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!