Whitman Mystery Stories - Brenda Starr, Girl Reporter

This is one of the Whitman Authorized Editions that I have been wanting for quite a while.  While I never had the opportunity to read the original comic strip in the newspaper, I do have an edition of the collected dailies and Sunday strips from 1940 - 46 (Brenda Starr Newspaper Strips), as well as the one-issue Dell Comic published back in 1963 (Brenda Starr Comic Book), plus the collected editions of her original comic book series from Four Star Publications and Superior Publishing back in 1947 - 49.  The ones I still don't have are the Charlton Comics series published in 1955.  I have enjoyed reading her adventures, which are outlandish to say the least - this amazingly gorgeous, redheaded reporter that every man loves on sight manages to get in the most unbelievable situations - yet, with her looks and ingenuity, she manages to get herself and those around her out of every scrape and, along the way, scoops the story for her newspaper, the Flash.  So, I was overjoyed when a close friend of mine sent me this book (along with a Sunday color newspaper page featuring Brenda Starr paper doll with outfits!), and I could not wait to sit down and read it.

 

Brenda Starr, Girl Reporter gives credit to the main character's creator, Dale Messick, as the author of the story, as well as the artist for all of the internal illustrations and full color cover.  I think this is only the second Whitman based on a comic strip that I have read, which is actually written and drawn by the creator of the strip (although, there is some question as to whether Messick actually penned the novel or just the plot - more on that later) - the first was a book based on the Boots and Her Buddies comic strip (Boots - Whitman Mystery), the authorship for which was credited to the strip's creator. What I found interesting is that the title page says "An original story based on the Famous Newspaper Strip 'BRENDA STARR'." Thus, I was expecting a brand new story featuring Brenda and her supporting cast. Little did I realize that was not going to be the case.

 

The story begins innocently enough, with Brenda being sent off to the slopes of Colorado (which is funny, since the most recent Zebra Mystery Puzzler that I read was also set on the slopes of Colorado - Murder by the Book) on a mysterious assignment.  She does not know exactly what the story is or what the work will entail - all her editor told her was to go to the newspaper there and ask for Larry Nickels.  When she arrives, she finds the "newspaper" feels more like a posh hotel, and the "employees" seem to do nothing but lounge around and ski all day!  When she asks for Mr. Nickels, she finds he is out on the slopes, and his secretary - Flurry Snow (p. 19 - and, yes, that really is her name!) - informs Brenda that she is to meet him out on the slopes.  Brenda is somewhat nervous, as she is a horrible skier and that fact is proven when she goes out to meet him, but ends up falling backwards down the slope (p. 24).  He rescues her, much to her dismay, and she learns that the "Cloud" (the name of his newspaper) is nothing more than a hobby, and he asked her out there to breathe some real life into his newspaper.  That story turns up pretty quickly, when Nickels points out to her a nearby lodge, described as "a vast, sprawling building with many towers and gables.  Despite its many windows and entrances, it possessed a look of strangeness and complete isolation" (p. 45).  Nickels tells her the lodge is a mystery, because people go in, but not a single soul has ever come out!  Brenda senses a big story, which is only confirmed when Nickels tells her about the man who operates the lodge: "a queer old duck who calls himself 'Professor Squell'" (p. 46).

 

Now, it is at this point, I started to sense something strange as well.  Not about Professor Squell or his lodge, but about the plot itself.  It felt extremely familiar.  So, I pulled out that collection of newspaper strips I had read before, and sure enough, there it was!  The same exact story I was now reading in prose form I had read three-and-a-half years ago when I read those newspaper strips!  Before Brenda Starr had even been published in the newspapers for a year, she was on a plane, dreaming about the blond-haired mystery man who had kissed her on New Year's Eve - exactly as she did on the opening pages of the first chapter of this book.  In fact, the dialogue was lifted straight out of the newspaper strip and used word-for-word in the book.  Now, obviously, a lot of exposition and additional dialogue was added into the book in order to flesh out the story, the characters, and the page count (otherwise, it would have ended up being a very short book, indeed!).  But if you read the book, side-by-side with the newspaper strip panels, you will see that it is literally a full adaptation of the story written and published back in 1941 and not an original tale at all.  Therefore, I'm at a loss to explain why the publisher refers to this as an "original" story based on the comic strip, when it is in actuality an "adaptation" of a story from the comic strip.

 

The story follows Brenda as she watches first Flurry, and then Nickels, go into the strange lodge and never come out.  A reward offered sends quite a few of the men from the village into the house, none of whom ever come out, and before you know it, Brenda is in hot water, being blamed for sending the men to their doom.  So, what else can she do, but go into the lodge?  Meanwhile, reporter Tom Taylor and photographer Pesky head out to rescue Brenda - and thanks to an anonymous warning, Tom knows enough to wear a gas mask before he goes into house, which saves him from the gas that takes control of all who enter - but does NOT save him from the mysterious man who knocks him out from behind.  From here, the story gets even more wild, including a basement laboratory, underground caverns, a room of pirate booty, and an impromptu wedding between Brenda and the "queer" professor who is holding everyone captive under ground.  And while the collection of newspaper strips ends with Brenda, Tom, and Nickels getting out and rescuing everyone, the book goes beyond and jumps into the next storyline involving a missing detective, a mysterious doppelganger, and a secret surprise.  This story moves much quicker than the first and take up only the last few chapters of the book.  Since I did not get to read the newspaper strips for this tale, it was completely new to me.

 

Now, some have speculated that Messick did not actually write the book, but, rather, it was simply ghostwritten as an adaptation of the strips - and since Messick wrote the newspaper strips, she was given credit for writing the book.  Whether this is actually the case or not, I have no idea.  What I do know is that Messick provided brand new illustrations for the book - 19 of them to be exact.  While some of the scenes do seem to mirror those from the strip, there are differences, which provide proof they were not merely reproduced from the art of the strip.  Messick also provides the art for the endpages, which depict the professor's planned wedding to Brenda, with Tom and Nickels standing behind her and Pesky off to the side, down in the caverns. 

 

What is odd about these endpages is that, in my copy at least, the pages are reversed in the back.  In the front, Pesky and the professor are on the left side, with Tom, Brenda, and Nickels on the right (which appears to be the correct positioning, based on the smoke drifting overhead); however, in the back of the book, Tom, Brenda, and Nickels are on the left side, while Pesky and the professor are on the right - supposedly looking at each other, but because of the repositioning of the pages, they are looking away from each other!  I wonder if this production malfunction was only in this one printing, or if all copies of this book have this error.

 

Despite the story not being original, I still enjoyed it - Brenda is a fun character to read, and her antics are always guaranteed to bring a smile, if not a full laugh, to the reader's face.  The gorgeous Messick art is only an added bonus!  Rather a shame they did not adapt more of the stories into book form - would have made a great series.   

 

RATING:  8 hats that resemble flipped over pancakes out of 10 for a fun-filled romp in the snow, under the ground, in an Easter parade, and in the clubs of Washington, D.C. - all in a day's work for Brenda Starr, Girl Reporter! 

Curse of Dark Shadows - an original Dark Shadows Graphic Novel

Sixty years ago, a new soap opera premiered on daytime television, and while it only lasted five years for a total of 1,225 episodes, the show has had a legacy that has far surpassed that of pretty much any other soap that has ever aired.  Sure, General Hospital is still on the air; but let's face reality - despite being on the air for 63 years, that show did not spawn a series of books; it did not have board games and models; it did not see various comic book series published over the years; it did not generate enough fandom to warrant audio stories to continue the tales of its characters; it did not generate not one, not two, but three feature films based on the show; and it did not give rise to a fan base that 55 years after the show ended is not only still going strong, but getting stronger with every generation.  Dark Shadows has done that and so much more.  A Gothic soap opera that struggled its first year, it hit its stride when it introduced the reluctant vampire, Barnabas Collins - and from that moment on, history was made.  The show went off the air in April 1971, leaving viewers wondering just what happened to all of the characters on the show.  There have been various continuations, both in book and audio form, that have given fans a taste of what could have been and how the stories might have continued.  Sadly, neither the films nor the updated television shows continued the stories; rather, they simply retold or reimagined the tales already told in the original soap.  So, it is only fitting that with this 60th anniversary, fans should have a special treat - and it's my hope this is only the first of many to come out this year!

 

Curse of Dark Shadows is a graphic novel published by Hermes Press that brings the Collins family and their hometown into the present time.  It's been over 50 years since we last saw the Collins clan, and a lot has changed.  Roger Collins is dead, his ghost now haunting his son, David.  Elizabeth Collins Stoddard is also dead, having left her daughter, Carolyn, with a revelation and request - Victoria Winters, the former governess who was called back in time, truly was Elizabeth's daughter (and Carolyn's sister!), and Carolyn is given the task of finding her and bringing her back home.  Maggie Evans is a grandmother.  And Barnabas Collins ... our ill-fated vampire ... well, it seems he took off back to Europe with Dr. Julia Hoffman, where they finally married and lived out the remaining years of her life.  The only thing that remains the same is the dark shadows that always seem to linger over Collinwood, infecting its inhabitants with terrors that never seem to end.  But Carolyn is working on that.  She has spent half a century trying to find a way to bring Victoria Winters back from the past, and in so doing, putting an end to the curse that has held the family in its sway for centuries...

 

The graphic novel is written by Craig Hurd-McKenney, who has been writing comics since 2000, including a story in the first issue of the the recent revival of Gold Key comics' Boris Karloff Gold Key Mysteries.  This book appears to be his first foray into the world of Dark Shadows, and it is clear he has a love for the show, its characters, and its rich history.  While the story is set in the present, it definitely builds upon everything that has come before - Hurd-McKenney even makes a number of references to events in the television series, citing the actual episodes where they took place.  And the simple fact that he brings Victoria Winters back from the past - well, that puts him right on the top of my list of favorite writers!  Victoria, as portrayed by actress Alexandra Moltke, has always been my favorite character on the show, and it truly disappointed me that they wrote her out of the show the way they did.  Lara Parker (who portrayed Angelique in the show) wrote a Dark Shadows novel that brought Victoria back to the present; and while I enjoyed that story, I have to say, I love the way Hurd-McKenney did it so much better.  I can't say I'm overly thrilled with the characterization of Carolyn Stoddard-Hawkes in her old age; however, having spent the last half-century inside Collinwood, I can't begin to imagine what that would do to a person.  I did, however, like the fact that David was still being haunted by his father's presence - a man he never really got along with when he was alive, so it only makes sense that Roger would still haunt him after he died.  While Barnabas does come into the story, we see very little, if any, of the other supporting cast.  Hallie works in the Blue Whale with her son;  Maggie Evans is a grandmother, and she owns the Collinsport Inn.  But I would love to know what happened to Amy Jennings ... and Quentin Collins ... and Angelique ... and so many others ... perhaps Hurd-McKenney has some more stories rolling around in his head, and we'll get further graphic novels that continue the story (considering the number of sub-plots hinted at throughout the book, he darned-well better have more in the works!).

 

The interior art is provided by "Jok with Gervasio." This is a team of artists that I was completely unfamiliar with prior to buying this book.  It appears they have collaborated on a number of other graphic novels and illustrated books.  Jok is an Argentine artist who has had work published in a number of countries since 1993.  Gervasio is also an Argentine artist, who has worked with Jok in producing some of the "I Survived" graphic novels for Scholastic, as well as some other works.  Their art has a distinctive style to it, and while I can definitely see it as being conducive to darker stories, such as vampire, ghost, and supernatural tales, I must admit that I did not find myself enjoying it much for the Dark Shadows story.  None of the characters bore any resemblance whatsoever to their television counterparts, and perhaps that was their intention.  Thankfully, Hurd-McKenney's story was strong enough to carry me past the art, and it was ultimately still a thoroughly enjoyable read.

 

An added bonus to this book are the character profiles that appear after the story - seventeen pages detailing some of Dark Shadows' greatest characters over the years.  From Adam to Judah Zachary ... from Nicholas Blair to Count Petofi ... from Roxanne Drew to Janet Findley ... from Sarah Collins to Peter Bradford ... and so many more!  Each character is drawn by a different artist - including one by Luciano Vecchio, a wonderful artist that I have the pleasure of knowing through his work on Drumfish Productions' Sentinels books some years back.  And I love that the Victoria Winters depicted in these bios is a much stronger resemblance to the Alexandra Moltke that I so loved from the show.

 

There are a couple of things about the graphic novel that did leave me somewhat perplexed.  For unexplained reasons, page 3 of the story repeats itself (it appears on both pages 7 and 8 of the book).  Then, just a few pages later, page 10 of the story appears a second time, appearing first on page 15 (right after page 9 of the story), and that again on page 17 (right after page 11 of the story).  And if that were not confusing enough, after page 22 of the story, the page numbering reverts back to page 1, even though the story continues without any break (in fact, page 22 and page 1 thereafter contains a 2-page spread of Victoria Winters fighting the Leviathan on Widow's Hill in the past).  I can only assume there was some production issues when the book was put together, because I can't image the creators intended these mis-matched pages on purpose.  Finally, there's the curious misspelling of Quentin's name in the character bios - he is listed as Quentin "Collin," without the "s" at the end of his last name.  This was likely a simple editing snafu.

 

These gaffes, though, did not in any way spoil the story for me.  I still highly recommend the book for any Dark Shadows fan, as it not only brings the show and its characters and mythos into the 21st century, but it gives us fans a long-awaited continuation of the original series.  Big Finish Productions filled that void for a number of years with their audio dramas; now Hermes Press is picking up where Big Finish left off and giving us even more Gothic horror to fill our insatiable need for more Barnabas ... more Victoria ... more Carolyn and David ... more stories of those people who may at times be only shadows in our mind, but who continue to fill the days and nights of our every tomorrow!

 

RATING:  9 empty baby cribs out of 10 for taking the Dark Shadows' lore far beyond that of the original series and crafting a new tale of mystery, suspense, and horror in the tradition set by Dan Curtis some 60 years ago...

Larabee Heiress - a Warner Paperback Library Gothic

This is another book that I've had in my collection for quite some time.  I originally picked it up because the cover scene bears a slight resemblance to the 18th book in the Nancy Drew Diaries series - both covers feature a woman running down the stairs, dogs surrounding her, and a mansion in the background.  It has sat on my shelf for some time, but I've somehow never picked it up to read.  The author, Dorothy Daniels, is said to have been America's Most Popular Gothic Novelist (Dorothy Daniels).  She had more than 140 novels published by a number of different publishers.  Her last Gothic novel was published in 1980, and after writing some romance stories, her last published book was in 1985.  There is some dispute as to whether Dorothy Daniels was an actual person (despite some books carrying a biography and photo of the author on the rear cover!), with some sources claiming she was a man named Paul Hugo Little and several paperbacks being copyrighted by "Norman Daniels."  Regardless of whether Dorothy Daniels was an actual person or a pseudonym, there can be no question that her writing was superb!

 

Larabee Heiress was first published by Warner Paperback Library in 1972, and it was later re-issued by Warner with a different cover (the cover to the right is the copy I have, which is the later edition).  The story is actually very engaging, as it deals with a young woman who awakes in a hospital after a car accident with no memory of anything, including her own name.  After months in the hospital recovering (having had extensive surgeries, including brain surgery!), the Larabee family identifies her as the widowed wife of their son, Larry, who died and bequeathed the entirety of his considerable estate to her - Sandra Larabee!  Shocked to discover she is wealthy beyond her wildest imagination, the young woman returns to the grand estate where the Larabee family resides - Janet Larabee and her husband, Richie, who are Larry's parents; Marilyn Larabee, the oldest daughter who is their golden child; and Nancy Larabee, who is stand-offish and not at all interested in the wealth and beauty the others are enamored with.  There is also Gilbert, the family chauffeur, and Ethel, the housekeeper.  On top of that, the family has two maids: Ava, the upstairs maid, and Dicie, the downstairs maid.  To say that Sandra is completely overwhelmed is an understatement!  It's a good thing Marilyn's husband, Sidney, has always handled the finances since Larry's death, as Sandra knows she would have no idea where to even begin!

 

But things are not what they seem ... which is no surprise for a Gothic novel of this nature.  Sandra not only has no memories of the family or the house, but she also has no memories of her own two children - the twins, Carol and Christine. How could she not remember her own children?  And why does the house have no family photos whatsoever?  Slowly, Sandra begins to pull information from various members of the family, in the hopes of piecing together her life before the accident.  Unfortunately, the more she learns, the more she discovers that she was not the nice, caring person she is now.   In fact, she was a vicious, cruel alcoholic that, just before the accident, had demanded the family move out of HER home!  It is her concern for Nancy, the outcast of the family, that starts Sandra on the path to uncovering the truth about the things she is learning.  Why, after her husband died, did she disappear for days a time?  Where did she go?  What did she do?  And why did she always return home wearing different, cheaper clothing?  Something was wrong, and with the help of a friendly doctor who was at the hospital when Sandra was first brought in, Sandra starts investigating.  What she uncovers, however, are some horrific secrets and deadly plans that already resulted in one person dead, made an attempt to kill a second person, and could very well bring about Sandra's demise!

 

"A beautiful young amnesia victim, a luxurious mansion holding a deadly secret, and three keys that don't fit any doors..."  The blurb on the front cover definitely describes the mystery within, and those three keys are the biggest clues to unlocking Sandra's true past.  From the very first chapter, I was enthralled, and I had to keep turning page after page, because I could not put it down.  Even though early on I had my suspicions about what was going on, I could not wait to get to the conclusion to find out if I were right.  While the story lacks standard Gothic tropes, such as hidden passages, ghostly sounds or apparitions, or dark and brooding mansion (the mansion in this book is quite bright and lovely!), it more than makes up for it with the secrets, the lies, the suspense, the tension, and the danger.  This book is a definite example of just how gifted Dorothy Daniels was at writing Gothic fiction.

 

The second cover art (above) was painted by Vic Prezio, as identified on the copyright page inside.  Not very often do we see credit given like this, which is refreshing.  You can see more about the artist and his work (as well as a full-size version of this cover art) at the Paperback Palette blog (Victor Prezio Art). Prezio provided art for quite a number of Gothic titles back in the day, including quite a few of Dorothy Daniels' books.  The original edition of the book featured an entirely different cover that finds Sandra simply standing at the gate, staring out, with the dark mansion behind her, a light shining from the highest turret. Not sure who the artist, as I do not yet own a copy of this version.  However, despite its more Gothic feel, with the dark mansion, the fog, and spooky clouds above, I prefer the copy I have with the dogs attacking Sandra as she tries to escape the house.  For me, Prezio's art on the later edition provides a more tension-filled scene, as Sandra is racing down the steps to not only escape the horrors of the house, but the angry jaws of the attack dogs that guard the estate!  Hopefully, I can pick up a copy of this earlier printing one day and discovery who the artist is.

 

I may have picked this book up based on the cover similarity to the Nancy Drew Diaries book; but I am now holding on to it as one of the better Gothic stories in my collection, because, while I have enjoyed nearly all the Gothics I have read to date, very few have pulled me into the story and kept my interest as intensely as this one did.  I definitely recommend it - well worth the read!

 

RATING:  10 old 1971 Chevrolet Impalas out of 10 for superb storytelling and skillful plotting with so much suspense and mystery, I can't imagine anyone NOT liking this book! 

Nancy Drew Diaries, Not. 27 - Vans & Villains

The new year got started with a new book in the Nancy Drew Diaries series.  With volume 27, plus, the Christmas special some years back, the Nancy Drew series has surpassed the Hardy Boys Adventures series, which ended back in 2023 with its 25th book.  The fact that the name "Nancy Drew" has achieved a certain level of pop culture status (even people who have never read a Nancy Drew in their life seem to know it refers to a female detective whenever they hear the name used on a television show, in a movie, or in a book), and at this point, one has to wonder if that is the only thing keeping this series alive.  Despite the Hardy Boys having been published three years prior to Nancy Drew, their level of popularity has never really reached the same heights as Nancy Drew.  But that popularity is dwindling down.  The books have gone down to only one being published per year (which would be okay, if the page count were higher and the content stronger!), and the companion series for younger readers, the Nancy Drew Clue Books, seems to have ended in 2024 with the publication of its 19th title.  Perhaps Simon & Schuster is gearing up for some really big re-boots in 2027 (the Hardy Boys) and 2030 (Nancy Drew), which is why the various series have been allowed to end - one can only pray this is the case, since these series are both nearly 100 years old, and it would be a shame to see them both be laid to rest so close their centennial celebrations.  I suppose we can only wait and see...

 

Vans & Villains, while not an overly exciting "mystery" title, sadly falls back on the sabotage trope that has plagued this Diaries series, as well as its precursor, the Girl Detective series.  It feels like either the ghostwriters being selected to write the books, or perhaps the publisher itself, has little to no creativity left when it comes to creating plots for mystery stories.  No missing wills, no kidnapped heiresses, no stolen heirlooms, no haunted castles - literally, nothing other than just someone trying to sabotage a wedding, a play, or any other event you can come up with.  In this case, someone is sabotaging George Fayne's dream come true - to experience life on the road with #vanlife (as it is referred to over and over in the story)!  When she wins a contest that will allow her to take a social media travel influencer's van across the country for a week, she of course begs Nancy and Bess to go with her.  They reluctantly agree (since when has Nancy never really liked the outdoors?), and the adventure begins!  It should be a simple trip - follow the travelogue prepared for them by the van's owners (Matt and his wife, Sammy) and post photos and videos of their fun experiences along the way.  What could possibly go wrong?

 

Well, for starters, Nancy Drew is going on the trip, so you know there's going to be trouble.  She is a trouble-magnet like no one else (well, except perhaps Jessica Fletcher - you never want to be invited to on one of her parties!), and this time is no different.  Before they even finish their first day, the van has car issues, and it turns out the engine has a major oil leak.  Matt and Sammy are not pleased the girls are already delayed, but they find them a new campsite, since they won't be able to make it to their originally intended first stop.  Okay, does not seem too bad yet.  But that night, Nancy hears noises outside, and when she goes to investigate, she discovers two of their tires have been slashed!  Nancy is confident someone did this intentionally, but Bess and George convince her she probably just drove over some sharp rocks the night before when they pulled in.  So, there's another delay, which makes Matt and Sammy even more upset.  And, as if that were not enough, when they finally get on their way and stop to eat, Nancy catches someone who she believes was casing the van - she even finds the side door open and several coffee mugs shattered.  Once again, Bess and George come up with plausible explanations, but Nancy is no longer believing it.  Someone is following them, and she's determined to prove it.

 

And so the mystery goes, as every stop along the way produces one more problem after another.  Until, as the girls are nearing Las Vegas, they van is stolen in a small town that claims to never have any crime!  Matt and Sammy have reached their breaking point, and they threaten to sue the girls for the cost of the decked-out van if they do not find it.  George is heart-broken that her dream trip has been ruined; Bess is upset to the point where she is ready to go home; but Nancy is more determined than ever to prove someone has been intentionally stalking and sabotaging their trip.  She also believes it has to be an inside job, as George has told her that no one outside of Matt and Sammy and their assistant, Lilah, knew the itinerary for the trip, and no one could have possibly known of the change in campgrounds due to the various delays.  Yet, someone managed to find out, and Nancy is almost certain it is one of the esocial media followers who has been dogging them online since they started the journey - now all she has to do is find him, prove it, and get the van back before their deadline to have it to California!

 

While the sabotage trope is a tiresome repeat, I will say the whole #vanlife adventure trip was rather a unique twist on it.  Following Nancy, George, and Bess as they take a road trip "through Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, on into Nevada, and then California" (p. 8) was actually kind of fun - particularly when the close quarters lead to some rather testy arguments (which would only be natural, even among the best of friends!).  It was also interesting to see that Bess is taking a university class on poetry, and for part of the trip, her focus is on finishing a paper that she has due on Wordsworth (p. 9).  It is not too often they talk about the girls being in school, and it's refreshing to have it mentioned she is taking university classes (as it means she is not a pre-teen or in her early teens, as the cover art always seems to infer).  We also get absolute confirmation that River Heights is in Illinois, because as the girls head out on their trip, and they cross over their first state line, George cries out, "Good-bye, Illinois" (p. 30).  e

 

Now, something I did find odd is a reference to Bess having tried out for the track team in high school (p. 40).  I realize that since the Girl Detective series, the characters of Bess and George have had some depth added to them - George has since become a tech guru, and Bess has become a mechanical genius.  But at no time has Bess ever shown any inclination to enjoy sports, let alone try out for a track team!  Makes me wonder whether the author was simply not familiar enough with the past history of the character, or if the ghostwriter simply wanted to put their own creative touch on Bess.  Either way, this aspect of the character simply did not click for me.  What did click, though, is later in the story when Nancy and George are trying to convince her to stay with them and not go home, and Nancy suggests that when they make it to California, "Maybe we'll run into Pedro Pascal" (p. 121).  It seems in this incarnation, Bess is really infatuated with the famous actor!  Now THAT seems more like the Bess I know and love!

 

There are a couple of elements to the story that I thought were unnecessary and certainly did not belong in a book aimed at 8 to 12 year olds.  I understand these are modern times, and kids are exposed to a lot more "adult" themes than children the same age 20 years ago or more; however, I still think books for this age group should maintain a certain level of innocence about them, and certain subject matter (such as extramarital affairs or other sexual references) has no business being placed into the story.  The references to the small toilet in the van, and how one goes about flushing it is one thing - that's something kids this age would probably laugh at and find a bit "icky," yet funny.  But references to mistresses and lovers is going too far in my book, and those scenes immediately took me out of the story and definitely left a distaste in the my mouth for a story I was otherwise trying to enjoy.  Children grow up faster than they should these days anyway, so why add to it in a children's mystery book?

 

Since we no longer get any references to the next mystery (no ad for it on the back of the paperback or on the inside back flap of the dust jacket for the hard cover), guess we are going to have to wait a number of months before we find out if a 28th book is going to be solicited and published.  We are only four years away from Nancy Drew's 100th birthday, so here's hoping Simon & Schuster can at least give us four more books so we can hit that centennial mark!

 

RATING:  7 fried laptops out of 10 for a somewhat decent story that could have offered up a much better mystery if it had involved a "ghost" or missing treasure or literally anything other than sabotage! 

Dorothy Dixon and the Mystery Plane - the second Dorothy Dixon Air Mystery Story

The second book in the Dorothy Dixon Air Mystery Stories was just as enjoyable as the first.  Author Dorothy Wayne (in reality, Lt. Noel Sainsbury, Jr.) offers up a stronger mystery this time around, and while Sainsury's other series star, Bill Bolton, does appear in the story, he does not show up until nearly half way through the book.  The book was published with the same dust jacket cover art as the first book (as well as the third and fourth book) - seems like the publisher, Goldsmith, often used the same cover art for an entire series, such as the Penny Nichols series, the Peggy Stewart series, the Merriweather Girls series, and others.  This book does offer one difference, however - there is a dedication at the front:  "To Winkie, who has had a finger in each of her Mummy's books."  While I could find no direct link, it is likely this is a reference to Sainsbury's daughter with Dorothy Wayne Illick, his second wife (and from whose name came his pseudonym for this series), as his daughter from his first marriage died while still an infant (Noel Everingham Sainsbury).

 

Dorothy Dixon and the Mystery Plane seems to be set some months after the events in the first book.  Not only is Dorothy now a licensed pilot, having completed all of her training, but her father has purchased her a plane of her own (confirming for the reader that Mr. Dixon's job as the president of the town bank has made him quite wealthy!).  In addition, the cast of characters in Dorothy Dixon's world is expanded, as readers get to meet Terry Walters, a blond-headed young man who could potentially be a love interest for Dorothy.  Readers are also introduced to Phil Stanton and Betty Mayo, two more friends who are sharing an afternoon in the water at the beach club as the book opens.  Before the first chapter ends, the "mystery plane" in the title appears, and the bearded man flying it, after being forced to make a landing in the water not far from where the young people are splashing around in the Long Island Sound (more on that location later...), makes it clear Dorothy and her friends need to steer clear of him!

 

It seems that the "mystery plane" as Terry as dubbed it (p. 19) seems to fly the same route over that area at the same time every day.  After her encounter with the pilot, Dorothy suspects something is not right, and when Terry goes missing and Dorothy herself is nearly kidnapped, she knows for sure that the man and his plane are somehow involved.  Despite his concern for his daughter, Mr. Dixon does not stop her from investigating, particularly when Terry remains missing.  Dorothy takes her plane up into the sky, hoping to follow the mystery plane and learn where it is headed each day.  Of course, weather interferes, and she must face great danger in some thick fog before finally uncovering a small cottage some miles down the shore.  She concocts a plan that she feels will enable her to uncover the truth - but all it ultimately does is get her knocked unconscious, kidnapped, taken to another location, and ultimately rescued by none other than Bil Bolton (remember, I did say he ultimately appears in the story!).  He reveals he is working a case for the government, trying to find some diamond smugglers, and wouldn't you know it - that happens to be the very criminal activity Dorothy has stumbled upon!

 

Sainsbury created a wonderful pair of detectives with Dorothy and Bill - they are a semi-comedic duo who share some fun banter, face plenty of danger together, and manage to outwit criminals of pretty much any nature. We even get another reference to Dorothy as "Miss Sherlock Holmes, the famous lady sleuthhound who solved the New Canaan Bank mystery" (p. 181), referring to the first book.  Despite this being Dorothy Dixon's series, I am rather glad the author has kept Bill coming into the stories, as he compliments the main character nicely.  I just wish he allowed Dorothy to take a stronger role in the actual planning and executing of those plans.  Instead, Mr. Dixon has to remind her of her place, sternly telling her, "...if you're going on these patrols, just remember that [Bill] is the captain of the outfit and must have obedience" (p. 185), further informing her that her job "is to do what you're told and let your captain do the thinking" (p. 185).  At that point, I almost wished Dorothy had talked back to her father, or struck off on her own and proved she was capable on her own!  But, I supposed despite the plethora of series books sporting strong-willed and determined female protagonists, Sainsbury could not let go of some of the more male-dominated lines of thinking in those days, and it came out in his writing.

 

Since Dorothy already had all of her training behind her, the story did not delve greatly into the technicalities of aviation as the last book did, and readers get more of the mystery in this one.  The danger level is definitely high in this one, what with the kidnapping, the foggy aerial mishaps, and a purposeful ramming of boats in order to keep the smugglers from grabbing their loot from the water.  The climactic chapters find Dorothy and Bill following the criminals' trail through a dark tunnel into an old, abandoned castle, where they find the captive Terry and face off with guns against the smuggling mastermind and his henchmen.  And yes, you read that right.  Once again, Dorothy faces the enemy with a gun in hand, more than once in this book!  She carries a revolver (p. 85) without any trepidation, and in the final face-off, Dorothy, Bill, and Terry all three are brandishing guns (p. 242).

 

Now, back to the location of this mystery.  It is stated numerous times throughout the book that Dorothy and her friends live in New Canaan, which apparently located not far inland from the Long Island Sound (p. 29), on the Connecticut side.  New Canaan is "slightly under eight miles" from the coastal town of Tokeneke (p. 29) - which is true, as a map shows that Tokeneke and New Canaan are only 6.6 miles apart.  Sainsbury also references Lloyd's Neck, which he indicates is "just west of Oyster Bay" to the "farther side of Smithtown Bay, a distance of fifteen or sixteen miles" (p. 58).  Once again, a map of the area shows these descriptions as accurate, as Oyster Bay is approximately 15 - 20 miles from Smithtown, New York!  I love when authors employ this level of reality within their stories, as it gives them some grounding in reality to help make up for some of the more outlandish and unbelievable antics of the characters.

 

What is funny about the references to Long Island Sound, as well as North Fork and South Fork, is the fact that I just recently finished another book set in the same location (Secret at Orient Point).  These two books were published more than 50 years apart and intended for two completely different types of audiences; so what are the odds that in just a matter of a couple of weeks, I would have read both books set in the same location?  And here we thought it was just children's series books that were full of coincidences!

 

One final thing to note - the author not only has Bill Bolton appear and take an active part in the story, but he specifically references on of Bill Bolton's books!  When Bill and Dorothy are talking, he reminds Dorothy of his adventure with "the Winged Cartwheels" (p. 115), for which there is an asterisk that gives a reference at the bottom of the page to inform readers to See Bill Bolton and The Winged Cartwheels. Now that is an interesting cross-promotion for a boys' series book in a girls' series book.  I have to wonder just how rare this kind of specific cross-promotion was!

 

RATING:  10 small white boxes filled with diamonds out of 10 for an exciting mystery that braves the foggy skies and weathers the stormy waves to stop a ruthless gang of smugglers!

A Zebra Mystery Puzzler #26 - Murder by the Book

It's been fifteen books since we last read the exploits of Kay Barth, assistant district attorney in Aspen, Colorado (Death on the Slopes), which is way too long.  I loved author Norma Schier's first entry into the Zebra Mystery Puzzler series, and this one only solidified my love for her writing. And Schier's love of puzzles and anagrams certainly comes into play again in this mystery, as does her habit of switching points-of-view throughout the book.  Rather than stay with the protagonist, as most murder mysteries do, Schier seems to enjoy following any number of characters throughout her books, which plays mercilessly on the reader's ability to figure out just who the killer really is!

 

Murder by the Book switches the focus from the ski slopes, which featured heavily in the previous book, to book collecting and the victim's bookstore.  Once again, the story begins not with our intrepid sleuth, but rather, with one of the suspects - Adele Bradford, wife of the murder victim - as she flies from New York to Colorado to confront the husband that left her, taking all of the money and disappearing without a trace.  The scene then switches to a sidewalk cafe, where Adele Bradford's daughter, Ronnie, is having lunch with her boyfriend, David Truro - lunch and a rather heated argument that ends with him storming off, telling her, "This can't go on any longer.  I've had it" (p. 9).  And, wouldn't you know it, but the D.A., Kay Barth, and her own boyfriend, Jason Ryder, happened to be lunching at the next table and overheard the entire thing.  Little did they realize then just how important that knowledge would later be!

 

Now, Schier switches scenes yet again to the Poison Pen Bookshop, where "Brad" Bradford is informing a very determined customer - one Frederick Carrington - that his early edition of Edgar Allan Poe's book is not for sale, no matter what offer Carrington makes.  But Carrington is more than determined, and he will get that book no matter what it takes.  Enter Jason and Kay as the dissatisfied man leaves the store.  Jason frequents the store and is familiar with the owner, but Kay is only just now starting her joy of reading mysteries.  Another change of scene takes our dynamic duo to the Green Goose pub, located, conveniently enough, right next to the Poison Pen.  Inside they happen upon Carrington once again, who quickly leaves, informing them he's going to make another offer to Bradford in order to get that book.  They strike up a conversation with the owner of the pub, Lulu Porter, when Ronnie shows up looking for her boyfriend. And to think ... all of this happens in just the first chapter!

 

Schier gives a quick jump in time, and with Chapter Two, we reunite with chief of police, Mark Field, who gets the call that Bradford has been found dead in his bookstore.  His neighbor, Lulu, found him; the overly persistent Carrington saw someone leaving the store; the ex-wife who is not an ex-wife arrived in town the morning before the killing; the daughter's boyfriend, David, has no alibi for the time of the murder; and the estranged son Kevin shows up just in time to "learn" that he and his sister have inherited their father's bookstore - the only problem is, Ronnie has gone missing, and no one knows where to find her.  It's a grand ol' mystery with plenty of suspects, plenty of clues, and plenty of motives.  It's up to Kay, Jason, and Chief Field to sift through it all to uncover the truth - and to hopefully find Ronnie Bradford before she becomes victim number two!

 

It turns out one of the biggest clues is an acrostic that Bradford had on his desk at the time of his death.  The killer clearly did not realize how important the list of names and book titles were, or he/she would have never left it there.  It's interesting, because that paper with the list of names and list of books is the first internal illustration on page 29, and from the moment I saw it, I picked up on the importance of the first letter of each name - however, Schier does not make it that easy.  It's not until nearly the end of the book when the truth regarding that acrostic comes to light, something I doubt very many people would think to consider.  But that revelation leads Kay to the identity of the killer - that, alongside a very important clue on the cover art (one that, I can honestly say, I picked up on right away, which revealed the identity of the killer from the start - I just didn't get the motive until the end).

 

Speaking of the cover - there is no signature or other identifying mark that reveals the identity of the cover artist, which is a shame, as I love the art.  I think Kay looks considerably more attractive in this cover art than she did back on the cover of book 11, and that give-away clue is subtle, but not too-subtle so as to be missed.  You just have to know what you are looking for, and you'll see it.  As far as the internal illustrations go, once again, there is no signature or other identification of the artist, but those internals are gorgeous.  I particularly like the one on page 143, where Kay goes to question Adele Bradford - I think the artist captures the personality and essence of both of these women perfectly, and one can actually feel the tension between the two screaming off  the page! I can almost picture in my mind a Dynasty-style cat-fight between these two.  And since I mentioned it, I cannot ignore the fact that the author has Kay Barth set in Colorado, and one of the characters/suspects in the story happens to have the last name "Carrington."  Now, this book was published in 1979, two years before the Dynasty nighttime soap premiered in January 1981; however, it is quite the coincidence that the television show was set in Colorado and featured a wealthy family whose last name happens to be Carrington.  Of course, Aspen is 160 miles from Denver (where the soap was set), but still...

 

One thing I did catch in the story is that the author managed to mention the Jerome Hotel (a/k/a Hotel Jerome), which Kay refers to as the "grandfather of Aspen hotels."  In the real world, the Hotel Jerome was built in the late 1800s by Jerome B. Wheeler, a co-owner of Macy's, and over the years, it has become quite the landmark in Aspen. A quick look online reveals the hotel to be QUITE expensive - a single night can cost upwards of $2,300 or more!  Definitely a hotel for the upper echelon!

 

I do find it odd that Schier does not stick with her main character, but rather, she constantly switches point of view from one character to another.  It gives the story an almost-soap opera style feel to it, as you are following the lives of several different characters, not just one.  It also makes pin-pointing the killer a little bit more difficult, since you learn a bit more about each of the characters from their own points-of-view, rather than just the protagonist's, and it gives the characters a bit more depth.  At least with this book, Schier did not wait until we were seven chapters in before she brought Kay into the story!

 

Thankfully, there are two more books in the series by Schier, meaning Kay Barth still has some mysteries to solve before this series ends!

 

RATING:  10 telling telephone numbers out of 10 for a creatively puzzling mystery that really tests the reader's powers of observation and analytical skills! 

Jason 3-D: A Comprehensive Expose on Friday the 13th Part 3

Of the twelve Friday the 13th films (including Freddy v. Jason), the third installment rates pretty close to the bottom in my book. Yes, it will always hold a special place in my heart as the first Friday the 13th film I ever actually saw in the theater, having seen the first two movies on cable television.  Yes, I can still remember my Dad taking me and my best friend at the time to the small theater out on Dixie Highway in front of the K-Mart to see the film.  Yes, the 3-D effects in the films were done well enough that a couple of times in the movie I unashamedly raised my hand to ward off the clothes-line pole or to try and touch the handle of the pitchfork that was stick out towards me.  Yes, I did like the final girl of the film, who was not only pretty and smart, but she proved herself capable of overcoming her fear to brandish that final death blow to Jason Voorhees' head with an ax.  Despite all of that, the film just has too many plot holes, too many inconsistencies, and too bad of acting for me to consider it a great movie.  However, after author R.G. Henning's retrospective look at Friday the 13th, Part 2, I had to pick up his comprehensive expose on the third film to see if he could give me some idea as to why so many fans of the series seem to love this movie.

 

Jason 3-D: A Comprehensive Expose on Friday the 13th Part 3 provides considerably more details about the film, its actors, its directors, and its history than Peter M. Bracke's Crystal Lake Memories.  While Bracke's book does a fantastic job of looking at the first eleven films, with countless interviews from so many of the actors, directors, producers, and other behind-the-scenes people, Henning, in this book, narrows down the scope to just this one film.  As with his prior book (Sackhead), which dug deep into the first sequel, this book goes in-depth into the second sequel and its enormous impact on the series as a whole.  While Part 2 introduced film-goers and fans to Jason Voorhees as a somewhat crazed adult seeking revenge for the death of his mother, Part 3 established Jason as not only a one-man killing machine, but created the iconic look of the deformed, bald-headed killer hiding behind a hockey mask.  And just like in his previous retrospective, Henning gives readers story details for each of the characters, detailed descriptions of the various victims (and survivor!), interviews with many of the cast members, lots of photos and fun facts, and some well-thought-out answers to questions that have plagued fans for years.

 

I give Henning credit - he does acknowledge that this film, despite its fan-following and the love that so many seem to have for it, is the worst of the first four films (which all center around a more "human" Jason Voorhees, before he is revived as a zombie in Part VI).  Despite having some great looking actors, the actual acting itself leaves a lot to be desired, and the film seems to focus more on the visual 3-D effects that were the big thing at the time than on any of the acting skills of its cast.  He also acknowledges the number of plot holes and inconsistencies in the story (such as how Jason's attack on Chris in the woods several years prior shows him in the same appearance as he is in this movie - bald! - while in Part 2, which supposedly took place just two days prior to the events in this film, Jason had long hair; and how could Chris imagine/dream Mrs. Voorhees coming out of the lake to grab her, when she had no idea who Mrs. Voorhees was; and how come Jason's face changes visually throughout the film [thanks to three different face molds]; and so many other things).  So, since he notices the same exact things in this film that I did, how in the world can this be such a popular film in the series' mythos?

 

Henning answers that question in this book, and after considering everything he lays out amid the behind-the-scenes discussions, the fan reactions, and the cast interviews, it all seems to come down to this one fact - despite the bad acting, despite the careless story, despite the focus on the 3-D effects, there is one thing this film does manage to do very successfully: Part 3 defined Jason Voorhees in both look and character, firmly establishing his presence for the rest of the series.  And looking back at the film, I have to agree.  Despite all of its flaws, actor Richard Brooker's portrayal of Jason definitely cemented his character, defining not only the hockey-mask appearance, but also moving him beyond just the "young child in a man's body crying out for revenge over his mother's death" motivation.  In this film, Henning points out that Jason becomes determined, he becomes purposeful, and he even becomes emotional (such as the scene where his frustration has him throwing aside boxes and bales of hay searching for Chris in the barn).  In this film, Jason actually HAS character, something that does not get further evolution until Part VII, when Kane Hodder takes over the role and becomes the consummate Jason Voorhees.  And in so thinking, I have begun to open my mind a little bit more to the film and have decided to go back and re-watch it (yet again!) with a new perspective.

 

The interviewed provided some surprising information - such as the fact that Catherine Parks is originally from Orlando, Florida and graduated from University of South Florida - my current home state and my alma mater!  I wish I had known that when I met her some years ago at a Spooky Empire, as I would have loved to have talked to her about that.  The interviews also revealed that both Paul Kratka and David Katims both had roles on General Hospital before landing parts in Friday the 13th Part 3!  Of course, I was not watching GH back then, but I'd be curious to see their scenes from the soap to see just how different they appeared than in the movie!  And the fact that many of these actors were newbies to the industry when they took these roles, and many of them also left Hollywood not long after the film to pursue careers as doctors, lawyers, journalists, and other "professional" careers.  Sadly, several of the actors have since died (Richard Brooker, Gloria Charles, Steve Susskind), so I'll never have the opportunity to meet any of them.

 

I love Henning's careful look at some of the unanswered questions about the film, and his very plausible explanations and answers - such as, did Jason sexually assault Chris in the flashback scene?  Why did he not kill her back then?  Is Jason right-handed or left-handed (which seems to change from film to film)?  Whose blood-soaked clothing did Chris find in the upstairs bathroom?  Where did Chuck and Chili get the pot they smoked at the house, when they ate it all in the van when they thought the police were after them?  How did the biker gang find Higgins Haven (and know that's where Shelly and Vera had come from)?  Why did the newscaster at the beginning refer to the murderer as an "ax-wielding killer," when Jason never killed anyone with an ax in the second film? And one thing I don't recall ever noticing, but which Henning brought up in this book - why is it the name of Jason Voorhees is never mentioned anywhere in this film?  It played such an important part of the ending of the first film, and was the main focus of the second film; yet, despite how important this film was to the enduring legacy of the character, not one time in this film is his name said.  Just another reason to go back and watch the film!

 

One important fact Henning does bring out about this film, something that I have always thought was glossed over, is that the character of Debbie, played by Tracey Savage, was pregnant.  It is made clear several times in the film (with Debbie refusing to smoke weed or drink alcohol due to her pregnancy), so the fact that Jason murders her while she lies in the hammock with the dead body of her boyfriend (the unborn child's father) hanging above her in the rafters is much more horrific, as it means that Jason not only murdered an adult woman, but he also killed her unborn child.  In Part 2, he unceremoniously swings a machete into the face of a man in a wheelchair, and now in Part 3, he without remorse shoves a knife through the neck of a mother-to-be.  It definitely establishes a practice and pattern that anyone can be a potential victim of Jason Voorhees. 

 

So, to my friends Wayne, and Marcus, and David, who all just LOVE Friday the 13th Part 3 - you can thank R.G. Henning for making me take another look at this film from a different perspective and give it a chance I've never given it up till now.

 

RATING:  10 iconic hockey-masks out of 10 for once again giving fans an outstandingly well-researched and fact-filled look at this long-enduring fan-favorite film of the series.