty much heartless, constantly berating her for expressing what she sees, threatening to send her back to the mental hospital if she does not stop.  I found Joyce to be an extremely weak-willed character, and maybe Ross intended her to be that way; but all the while I was reading, I kept waiting for Joyce to grow a backbone and finally stand up to all these people.  She had the support of David Chase, Uncle Henry, and even Captain Miller, who listened to all of her problems every time she visited him and offered her sound advice.  Sadly, although she has a few moments of strength, Joyce remains the helpless victim through most of the story, even reaching the point where she begins to question her own sanity and believe maybe she does need to go back to the hospital. 

 

In true W.E.D. Ross style, the big reveal and climactic revelations and battle all occur within just the last few pages of the story, with no huge fanfare at all.  After spending nearly 175 pages building up the suspense to the point where you think you are going to burst if the story doesn't break, Ross gives readers a quick reveal of the culprit behind everything, with a paragraph, maybe two, that explains why the person did what they did.  Then, it's all over, Joyce is safe, and it turns out she is not crazy after all.  Sadly, Ross does not give the reader any satisfaction when it comes to seeing the people who treated Joyce so poorly eat crow for thinking she was making up everything she saw.  I would have liked to have seen some sort of recompense, but instead, we simply get a closing scene of Joyce realizing that the horrors are all behind her, and everything "is going to be different!" (p. 190).  But, Ross is pretty much consistent in his writing, as every story I've read of his ends in this same manner.

 

One thing Ross does do in the story is give readers a quick look at some of the members of the community in Dark Harbor, which makes me wonder how many of these inhabitants will become the focus of future books in the series.  We get brief glimpses and information about Matthew Kimble, who came home after being in prison to run the local inn and tavern (p. 19).  There is also the unnamed New York playboy who purchased the old monastery up on the hill, which used to be a place where monks cared for lepers and is now rumored to be a secret house of debauchery and partying (p. 20).  Captain Zachary Miller, on the other hands, names off a list of the island's more colorful characters:  Crevecoeur, the French nobleman; Ruben Chase and Long Tom Coffin, who cared for nothing but the sea; Ratliff, the British bluejacket; Billy Clark, he town crier; Mary Starbuck, the queen among women; her ruthless maid, Keziah Coffin; and the rather rotund Deborah Chase, who literally threw suitors up on rooftops!  There was also Maria Mitchell, the astronomer, and Lucretia Mott, the crusader (p. 124).  It leads me to wonder how many of these "legends" will appear and play a role in the remaining five books.

 

The cover art is provided by the Italian artist extraordinaire, Lou Marchetti, who was quite well known for his cover art for paperback novels and more than a few Gothic novels.  The cover scene, however, is quite deceptive.  At first glance, once would think this was a period piece, as the clothing and hairstyle, and quite frankly, the whole scene, appears to be something of the 18th or19th century.  Yet, the story takes place in modern times (well, modern at the time it was written).  The woman in red is meant to be Joyce Mills, and the dress is one that she is given by her sister-in-law to wear from a grand ball; but the dress is ripped to shreds before she ever has a chance to wear it.  Thus (as with so many Gothic paperback covers), the scene never actually appears anywhere in the story.

 

Overall, I'd say this was a fairly decent start to this series, and I look forward to seeing what's up next in Dark Harbor!

 

RATING:  8 slashed up crimson gowns out of 10 for a ghostly story of mental madness, sinister spirits, and terrifying torments that create a true Gothic tale of suspense and mystery!

Whitman Mystery Stories - Tom Harmon and the Gridiron Plot

This is definitely a book I would have never imagined myself reading under any circumstances.  I am not now, nor have I ever been, a fan of professional sports or college sports.  I do not like football, basketball, baseball, or any other sport of that kind.  (I will, however, watch an ice hockey game, if I can see it live!)  That being said, reading a book about sports would never be on my radar - and yet, here we are.  In recent years, I have discovered that quite a number of the Whitman Authorized Editions actually contain some pretty solid stories, and the illustrations in some of them are actually very well done (better than many of the later line illustrations in the Nancy Drew, Bobbsey Twins, and Hardy Boys books from Grosset & Dunlap).  Thus, when I happened across this book at a local bookstore for just $4.99, and the dust jacket was in such great shape, I thought:  why not?

 

Tom Harmon and the Great Gridiron Plot was written by Jay Dender.  Who is Jay Dender, you may ask?  Well, that's a really good question, and quite frankly, I have no idea.  From everything I could find online, this appears to be the only book written by Mr. Dender, and there is nothing I could find to even indicate whether "Jay Dender" is a real person or just a pseudonym.  I found this odd, since many of the Whitman books I have read have had authors who wrote more than just one book for the company.  (There are some exceptions, where the creator of a particular comic strip character may have written the Whitman book based on their character; but that's an exception, and not a rule.)  The one thing I can say is that Mr. Dender (or whoever was using that nom de plume) was very well versed in the area of football, as the story contains quite a bit of details regarding not only how the game is played, but very specific plays and descriptions of the various plays during the games.  Only someone well versed in the game (or a super-uber-fan) would have that kind of detailed knowledge of the game!

 

The story is set at the fictional university, Stockton, where Tom Harmon is a senior and is the star player of their football team, the Panthers.  While there is a real Stockton University in New Jersey, it is doubtful, based on the descriptions in the book, that this is supposed to be that particular campus.  And while the various colleges against whom the Panthers play reflect the names of real colleges and universities in our world, Webster, Harper, Douglas and the others are also fictionally created within the story.  As the copyright page specifically indicates, with the exception of the authorized use of the name "Tom Harmon," all names and places within the story are entirely fictional.  As far as the main character goes, Tom Harmon was apparently an all-around sports star, both in high school (in Indiana) and in college (University of Michigan).  According to the brief bio of Harmon on the dust jacket flap, Harmon managed to score "33 touchdowns, kicked 33 points after touchdown, kicked two field goals for a total of 237 points - the best scoring record in Big Ten history [at that time]."   While I am unfamiliar with the man or his fame (not being a sports fan), I have no doubt he was extremely popular at the time, for Whitman to seek out and license his name for use in a book like this.  And, as it turns out, he was the father of actor Mark Harmon (who, coincidentally, played in an episode of the Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries back in the 1970s - "The Mystery of the Solid Gold Kicker," which was about a successful football player that is framed for murder!  Coincidence?  I think not!).

 

While the main focus of the story is Stockton's goal of winning the "Big Seven" title in order to save their coach's job (his job is in jeopardy because a group of alumni were offering a rather large sum of money to the university to build additional buildings on campus - but the catch is, either the team wins the Big Seven this year, or the coach must be let go!), there are a couple of subplots that play into the story.  One is the obvious dislike that one of the players has for Tom, whether it be out of jealousy of his fame or for other reasons.  The other concerns attacks made on Tom just prior to games - the first, a physical attack when he and a fellow player are taking a shortcut through the woods; the second, an attempt to make it appear Tom cheated on an important test to have him expelled so he can no longer play for the team.  Everyone begins to wonder - is someone out to get Tom personally, or are all these tactics merely a way to keep Stockton from winning the Big Seven, so that the coach will be ousted from the university.

 

Honestly, I had to force my way through a lot of the story where the focus was on the football strategies and plays out on the field.  Dender goes into some excruciating detail that might be fun for fans of the sport, but was rather tedious for me.  The college antics of the students made for much better reading, and the tiniest bit of mystery is what kept my interest in the story.  That being said, Dender does manage to write the characters in such a way as to have you rooting for them, particularly when Tom keeps getting singled out for these attacks.  Nearly his entire team, as well as most of the students and faculty, all support Tom (as if they wouldn't, considering he is the title character, after all), and you know that, in the end, it is all going to work out for everyone - but it is the getting there that makes for enjoyable reading.  

 

The illustrator for this book is Henry E. Vallely (1881-1950), who has provided illustrations for quite a number of the Whitman Authorized Editions.   Vallely also provided illustrations for Big Little Books, women's magazines, in addition to his work for Whitman.  His illustrations are distinctive, with beautifully rendered scenes that truly stand out.  I'm always thrilled when I find a book that identifies him as the illustrator, as I know I am in for a treat with the internals.  The endpage spread is a nicely rendered scene from one of the many games played within the book, and thankfully, it does not spoil anything from the story (as some of the endpages for these Whitman books have a habit of doing).

 

While the football aspect is definitely not my cup of tea, the overall story was not bad, and I managed to make it through without getting overly bored.  A nice addition to my ever-growing Whitman collection.

 

RATING:  7 stolen brass canons out of 10 for plenty of college hi-jinks, locker room antics, and last minute winning touchdowns to craft a halfway decent story. 

 

 

Peggy Lane Theater Stories No. 1 - Peggy Finds the Theater

What better way to start a new month than with a new series (well, new to me at least ... well, new for reading purposes ... anyway ...).  With my love of theater, my love of vintage series books, and my love of stories with female protagonists, it should come as no surprise that I have all eight books in the Peggy Lane Theater Stories series.  Published from 1962 to 1965, the series follows the adventures of a nearly twenty-year old Peggy Lane, whose desire to become an actress leads her to forego a college education and head off for New York City to fulfill her dreams.  The author is given as "Virginia Hughes," which is actually a house pseudonym.  According to Jennifer White's website, the only known author is Geraldine Wallis, who wrote the third volume in the series; the other four books were likely written by four different men.  It would be interesting to learn just who those men were that authored the books (although judging from the information provided on Jennifer White's website, John Ott may have been one, based on his own background as an actor and director).

 

Peggy Finds the Theater is the first book in the series, introducing readers to the dark-haired protagonist and her rather large supporting cast.   Peggy Lane and her best friend, Jean Wilson, live in the fictional town of Rockport, Wisconsin (p. 6).  While there is a Rockport Park in the State of Wisconsin, and there is a city called Rock in Wisconsin, there is no actual Rockport.  The book indicates the travel time by plane from Rockport to New York City is approximately three hours (p. 22), which would place the town somewhere along the western portion of the state (since standard flight time from Wisconsin to New York City is only about two-and-a-half hours).  The story opens with Peggy working hard to convince her parents to allow her to step back from Rockport Community College, where she has finished her first year, and move to New York City to pursue her dream of becoming an actress.  In the end, she makes a bargain with them that will allow her a year to pursue her dream, and if she has not achieved any level of acting goals in that time, she will return home and finish college before attempting it again.  

 

This was very reminiscent of the Carol Page theater series written by Helen Dore Boylson, who makes a very similar deal with her parents in order to get permission to pursue an acting career.  The Carol Page series was released a decade prior to this series, so it seems the attitudes of parents towards their daughters who want to pursue theater as a career did not change much over that time.

 

This first book deals very little with the theater itself and more with Peggy making the move to the big city, starting a very prestigious acting school, making new friends, and joining an off-Broadway theater group who are working to put together their first play.  While there is mention of Peggy's previous experience on the stage while she was in high school, we never actually get to see Peggy perform (other than a couple of scenes where she is rehearsing the monologues she plans to use when she auditions to be admitted into the acting school).  The author does reference real plays, however, including the classic Twelfth Night (p. 23), a play by Shakespeare; the satire Skin of Our Teeth (p. 24), a play by Thornton Wilder; and the drama, Winterset (p. 24), a play by Maxwell Anderson.  The author also makes reference to Variety magazine, with which anyone in the acting community is well acquainted.  However, in the book, one of Peggy's new housemates indicates the magazine has casting call pages for the theater (p. 70); yet, some quick research online reveals Variety never really had theater casting calls, but focused more on the entertainment industry, i.e. television and film.  Backstage or Broadway World are the magazines more easily recognized for theater casting call notices.  Perhaps the author just felt readers might more easily recognize the Variety name than the others.

 

The rather expanded cast of characters are introduced in chapter six, which is aptly titled "Cast of Characters."  It is here we learn all about the girls with whom Peggy will be sharing a house while in New York.  First, there is Gaby (Gabrielle), whose father works for the UN, is French and learning English so she can hopefully break into the acting world; then there is Dot, a native of California who is a comedienne and eccentric dancer; next is Greta, who is from Boston and is working as a script editor while waiting for her big break;  following her is Irene (not her real name!), who previously acted in some television shows and is currently supporting herself as a model; also in the house is Maggie, a dancer from Ireland, who has been dancing since she was three years old; and then comes Amy, a small town girl from North Carolina who, like Peggy, has just arrived in New York hoping to find success on the stage.  May Berriman is the house mother, who takes care of the girls.  (This set up is also similar to the Carol Page series, where Carol lives in a boarding house with a number of other actresses.)

 

In addition to their housemates, Peggy (and by default her new best friend, Amy) become involved with a group of students at New York Academy who are putting together a play that they hope to have produced off-Broadway.  These students include Peter Piper (yes, they acknowledge the source of the name in the story), known to his friends as "Pip," and Connie Barnes, another comedienne; also a part of the group is Mallory Seton, the director, and Randy Brewster, the producer.  Rounding out the group are Mona Downs and Thomas Galen, both of whom are older actors (neither of whom are students, but both of whom are seasoned actors who do not mind doing off-Broadway shows [p. 91]).  They have the script, the actors, and the financing - all they need to do is find an available theater, which is next to impossible in New York City.  This is where Peggy comes in!  Peggy volunteers to find a theater.  "I used to help out as a reporter on my father's newspaper, and I'm used to digging up facts," she tells the group (p. 99).  Thus, not only is Peggy an actress, but she is a reporter as well!  Talk about your well-rounded career girl! All she needs to do is add amateur sleuth to that resume ... oh, wait, she does!

 

Yes, Peggy stumbles across a very minor mystery while searching for a theater.  She and Amy find the perfect location in a building that houses a theater on the top floor; but the janitor gives them the brush off, which makes Peggy automatically suspect something criminal is going on at the building (because no one would ever be rude in NYC, right?).  She convinces the theater troupe, and before you know it, they are staking out the back alley to see if anything criminal takes place.  Soon enough, Peggy and Amy witness a truck delivering boxes into the building late at night, with an armed guard.  Convinced there is something criminal about the whole affair, they tell the police, who not only give credence to her story, but manage to catch the crooks in the middle of delivering their next shipment of stolen goods into the building!  Not only does the insurance company provide the girls with a rather substantial reward for recovering thousands of dollars worth of furs and silverware and liquor (as well as $20,000 worth of nylon stockings - as the book says, that "is an awful law of nylon stockings" [p. 172]), but the owner of the building, who lives in Florida (of all places!), is only too happy to rent the troupe not just the top floor for a theater, but the whole building (p. 173)!  So, Peggy's three-chapter mystery ends up solving all of the acting troupe's problems - way to go, Peggy!

 

The title of the book has a double meaning:  Peggy does "find" the theater, inasmuch as she takes off to New York City to pursue her dream of being an actress on the stays; at the same time, she literally "finds" the theater that the other students have been so desperately seeking for their play.  The art for the book is provided by Sergio Leone - and no, that is not the Italian film director of the same name.  I could find no information whatsoever about Mr. Leone, other than the apparently provided art not only for children's books in the 1960s and '70s, but he also apparently provided some painted covers to paperback Gothic novels from that same time period.  The painted cover for this book is rather simple, with a headshot of Peggy, and the lights of New York City in the background.  The internal black-and-white illustrations are not overly exciting scenes, but instead pictures of Peggy and Randy dancing, Peggy with her parents at the airport, Peggy and Amy with their dates eating a late dinner.  About the only illustration that could be said to contain any "suspense" at all is the final image of Peggy and Amy on their stakeout, as a cat jumps out beside them, startling them (p. 163).  Oddly, the frontis piece and the first internal (p. 25) are the only two that are full page with captions; the remaining illustrations are half to three-fourth page with no caption.  The end page are by far my favorite, as it depicts Peggy and her friends in a theater and on the stage, in what appears to be a moment from a rehearsal (this scene, however, appears nowhere in this book).

 

While I would not say this was an exciting story, and the mystery was so limited as to barely be there, I did thoroughly enjoy the story. This series might not appeal to mystery enthusiasts, but for those who enjoy career girl stories, or those who love good theater tales, this book will definitely satisfy those tastes!

 

RATING:   10 servings of pheasant under glass out of 10 for providing readers with a somewhat true-to-life look at what life is like for a theater actor trying to break into the field in New York City!

Short(est) Lived Comic Series #38 - Emergency Doctor (Charlton Comics)

Here's another one-issue series that should have had more issues.  It's a shame when you find a comic, you enjoy it, and you discover that it only had the one issue - and it seems that a number of the golden, silver, and bronze age independent companies (such as Gold Key, Dell, Charlton, and others) were infamous for this.  While I ignored the whole genre of medical comics (as well as romance comics) back when I was a kid, I have developed a new appreciation for these books as an adult.  I have discovered that they have some truly great art by some well-known comic artists who were just getting their start back in the day ... plus, the stories are actually pretty good, quite often episodic in nature like a daytime soap opera (in fact, Charlton published two short-lived titles that reprinted earlier work under soap opera names:  the five issue Soap Opera Romances and the three issue Soap Opera Love).  Alas, so few of those medical / romance titles lasted, and this one is certainly no exception.

 

Emergency Doctor was published in the summer of 1963, with the indicia indicating it was to be published on a quarterly basis.  While the title seems fairly generic, it actually refers to a specific doctor - one Dr. Jerry Starr, a resident doctor at the County General Hospital.  And, yes, if you look at the cover, you will see that his name is misspelled as "Terry" rather than "Jerry" in that caption under the title.  The cover art is allegedly by Dick Giordano, who was working at Charlton when this comic was published, so it the credit is potentially correct.  The cover depicts a rather dramatic scene of surgery being performed on a patient of indeterminable gender, which scene was taken from the second story in this issue to feature Dr. Starr and his faithful nurse, Anne Adair.  I find it amusing that the lower portion of the cover is taken up by an add for a contest being run by Bonomo Turkish Taffy, in which readers could potentially win "sensational prizes," with pictures of board games, a television, and a bicycle as what I am guessing to be potential prizes.  The details about this contest are in the middle of the comic, right across from a prose story entitled "Recluse Pattern" (whose author is unidentified and remains a mystery today).

 

This comic features two main stories starring Dr. Jerry Starr and Nurse Anne Adair.  The first 10-page story is titled "Fatal Holiday," and it opens with a scene of excitement and danger as the doctor is seen climbing a ladder to get into a burning building.  Readers are quickly taken back to the previous morning, when Jerry and Anne are preparing for the day ahead of them - the day before the Fourth of July!  From a drowning boy (who does not survive, which is surprising to see in a comic like this!) to a horrible car accident involving a pregnant woman about to give birth; from a child who burned her eyes to a gunshot victim who is bleeding out; from a man who swallowed his car keys to that final emergency of men trapped in a burning building - in which Dr. Starr must make a daring rescue that ultimately requires him to jump three stories before the building collapses - readers are given the reality of the lives of emergency room doctors and nurses, who are forever rushing to save one life after another!  Of course, there is time to sneak in a bit of romance, as Jerry more than hints that he would like to make Anne his wife!  Joe Gill is credited with the script for this story, and Norman Nodel is given credit for the art chores.  Gill is best known for co-creating Charlton heroes such as Captain Atom, Peacemaker, and Judo Master; Nodel is recognized for the large amount of work he did for Classics Illustrated comics.

 

The second story featuring Dr. Starr and Nurse Adair is another 10-pager that focuses more on romance than medical drama.  In "The Perfect Doctor's Wife," Jerry saves the life of a rather beautiful woman who turns out to be Sandra Rees, daughter of the industrialist Alvin Rees.  Mr. Rees is so grateful to Jerry that he offers to fund whatever dream Jerry has - which happens to be the establishment of small neighborhood clinics for the poor.  Before you know it, Jerry is swept into the world of the rich and powerful, and he finds himself drawn to Sandra (much to Anne's chagrin!).  Before the two can marry, however, Jerry learns exactly what it will cost him to marry into such a wealthy family, and he's unwilling to leave his desire to help other behind.  The story has a very strong lesson for its readers, and a happy ending for Jerry and Anne.  The last two panels feature an intercom page for Dr. Starr to report to surgery - and a final caption that reads, "He heard and he answered the call ... just as he does every time an ambulance rolls!  This is Dr. Starr, the Emergency Doctor ... and he's doing a hard, dangerous job ... and he loves it!"  Gill and Nodel are credited with the writing and art for this story as well.

 

In-between the two stories, there is a 3-page story that is a reprint from Sweetheart Diary (another Charlton title), issue 34 from July 1956.  The story is "Last Chance for Love," and it shows readers what could happen when a woman cannot make up her mind between two men that she would love to have for different reasons.  When she finally agrees to make a decision, it turns out both men walk away before she can decide!  There is uncertainty as to whether Joe Gill authored this tale, but the art chores are credited to Charles Nicholas (pencils) and Rocco "Rocke" Mastroserio (inks), with lettering by Joe D'Agostino.  It's funny to think that an entire story can be told in three pages, when today's creators cannot seem to fit a complete story into just one full issue!

 

As indicated above, there is a two-page prose tale about a doctor at Mercy General Hospital who must take drastic action in order to convince a wealthy woman that she must eat in order to survive.  There is also a one-page comic strip at the end of the book titled "The Wilderness Scout," which provides some details about the life of Christopher "Kit" Carson.  The writer and artist are not identified, but online sources indicate Gill could have been the writer, and Maurice Whitman might have been the artist.

 

Overall, I would say this was a winning issue for me.  The two main stories kept my attention, with art that, while not exactly eye-catching by today's standards, definitely appeals to me as perfect for the content of the story.  The writing was a bit fast-paced, but Gill superbly integrates just enough of Jerry and Anne's personalities into the story that by the end of those first 10 pages, you feel like you know the characters, and by the end of the second 10-page tale, you are truly rooting for them.  I would have liked to have seen more stories with these two, but alas, that was not meant to be.

 

RATING:   9 cocktail parties in a hospital suite out of 10 for well-written and nicely drawn medical stories with just the right mix of drama and romance!