Kristie at College a/k/a Quarry Ghost - a Milderd Benson mystery story

For many years, I have heard about Mildred Wirt Benson's novel, Quarry Ghost, which was first published back in 1959.  It is not an easy book to find (especially if you want it in good condition), and when you do find it, the prices are likely to be quite high.  I never really held out any hope of finding a copy of the book, so it sat on my "want list" for quite a few years.  Well, one of the interesting things about this book is that one year after its U.S. publication, the book was also published over in Great Britain - the only catch, it was issued under a different title!  What's even more odd is that the British title does not even give one little hint of a mystery; rather, the title under which the book was published across the pond would make one think it is simply a typical girl's college-life book!  However, when I happened across a dust-jacketed copy of the British edition for under $20, I snatched it up - and FINALLY, I was able to read Benson's last novel written for young adults...

Kristie at College is an innocuous title that gives absolutely not hint of mystery whatsoever.  In fact, the cover depicts a dark-haired girl carrying her schoolbook, while behind her other college students mingle in front of a plain brick building.  The only way one would know this was a mystery story was to read the synopsis on the inside front flap, which talks about Kristie becoming "deeply involved" in a controversy with one of the college professors and a dinosaur relic that has disappeared under his watch.  Kristie, a journalism student at Hagers College, gets the scoop from a stranger who shows up at the office of the school newspaper late one night.  He informs Kristie that he has been sent by a Canadian museum to purchase the dinosaur egg that was acquired by members of the college from an expedition in the Gobi Desert (p. 13).  Kristie takes down the information, and her story makes it to the front page of the next day's edition of the collegiate newspaper - but that's where the trouble begins!

Benson gives her readers a well-crafted mystery, where the mysterious informant disappears, the college professor who is in charge of the dinosaur egg is acting shady, and Kristie's own aspirations to be editor of the college newspaper are put at risk because of her unvetted story!  To only complicate matters, Kristie, who is on one of the school's swim teams, is invited to join a scuba-diving club who make regular trips to the local quarry to explore - but her introduction to scuba-diving and the quarry quickly escalates to a situation of extreme danger when a "ghost" seems to be haunting the place.  The ghost not only frightens some of the club members, but it also sabotages some of the students' equipment and attacks Kristie when she is under the water!  Kristie begins to realize, though, the ghost seems thoroughly focused on a portion of the quarry the students have labeled "the black hole," as it is deeper than the rest and completely dark when one swims down into it.  She soon discovers that the missing dinosaur relic, the ghost, and the black hole are all connected - and the odd, rather large man who lives in the woods outside of the quarry is a part of it all!

To any seasoned mystery reader, the solution to the conundrum is not at all hard to figure out; but it is the getting there that is all the fun.  And Benson makes it fun, because not only do we have the danger and suspense surrounding the ghost and the underwater dangers, but we get the not-so-friendly competition between Kristie and the professor's daughter, Marcia Radcliff.   After all, every good protagonist needs a nemesis to keep them on their toes!  And along the way, Kristie learns a bit about good sportsmanship, priorities, and what really matters most.  Of course, as can be expected (this is a young adult story), Kristie does end up getting the editorship, largely due to her part in finding the missing dinosaur and revealing the true criminal in the matter, and she also wins the final swimming competition, mostly due to the amount of underwater exercise she got while with the scuba club.  Thus, all's well that ends well, and as Marcia so aptly concludes the story, "With either flippers or slippers, Kristie Coleman will never be out of her depth!"

I suppose it should not be surprising that Benson would integrate her career as a journalist and her love of swimming into this tale.  As most fans are aware, Benson spent a number of years working as a journalist, which, like Kristie in the book, began in her college years working as the yearbook editor and also on The Daily Iowan, the college newspaper (Mildred Wirt Benson: College Years). In addition, while in college, Benson excelled in swimming, as well as diving, becoming a member of the "Seals Club."  According to the University of Iowa, "a photo of [Benson's] beautiful swan dive into the Iowa River is often reproduced and has become on of the Iowa Women's Archives' iconic images" (Mildred Wirt Benson: College Years).  Thus, one might wonder if perhaps Benson imprinted a part of her own life and experiences into Kristie Coleman as she was writing this book!

And apparently, Benson's daughter took after her when it came to swimming, as Benson gives a dedication of this book: "To Peggy, champion swimmer, who lost a race and launched a story."  

Personally, I prefer the Quarry Ghost title, and the cover to Quarry Ghost is much more in line with the main plot of the story.  However, I am just happy to have found a reasonably priced copy of Kristie at College, so at least I have the story to have read and enjoyed.  Maybe one day I'll come across a copy of Quarry Ghost, and I can add that to my collection - but until then, Kristie will sit upon my shelf with my other Mildred Wirt Benson mysteries!

RATING:  10 lost license plates out of 10 for a great mystery and a nice book-end for Benson's children's book writing career!