A Blake Harte Mystery, Book 10 - Harte

At last - with this book, we finally get resolution on some of the underlying plot threads that have been woven into this series since the very first book!  The story in this book has been building for a long time, and author Robert Innes does not disappoint.  This series started with the title character, Blake Harte, transferring to the small country village of Harmschapel, where he takes on the role of Detective Sergeant with the local police force.  He quickly develops a reputation for solving crimes that seem impossible - "locked room" mysteries, as they are sometimes called.  And Innes has definitely written some very well-plotted stories (leaving one to wonder just how he comes up with these crazy scenarios!).  But there has always been an underlying plot of why Harte moved away .... snippets of that incident of when he was just a boy ... an incident that has given him nightmares for years ... and the serial killer that he helped put away just before he moved to Harmschapel ... plus, there was the complication of that young man, his landlord's son, who has taken a particular interest in Blake, trying everything he can to destroy his relationship with Harrison Baxter.  And now, finally, everything is revealed in a devastating way...

This book is simply titled Harte, which is very fitting, since the mystery in this volume completely centers around Blake Harte.  His past comes back to haunt him in a vicious way.  Just as he is about to return to Manchester to help his best friend celebrate a momentous birthday, he and Harrison stumble across another body - only this one is not quite dead!  Tom Pattison, their landlord's son, has been struck in the head, and it's clear it was anything but an accident.  Blake, of course, wants to investigate, but he is told he is too close to the situation and to simply go on his vacation.  Little does he realize that his vacation is going to turn into one of the toughest cases of his career!

Innes holds back no punches with this one.  Harte finds himself once again facing the deadly Thomas Frost, who manages to escape prison in front of a live audience!  Everyone watches on television as he is loaded into the van that will transfer him to another secure prison - but when the van arrives at the other prison, the back doors are opened to find that Frost is not there!  How did he disappear from a guarded van that made no stops between the two prisons?  And with Frost once again on the loose, no one is safe.  Soon enough, the dead bodies start to turn up, and Sally (Blake's best friend and fellow cop) is called back on duty.  Blake manages to work his way into the investigation, but, boy is he in for some major surprises!  I won't spoil anything here, but I will say this - there are some definite unexpected surprises that no one could see coming, and if you think you have some of the connections between the characters figured out - think again!

Only Innes could write another impossible crime story that is so utterly engaging like this, and at a whopping 370 pages, not only is this the longest Blake Harte mystery to date, it is also by far the absolute BEST mystery to date.  With the life of someone very close to Blake on the line, he must not only figure out how Frost escaped from a moving van surrounded by cops, but he must also uncover the truth behind what happened to him when he was 10 years old, and exactly how Tom Pattison plays into all of this.  Expect the unexpected and just sit back and enjoy the ride as Innes takes you on a roller coaster ride from one shocking, awe-inspiring moments to another - and the ending?  Well, let's just say every once in a while, the hero does get a reward, and this time around, Blake might actually find himself a bit of real happiness at last.

Now, if we could just talk Innes into releasing the next book in paper format, and not just on Kindle!

RATING:  11 all-important license plates out of 10, well, simply because this book REALLY is that good!

The Pathfinders Society, Vol. 2 - The Curse of the Crystal Cavern

Kyle, Beth, Harry, Victoria, and Nate are back for the second part of their search for the hidden treasure!  In the first graphic novel, writers Francesco Sedita and Prescott Serfaydarian and artist Steve Hamaker introduced us to these five youngsters who find themselves drawn into the world of the Pathfinders Society after they learn that Henry Merriweather, a famous adventurer from years ago, may have left behind a treasure that only the truly dedicated and adventurous can find!  At the strange Moon Tower, the kids uncovered a box that contained a jeweled hand, a guidebook, and a very odd device that they had no clue how to use.  Well, now, in this second volume, their adventure continues...

The Curse of the Crystal Cavern opens with a glimpse into the past, as we learn that Henry Merriweather was not an only child - he had a brother named Jacob who was just as interested as Henry in danger and adventure.  They are each gifted a small jeweled hand to represent the bonds of their brotherhood - and just as we (the reader) are about to discover more about the two young Merriweathers, we are drawn back into the present where Kyle seems to have been having a flashback (of what we just saw).  He rejoins his friends as they explore the underground tunnels and the path headlined by the phrase, "Plus Ultra!"  Sedita and Serfaydarian send these young pathfinders on a journey unlike any other, where each of their skills and knowledge-set is put to the test to help them through the various traps, mazes, and riddles put in front of them.  

The story is chock full of cryptic clues and peril at every turn - but the Pathfinders never give up hope and keep following the path that lay before them.  Along the way, they have another vision from the past to learn exactly what happened to break the bond between Henry and Jacob Merriweather and why Fairly seems so intent on buying up the Merriweather estate.  So, if the Pathfinders have any hope of finding the treasure, they must no only figure out all of the puzzles left by Henry Merriweather, but they must also evade the ever-present Mr. Fairly, whose construction and demolition crew seem to be everywhere.  Plus, Sedita and Serfaydarian offer up a very surprising cliffhanger at the end of this volume that definitely brought me back to my days of watching Dark Shadows (and for those who know me, and who know my favorite storyline from Dark Shadows, then you'll have an idea of what happens at this end of this book!).

The art in this volume is absolutely exceptional!  Hamaker makes the caverns feel dark and spooky, and at times, even cramped, so much so that even the reader feels like they are right there with the kids as they make their way down one tunnel after another in search of the clues to the treasure.  His transitions between past and present are almost cinematic, as one panel flows so smoothly into the next.  Hamaker is definitely getting more of a feel for the characters and their environments, and I can hardly wait to see what he has in store for the next book.

Sedita, Serfaydarian, and Hamaker have created a thrilling series with characters that you can't help but like (or hate, as the case may be) and a story full of adventure, suspense, surprises, and mystery.    Can't wait for volume three to come out!

RATING:  9 musty volumes of minutes out of 10 for furthering the mystery of the Merriweather treasure in way that only draws you more into the story than ever before!

The Mysteries of Maisie Hitchins, Book 8 - The Case of the Weeping Mermaid

Well, yet another series that I have enjoyed comes to an end.  It's always a bittersweet read, the final book of any series.  I put off reading the final book, as I don't want it to end; yet, at the same time, I'm always anxious to see how the author is going to conclude the series and where he or she will leave the main character at the end of it all.  Maisie Hitchins, the title character of a series written by Holly Webb, has been an enjoyable series for young readers.  The books are easy reads, the mysteries are not overly-complicated, but they are certainly well-plotted and full of adventure for the young, pre-teen sleuth.  And throughout the first seven books, Webb has weaved in an ongoing subplot involving the whereabouts of Maisie's father, who went out to sea some time ago.  Well, it only stands to reason that if Webb is going to end the series, she would bring about resolution to that subplot that has been slowly building.

The Case of the Weeping Mermaid, the eighth and final book in the Maisie Hitchins mystery series, drops a mystery right in Maisie's lap from the get-go!  Maisie's best friend Alice is concerned that something is wrong with her father.  Ever since he and her step-mother have returned from their honeymoon, he has been acting strange, and she wants Maisie to figure out what it is.  But Maisie has a mystery of her own to solve when she receives another mysterious package from her father, this one containing a beautifully brass-bound box that contains her father's journal and letters - letters that he informs her contain a mystery that he is trusting her to solve!  In true Nancy Drew tradition, it soon becomes apparent that the two mysteries are intertwined, and Maisie and Alice must work fast before Alice's father loses his shipping business, and her family is ruined forever!

Webb crafts a wonderful little mystery that send out two amateur sleuths to the dirty, dangerous docks ... to the office of Alice's father ... and on board a ship that is about to be sent to a watery grave.  Maisie has solved a number of mysteries, but none of them hit this close to him.  Webb definitely saved her best for last.  Any one that has been following this series will appreciate all the subplots and loose ends that Webb tries up in this final mystery, and the reunion between Maisie and her father is well worth the wait.  And yes, I do realize this series is written from young readers, definitely pre-teen age; however quick the read may be for an adult reader, it is still an enjoyable story.

Plus, I can't help but wonder if Webb is a bit of a Nancy Drew fan, as there are a couple of things from the story that definitely will resonate with fans of the Nancy Drew books!  First, when Maisie receives the wrapped package from her father, Webb describes it as "a beautiful wooden box, so smooth it felt like silk, with brass corners and a brass lock that was engraved with fantastical dragons" (pp. 20-21).  This, of course, would bring up images of that brass-bound trunk from Nancy Drew's 17th mystery of the same name.  Later, when Maisie is reading her father's journal and notes, he makes reference to a mermaid figurehead at the front of a boat that was supposedly lost at sea - he provides a drawing of the mermaid, which Webb describes as "a beautiful wooden statue of a girl, staring out from the very front of the ship ... She was carved with long, waving hair and tears on her cheeks..." (p. 29).  This sounds similar to that wooden lady that became the centerpiece of Nancy Drew's 27th mystery.  Now, it could all be pure coincidence, but let's face it - what's more Nancy Drew-like than coincidences?!

In any event, this final book - and, quite frankly, the entire series! - is a fun, easy read with mysteries that certainly rate right up there with the Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, and other children's mystery series.  It's just a shame Webb brought an end to the series so soon.  Then again, maybe there's a "Hitchins & Hitchins" series in the future, eh?

RATING:  10 delicate china plates painted with golden flowers out of 10 for providing a well-crafted mystery that serves as a delightfully satisfying conclusion to a wonderful series of mysteries!

Penny Parker Mystery Stories No. 3 - Danger at the Drawbridge

I have thoroughly been enjoying this jaunt into the world of Penny Parker, as I think Mildred Wirt (Benson) created in this series a fun, believable character with some very off-beat mysteries that sometimes go beyond what could actually be believable!  I absolutely loved the first two books in the series, but as with any ongoing series, not every book is going to be a winner, and with this third book, Wirt does let me down just a bit.  And just as the last book had very little to do with the title (as that "vanishing houseboat" did not really play much of a part in the overall mystery of the book), so does the title of this third book have actually very little to do with the mystery that Penny has to solve.

Danger at the Drawbridge finds Penny sent off to an elaborate estate to get the story of a wedding taking place there, because her father is sick and unable to personally go.  The estate is rather unique, in that it is cut off from the mainland on three sides and can only be reached by boat or drawbridge (p. 6).  The estate was built by Clayton Kippenberg, who is said to have made his fortune in the chain drug store business (p. 5).  Now, mind you, this book was published in 1940, meaning it would have been written in 1939 or early 1940.  At that time, there were actually a number drug store chains that were finding success, such as the Adams Drug Company, which first opened in 1932; the Genovese Drug Stores that were founded in Queens (NY) in 1924; K&B drug stores that opened in New Orleans in 1905; Hook's Drug Stores that were established in 1900 in Indianapolis; as well as many others.  So, for Wirt to write the character as a financial success due to a drug store chain would not be unheard of at that time.

The mystery comes into play when Penny and Salty (the photographer) manage to trick their way onto the estate to get a story regarding the wedding.  Kippenberg's daughter, Sylvia, is all set to marry Grant Atherwald - but when Grant receives a sealed envelope before he can even take a step into the house and takes off into the woods surrounding the estate, Penny immediately becomes suspicious.  Those suspicions pay off, because poor Sylvia finds herself alone at the altar, and Grant has disappeared!  Penny smells a much bigger story, but of course, no one will believe her (despite her intuition being spot-on in the previous two mysteries! You'd think her father would learn by now...).  Soon enough, Penny and Salty are forced to race off the estate - but not before the best scene in the book, when Salty gets Mrs. Kippenberg so riled up that she actually throws plates at the photographer, giving Salty some rather salacious photos for the newspaper!

Penny, of course, doesn't leave empty handed - she has discovered a band of white gold that is obviously the wedding band that Grant had intended to give to his bride.  Where she finds that band is quite interesting - she locates it next to a pond within the woods that surround the estate.  A pond that she finds out is home to an alligator!  (Compare the scene in this book on page 51 with the scene from The Haunted Showboat on page 88 - awfully similar scenes.)  Wirt, in this scene, does display some very poetic, Gothic description when she describes Penny's feelings...

...she was fully aware of an uneasy feeling which had taken possession of her.  It was almost as if she stood in the presence of something sinister and unknown.  The gentle rustling of the tree leaves, the cool river air blowing against her cheek, only served to heighten that feeling.  (p. 50).

Just reading that line gives the reader a deep foreboding, knowing that something is about to happen, but you don't know what yet.  This is some of Wirt's writing at her best!

Penny is determined to discover just what happened to Grant Atherwald, as she is confident that he did not leave on his own.  She manages to find ways to keep returning to the estate, even though she keeps getting asked to leave, and poor Jerry Livingston, once involved, gets struck on the head yet again (remember, in the last book, he was struck pretty hard, so this one could only make things worse!).  Wirt again turns the standard "damsel in distress" trope on its head by making Jerry the one always in danger, always the one kidnapped or knocked out, and Penny has to rescue him.  Of course, Penny faces her own share of danger when she and Grant are locked in an underwater cavern with no way out (kind of reminiscent of the final scene in Tale of the Witch Doll, when Penny was locked in a tunnel under the house, with water rising in). 

 

The mystery this time just doesn't have the same depth that the prior two mysteries did.  Yes, I enjoyed a number of the scenes in the book, but there are so many things off about the story - why would Kippenberg bring an alligator onto the estate and keep it from wandering the grounds?  How did the groundskeeper get rid of it so quickly when Penny brought others back to prove it was there? How did Penny gain access to the estate to frequently and easily, and yet the police were unable to find these things that she so easily came across?  And how in the world did Penny uncover the truth about Mr. Kippenberg (which, honestly, was pretty obvious from the start) and no one else, including the police, ever thought of it?  And that final chase on the water was just a bit too unbelievable...

 

 The cover art for both the original and the later revised book are similar in nature - but the original is definitely better.  That revised cover art shows a much younger Penny (too young, if you ask me).  And although those muddy footprints and the mud all over Penny's legs and feet looks ridiculous, I do have to admit it is true to the story, since Penny had just swam across the moat and climbed up the muddy bank to get to the controls of the drawbridge, so she would have been covered in mud at the time.  The original art, while definitely more beautifully rendered, shows Penny as nearly model-perfect, with no mud, not wet at all, as if she were ready to walk down the runway. 

Some things I noticed while reading the book:

 

Wirt indicates early on when Penny and Salty first visit the estate that Kippenberg has on display a genuine Van Gogh painting of a drawbridge, similar to the one in front of the estate (p. 25).  Van Gogh did, indeed, paint a drawbridge scene - in fact, he had four paintings of such: The Langlois Bridge at Arles; The Langlois Bridge at Arles with Women Washing; The Langlois Bridge at Arles with Road Alongside the Canal; and The Langlois Bridge at Arles (in watercolor).  Based on the value at which Van Gogh paintings sold for, even back in 1940, Kippenberg would have needed to spend well into the millions just to purchase one painting like this - meaning he must truly have made a mint with that drug store chain business!

 

Something else is the frontis piece, which shows a car careening down into the moat, having driven off to the side of the drawbridge.  In the art, the car is driving down beside the bridge; however, in the actual story, Wirt describes the incident as the "speeding automobile struck the side of the steel bridge, spun sideways and careened down the bank to bury itself in the water" (p. 157).  The frontis piece does not seem to depict any damage to the car or the side of the steel bridge.  Also, since Penny and her father were coming from the other side of the moat, where they had rescued Jerry, the fact that they are facing in that opposite direction means they are facing the estate - which means the car in the art is coming from the estate rather than heading towards the estate.  Perhaps I am just being nitpicky, but I do think some details matter when illustrating a story.

 

Another issue I had deal with Louise's pin.  While Penny and Louise are investigating the pool (where the alligator resides, mind you), Louise leans over the pool and drops her pin into the water (p. 121).  They try to fish it out, but are unsuccessful.  However, at the end of the book, Jerry reveals that he found Louise's pin after the pool was drained (to get to the underground cavern under the pool) (p. 209).  Considering the fact that the pool was drained, re-filled, and drained again in-between the time she dropped the pin and Jerry found it, the chances of him actually coming across it are slim to none.

And I would certainly be remiss if I did not mention the dumbwaiter that the Parkers apparently have in their house!  On page 2, Penny intends to climb into the dumbwaiter to take herself upstairs to her father's room, but Mrs. Weems stops her, warning her that they were never intended to carry human freight!  I was not aware that personal homes had dumbwaiters back then, so I did some research online.  The first patent for the dumbwaiter did not get issued until the late 19th century, at which time, they became popular additions in the multi-story homes of the wealthy.  (History of Dumbwaiters)  Because these dumbwaiters were often big enough for children to fit inside, there were a number of injuries, accidents, and even deaths.  This eventually led to dumbwaiters being omitted from floorplans for newer home designs.  (Dumbwaiters in Homes)  Thus, for the Parkers to have a dumbwaiter in their home, that would mean they had to be quite affluent (maybe even more so than the Drews!).

Out of the three Penny Parker books I've read to date, I would say this is my least favorite.  I am hoping the next book picks back up in the right direction!

RATING:  6 sandwiches covered with dark brown, watery gravy out of 10 for making me laugh out loud at the scene with Salty and Mrs. Kippenberg - that one scene was worth it all!

The Dark Shadows Daybook

There have not been any new Dark Shadows novels in some time now, and with the CD player in my car broken, I haven't had the opportunity to listen to any of the audio books lately.  However, Patrick McCray has come out with a book that not only gave me the chance to get my much-needed Dark Shadows fix, but also gave me the opportunity to relive the entire series and "see" it with a new perspective, looking at episodes, characters, and storylines in ways I never have before.  As the blurb on the back of the book states, "If you're a fan of the venerable vampire soap, you simply must check out this book!"  And I agree whole-heartedly!

When I bought the The Dark Shadows Daybook, I honestly had no idea what it was about.  I knew it was some kind of retrospective look at the daytime soap, but I wasn't sure if it was simply a synopsis of all of the episodes and/or stories, or if it would be interviews with actors and crew, of it would be essays by people on what the show meant to them.  Well, it turns out the book is none of those - but definitely so much more!  Patrick McCray sat down and watched all 1,245 episodes of the show, from beginning to end, and in this book, he provides a unique look at those episodes, selecting certain episodes that stand out for various reasons - whether it be the acting, the sets, the story, the characters, etc.  And he provides a perspective on those episodes that, honestly, I never considered.  But now, having read his perspective, I certainly have a totally new appreciation for the episodes and the series as a whole!

The book takes the series and breaks it down into fourteen parts, with a special look at the final episode of the series (episode 1245).  Beginning with, of course, the beginning, when Victoria Winters arrives in Collinsport, which first aired on Monday, June 27, 1966 (fifty-six years ago - wow! it's hard to believe it has been over half a century since that show first aired!).  He compares episode 1 with episode 1245, looking at them as book-ends for the series, the beginning and the end - noticing a very subtle difference that I'm wondering if many people even pay attention to - the fact that the first episode begins as night is falling on the small fishing port of Collinsport, Maine, while the last episode concludes just as the sun is beginning to dawn over Collinwood (and, as the voice over at the end says, all of those dark shadows looming over Collinwood were nothing but a thing of the past ... ).  McCray then jumps to episode 72 ... then skips quite a bit up to episode 211, in 1967, the very episode that Jonathan Frid enters Collinwood as Barnabas Collins and forever changes the show.  From that point forward, the book jumps episodes, sometimes small hops, other times large jumps, to look at various episodes that impacted the show.

The story of Barnabas' quest to make Maggie Evans into his long-lost Josette, to the unforgettable trip into the past that sent Victoria Winters back to the year 1795 (where each of the Collins' ancestors resembles a present-day member of the Collins family; but the names and relationships have changed, and Victoria Winters finds herself a stranger in a sea of familiar faces ... oh, excuse me, I got a little distracted with a trip back into the past myself there...), to the Adam and Eve stories of 1968, to the trip back to 1796, to the haunting of Collinwood, to the second time travel story back ton 1897, to the introduction of Chris and Amy Jennings, to the first parallel time tale, to the future of 1995, to the final trip into the past, back to 1840, and then to the very last story set in 1841 parallel time - McCray looks at each and every story that unfolded over the five years Dark Shadows was on the air, and while he certainly pokes fun at some of the scenes, some of the acting, and some of the characters, he also offers up some very in-depth analysis of how those characters and stories impacted the overall appeal of the show and why people were so drawn to this crazy show about vampires, witches, werewolves, severed heads, severed hands, Frankenstein creatures, phoenixes, lotteries, time travel, and so much more that no other daytime soap opera would even dare to consider at the time - I mean, let's face it, it was the end of the '60s and beginning of the '70s, and the times, they were a-changing!  Dark Shadows helped herald in that change, and in the pages of this book, the reader learns just how it did that.

I love that McCray recognizes the fact that in the series, Victoria Winters basically came into the show "as a raven-haired Nancy Drew."  I've always rather looked at the character in that way, since Victoria seemed to be at the center of all of those early mysteries - finding out who sabotaged Roger's car, getting kidnapped, always searching to uncover the truth behind her parentage and her mysterious summons to Collinwood - even her trip back to 1795 was the ultimate "mystery" to be solved regarding the ghost of Sarah and the mystery of Barnabas.  

McCray also isn't afraid to compare the series to various other pop culture successes throughout the years, such as Marvel Comics, Star Trek, Batman, Lord of the Rings, and so many others.  I mean, let's face it - for a show that only lasted five years (two years longer than Star Trek, mind you!), the fact that it still has such a large following over 50 years later, and there are no signs of it stopping, shows you just how enduring and appealing the show truly is (despite the many gaffs that appear on air in so many of the episodes).  I even have to agree with McCray's assessment in his afterward about the attempts to remake and bring back Dark Shadows.  There are certain things required if you want to make any come-back a real success, and the 10 guidelines set forth by McCray are definitely on point!  Any creator looking to reboot, continue, or otherwise bring the show back, pay attention to McCray - he knows what he's talking about!  (Quite honestly, the only thing that has actually succeeded in honoring Dark Shadows properly are the Big Finish audio stories - those, as far as I'm concerned, are truly a continuation of the DS lore, and I have a feeling McCray would agree!)

This book is a definite must-have for any Dark Shadows fan, as it allows you to pretty much relive the entire series, from beginning to end, and look at the series with an entirely new outlook.  It has certainly left me with the desire to sit down and re-watch the series, just to see if in watching those episodes, I can pick out the same things (or even more!) that McCray has pointed out in this book.

NOTE - I can't pass up the fact that McCray hails from Louisville, Kentucky, which is also my birthplace and hometown (for the first 16 years of my life)!  And also where Roger David and Mitchell Ryan also hail from!  So, I guess that puts me in some pretty good company...

RATING:  10 faux movie reviews out of 10 for offering up a more engaging look at an already engaging series and helping this fanboy relive the entire series with just as much joy as when I first watched the show as a child!

Short Lived Comic Series #21 - The Adventures of Young Doctor Masters (Archie Comics)

 More and more, I find myself getting into and thoroughly enjoying a lot of the old "romance"  and "career" comics of the '50s, '60s, and '70s, particularly those from independent publishers other than DC and Marvel.

 

Published in 1964 by Archie Comics, with cover dates of August 1964 (issue one) and November 1964 (issue two), The Adventures of Young Dr. Masters is a two-issue series that tries to cash in on the romance and "doctor" comics that were hitting the spinner racks back in that time.  DC Comics had Young Love, Young Romance, Heart Throbs, Falling in Love, Secret Hearts; Charlton Comics had Love Diary, I Love You, First Kiss, Teen Confessions, Career Girl Romance; Marvel Comics had Patsy Walker, Kathy, Modeling with Millie; and many others!  Meanwhile, around the same time, there were medical drama comics such as Dell Comics' Dr. Kildare and Ben Casey; Dell had previously published a series of comics about Nurse Linda Lark; Marvel had published a series about Linda Carter, Student Nurse from '61 to '63; Charlton published its own nursing series about Nurse Betsy Crane, as well as a series about The Young Doctors and Doctor Tom Brent, Young Intern in 1963; and, of course, there were others.  So, it only stands to reason that Archie Comics, who already had their own romance comic in the form of Katy Keene, would take a stab at the medical drama comic, with a little romance thrown in for good measure.

The first issue of The Adventures of Young Dr. Masters serves as an introduction of the main cast to readers.  David Masters if the "young" Dr. Masters, who shares a practice with his father, Walter Masters, who is referred to as the "old" Dr. Masters.  The story certainly starts off with a bang, as Young Dr. Masters is asked by the police to provide emergency medical attention to two people who were shot in a hold-up, as well as the criminal himself, who was also shot.  Masters shows some great courage in confronting the crook and ultimately tricking him so that the police can come in and arrest him!  But, by the fifth page, the internal conflict comes to light as Masters returns to his office where a patient is demanding to be treated by "old" Dr. Masters, and not the son!  From there, readers quickly discover that David Masters is more interested in the research side of medicine and not at all confident when it comes to examining and diagnosing patients; however, his father is determined to force him to follow in his footsteps, as is his fiance, Brenda Moore, who has made it clear to the young Dr. Masters that she won't marry him until he makes a choice - either follow his father's path to become a practicing physician and give up the lab work, or she will never marry him!  (Hence, the romance drama!).

The lead in to the second story introduces readers to the fourth member of our cast, a young nurse named Sally Redmond, who falls for young Dr. Masters without realizing he is engaged.  Masters and Redmond are called to a construction site, where two men have become trapped under a girder on the 19th floor of the building under construction!  Once again, young Dr. Masters puts his life at risk to save the men, much to the admiration of Nurse Sally.  Of course, upon returning to the office, "old" and "young" Doctors Masters get into yet another argument about his career, which ends with old Dr. Masters falling ill and ending up in the hospital.  It is revealed that in destroying his son's lab, old Dr. Masters released a virus that he has now contracted, and it's up to young Dr. Masters to save his father's life!

The stories are fast-paced and definitely worthy of your typical soap-opera, medical drama.  Interestingly, though, it is not the young female lead who is being pushed about and forced into a life she doesn't want; rather, this comic gender-switches the standard fare and gives us a young male who is in a quandary about his life and what career he should pursue and whether he should get married or not.  Yes, despite all of his wavering and emotional outbursts, there is nothing "feminine" about young Dr. Masters at all.  He shows strength and fortitude as he faces down an armed criminal and climbs out on a teetering girder 19 stories high to save lives.  He shows just what he's made of and definitely endears the reader to his character.

The second issue of The Adventures of Young Dr. Masters features two more stories, "Operation Plane Crash" and "A Case of Bad Blood."  Oddly enough, this second issue features some glaring changes - "old" Dr. Masters makes no appearance at all, and in fact, he's not even referenced.  In addition, Masters' fiance, Brenda Moore, is also suddenly off-canvas.  Also gone is Masters' uncertainty regarding his ability as a doctor; in fact, in the first story, Masters finishes up an appendix operation when the news comes in of a plane crash where medical attention is needed immediately, but the only way to get to them is by parachute - which, coincidentally enough, Dr. Masters is fine with, having been a medic in the 82nd Airborne in Korea! (Why wasn't this mentioned anywhere in the first issue, where Masters made it seem like he barely had any experience with practicing medicine?)  However, like in the stories of the first issue, Masters jumps into danger (literally!) as he must help save the lives of a desperate killer who has already taken the lives of three people in the plane.

In the second story, it's clear that Masters and Nurse Sally Redmond have become a lot closer since that first issue, so when she reveals to him her concern for her uncle and a bitter rivalry he has with a director of the construction site, he immediately jumps in to give aid when news comes in that there was an accident at the construction site.  It seems a crane has fallen on Sally's uncle and his rival, Mr. Roper (Three's Company, anyone? Oh, wait, this is a decade before that show came out....) have become trapped under the crane and are both injured (gee, doesn't this sound somewhat similar to the second story of the first issue, where two men were trapped under a girder at a construction site?).  Young Dr. Masters' compassionate side is seen here, for he leads the men to believe the only way one of them can be saved is for the other to provide a transfusion of blood, thus tying the men together in a unique way!  Will the men allow their feud to cost one of them his life, or will they put aside their differences so that they both can live?  Definitely a question worthy of any good drama!

While neither issue provides credits for the author or artists, a search on line reveals that the stories were written by Robert Bernstein, with art by John Rosenberger and Sal Contrera.  I'm not really familiar with any of these creators, but I did find online that Rosenberger helped co-create the character of "Lady Cop" for DC Comics in 1975 (which comic I reviewed for this blog some time ago).

Sadly, this series only had two issues, so readers were not able to follow any further adventures of the Young Dr. Masters.  Yet, the character was certainly not forgotten by Archie Comics, because just this year, the character appeared in a five-page short story in Betty and Veronica Jumbo Comics #305, published with a cover date of August 2022.  In a story titled "The Doctor is in Vogue," Betty and Veronica are watching their new favorite online celebrity, Dr. Masters, live-stream his international adventures on his travel vlog, when they discovered he is at the beach in Riverdale - the same beach where they are currently sunbathing!  It is revealed that Betty is the president of the local Dr. Masters' fan club, while Veronica helped sponsor the doctor's travel vlog.  Soon enough, two boys are in danger out in the water after their jet skis crash, and it's up to young Dr. Masters to save the day!  I give artist Jeff Shultz props for making young Dr. Masters look very similar to his 1964 incarnation, making him stand out from the "standard" Archie-style art of Betty, Veronica, and the other characters in the story.

 

 

Now, we are all left to wonder - when will our young Dr. Masters appear next?

RATING:  9 therapeutic trial treatments out of 10 for some good, clean, fun stories filled with drama, romance, and adventure - all the makings of a great comic!

A Ted Wilford Mystery, no. 9 - The Big Cat Mystery

Never did I imagine that I would find myself enjoying a boys' series as much as I am this Ted Wilford series.  Not every book is exceptional, but I give the author, Norvin Pallas, credit for writing some out-of-the-ordinary mysteries that are a bit more intellectual rather than adventurous (although, there are some books that are chock full of adventure).  I have been reading the reprints published by Wildside Press, as I've never actually seen any of the original books, either in someone's collection or out in the wild at a bookstore.  I am grateful that Wildside made the decision to re-publish these stories, as it has introduced me to a character and series of books that I otherwise would have never know!

The Big Cat Mystery is the ninth book in the series, and while the title is not exactly the most thrilling sounding, the story itself more than makes up for that.  Ted is working for the Town Crier during his summer break, when the paper receives a call about a possible leopard being spotted in the woods around Vanishing Lake.  Mr. Dobson, the paper's editor, is skeptical, but he sends Ted and Nelson out to the resort on Vanishing Lake to follow up on the call and see if it is just a prank, or if there really is a wild cat on the loose.  Ted and Nelson are soon at the lake, and the caller, one Mr. George Jackson, is insistent that he saw tracks made by a big cat, and he introduces them to Holly Jergens, who says she actually saw the leopard, and her brother Gerald, whose only interest at the resort is to play tennis.  Ted and Nelson listen to everything Mr. Jackson and Holly have to say, but they still have their doubts - even after Mr. Jackson takes them across the lake to the exact place were he found the cat's paw print!

The story builds slowly, as Ted and Nelson investigate the sightings; but, it seems other things get in the way.  First, there is a fire in which a young boy is nearly caught in a shed just before the fire reaches it.  Then there is a potential outbreak of typhoid, causing the health department to test the water in the area.  After that, Ted and Nelson discover a black cat in the trunk of their car - a cat that they discover has some unusual spots on it!  Could it be a black leopard?  Could it be connected to the leopard spotted in the woods?  Ted and Nelson make their own expedition into the woods to see if they can uncover the truth, but instead find a cabin that appears is being used for something, but the question is, what?   A traveling menagerie could very well hold the clue to whether the leopard is real or not, but when Ted and Nelson make a trip out to inquire of the owner, they end up having to help the owners and his employees stop an out of control blaze from destroying the entire show!  Was the fire set on purpose?  Is someone trying to keep the boys from uncovering the truth behind what is really going on at Vanishing Lake?

Pallas creates an engaging story that, although a bit obvious who the culprit is, still keeps you turning page after page to find out how the boys are going to get to the truth of the matter.  There is a very surprising (and heart-breaking) scene when the boys are at the traveling menagerie, as the owner ultimately has to shoot several of his big cats to save them from suffering as the fire burns their cages (and would have ultimately burned them to death in the process).  I'm actually surprised that this kind of scene would be placed in a book intended for young adults, as it is very blunt and, while realistic in nature, seems like a very harsh thing to add to a children's book.  It does, however, raise a very good point that the owner of the menagerie makes clear to Ted and Nelson - if people ever stop caring about animals, then the human race really wouldn't be worth saving anyway - and I agree!

Sadly, we, as readers, do not get to see what punishment the real culprit ultimately faces for his actions in the book, as the owner of the resort tells the boys he will take care of confronting the culprit.  The only resolution Ted and Nelson ultimately get to be a part of is that involving the fire at the traveling menagerie, as Ted figures out what really happened and manages to convince the owner of the truth, so that he can rebuild his show.  Nelson, who grew attached to the black cat over the course of the book, reluctantly turns the cat over to the local zoo, who promises to take good care of it.

This books turned out to be a much better story than the previous few, and it gives me hope that the remaining six books in the series will be just as good!

RATING:  9 meadows full of waving grass out of 10 for a great mystery and some great facts about leopards, cheetahs, and big cats in general!

Anonymous True Accounts Told to Thom Bierdz (How Men Really Feel About Being Sexually Assaulted)

I have previously read actor Thom Bierdz' other two books - Forgiving Troy and Young, Gay & Restless - and found them to be raw, moving, and very personal in nature. The first was a journey of facing the most devastating news a person could face and finding a way to overcome it and forgive his own brother, while the second was a very open and revealing (in so many ways!) look back at the author's own life.  This third book, however, is something completely different, as it is not about Thom; rather, this book is an open and honest revelation about something most people don't ever consider - the sexual assault of men.

Anonymous True Accounts Told to Thom Bierdz: how men really feel about being sexually assaulted is not the type of book I would ever pick up and read.  It is not a topic I particularly want to think about, and not being a fan of non-fiction, it is not a book I would normally be interested in reading.  But, having read Thom's other two books, I purchased this one directly from Thom (he was even kind enough to sign it!) and figured I would face the difficult task of seeing how men truly feel about being sexually assaulted.  I can honestly say that I was not prepared for most of what I read!

One does not often think about men being sexually assaulted.  Even though reports of young boys being sexually assaulted are in the news, somehow, there is this misguided belief that men "cannot" be sexually assaulted, and if they are, it does not have the same impact that it does on women when they are assaulted.  Further, there is a misconception that slapping a woman on the behind is assault, while taking the same action on a man is not.  The simple truth is - when you force some kind of physical attention on another human being, whether female or male, without that person's consent, it is assault.  Period.  There are not extenuating circumstances, there are not excuses, and there are certainly no differences.  Assault is assault.  And, as this book shows, not everyone's reaction to assault is the same.  Just as people are different, so are their reactions.

I was utterly surprised to find that some of these anonymous accounts showed how some men found that what would constitute assault in many people's eyes was actually enjoyable and basically became the groundwork for what they enjoyed sexually and what they expected in a relationship.  In fact, one account found a man who had a incestuous relationship with his own father for decades and did not regret one moment of it!  That was probably the most difficult account of all to read, as incest is not something that is natural, and the fact that this individual found it to be satisfying and an important part of his life made me feel sorry that the father had taken away his son's innocence and destroyed his capability to understand right from wrong.  Thom made it clear in his book that he compiled these stories not for the purpose of judging anyone, but to show how abuse affects different people in different ways.  But it was evident from some of the questions Thom asked of this individual that even Thom had a difficult time understanding how this abuse had affected this now grown man.

The accounts within the book varied from men who recalled being abused as children by family members, by friends, by employers, by church members, and others to adult men who found themselves being drugged and taken advantage of and then left to be found unconscious in a parking lot or back room.  As I read one story after another my heart broke when I realized just how many men out there have suffered abuse and how it has affected so many lives (not just of them men themselves, but also the people around them).  While some men have shown the ability to overcome and move beyond the abuse to find healthy relationships and live normal lives, others have lived with the stigma of what was done to them and have been unable to fully deal with the trauma imposed on them by vicious, uncaring people (many of whom have gone unpunished for what they did!).  My heart broke and at times, I had tears in my eyes, as I read story after story of men revealing some of the most horrific moments of their lives - in a lot of cases, being told for the first time, as how many people would really believe that a "man" was sexually assaulted?

While difficult to read, I must praise Thom for providing men with an opportunity to share these stories, since a lot of them have been holding this in, keeping it secret for years, even decades, for fear of what others would say if they told the story of what happened.  Thom provided these men with a safe space to share their stories anonymously, to open up a discussion on how society views assault on men as compared to assault on women, and to hopefully allow these men to find a way to heal from their ordeal (because sometimes just talking about it is the first step of the healing process).  I will warn you, this is not easy reading, and in some places, it can be quite explicit - but it will definitely give you a much better perspective on just what kind of affect a sexual assault can have on a man, and that sexual assaults are just as real for men as they are for women!

RATING:  9 anonymous accounts out of 10 for daring to share honest, raw, and sometimes shocking stories of men who were shamed and forever changed by the assaults forced upon them.