A Zebra Mystery Puzzler #12 - Sing a Song of Murder

I've reached the twelfth Zebra Mystery Puzzler, and with it comes a new female lead sleuth from a new writer to the series.  Jan Michael is the seventh author in the series thus far, and from what I was able to dig up, the name is yet another pseudonym, this time for Jan Milella, who also wrote books under the pen name "Jan Mathews," as well as under her own name.  She only wrote two books in this series - this book and also book 14.  Milella also wrote books in the Harlequin Intrigue line of books, as well as the Silhouette Intimate Moments line and the "Second Chance at Love" line of romance novels.  Her first entry into the series was not bad at all, and I rather liked the lead character...

Sing a Song of Murder features a young country singer Darby Castle, who has hit it big and is just coming off a national tour with her band.  As they return to Nashville for one final concert, Darby learns from her boyfriend/manager that her new accountant has discovered Max Kingston, her promoter, has been skimming money for years, basically stealing tens of thousands of dollars that should rightfully be Darby's.  Upon arrival at the Nashville area, Jimmy (her manager/boyfriend) and Joe (her new accountant) confront Kingston, which sets off a chain of events that ultimately lead to Darby discovering Kingston dead in his office after the concert, strangled by a patch cord belonging to one of her musicians!  While there were plenty of people in the arena and backstage, it seems that the only real suspects who had the opportunity to kill the promoter are all members of Darby's tour group.

Milella a/k/a Michaels writes a rather fast-paced, but well-plotted murder mystery.  With only 174 pages, and the murder not actually occurring until page 63 (well, that is when the body is discovered), leaving less than 100 pages for the investigation to take place, since Darby reveals her knowledge of the killer's identity on page 161, the final page before the sealed last chapter.  The suspects include her maid, Bernadette, who dated Kingston before he dumped her for the next girl in a long line of flings; her guitarist, Billy, whose patch cord was used to strangle Kingston; her bandleader, Stan, who has some big time gambling debts and who could use the money Kingston stole; her boyfriend, Jimmy, who was allegedly sleeping off a drunken stupor at the time of the murder (but no one actually saw him during the time period in question); her accountant, Joe, in whose room the missing money was found; and even her other three band members, who claim to have been playing cards at the time, but who could easily be giving each other an alibi for the crime!  The obvious motive is the money stolen from Kingston's safe and lock box; however, Darby is intelligent enough to realize there is more to this mystery than meets the eye.

The character of Darby Castle reads somewhat like an adult Nancy Drew.  She is determined to help her friends and prove they are innocent of the crime, and she is quick to pick up on clues that the even the police do not seem to see (such as the lack of marks on the hands of one suspect who is arrested for the crime - marks a cord would leave when used to strangle someone).  She even has no problem getting cooperation from the police, who not only allow her to investigate and share information with her, but go so far as to give her a police pass to permit her to visit the crime scene without any supervision!  I would say that is probably the only drawback to this book, as no police force would be this accommodating, even where Darby is a big, multi-million dollar star in the music industry.  However, Darby is the star of the book, so I suppose the author felt the need to keep her at the forefront of the investigation, regardless of the unrealistic relationship between Darby and the police force.

There is no clue as to the identity of the cover artist, nor for the internal illustrations either.  I do like the internals, as they are full page illustrations, with the exception of a white space at the bottom of each one to allow for the page number.  The only one I found a bit off is the one on page 107, which depicts Darby and Lieutenant Hanson testing a theory regarding the marks that a cord would leave on someone's hands.  In the story, the two of them are at the police station, in the lieutenant's office; however, in the illustration, there are records clearly visible on the wall behind Lieutenant Hanson, which would have been hanging on the wall of one of the dressing rooms or perhaps in the promoter's office back at the arena (such as in an earlier scene as depicted to the left, here).  This, of course, begs the question on how much detail the artist is given when provided scenes to be drawn for the book.  Otherwise, the rest of the illustrations stay consistent with the story, and a few of them do provide some subtle clues regarding the identity of the killer (and, no, I'm not going to give them away here and spoil it for anyone!).

Finally, as indicated above, the story is mostly set in Nashville, Tennessee, and the author references quite a number of streets, rivers, and other locales throughout the story.  From the mention of taking U.S. 40 up to Nashville (p. 1), to Elm Hill Pike melting into Lafayette Street (p. 25), there are numerous references to actual places, including the Cumberland River, Hendersonville, and Sumner County.  The author's use of "King's Town" Arena is likely referring to the Bridgestone Arena, as both the fictional and real arenas are located on Broadway in the heart of the city.  Milella's use of actual locations tends to give the story some grounding that gives readers a sense of "reality" to the mystery, as those familiar with Nashville can easily picture the places described in the book.

Another solid read in the series, and leaves me a bit sad to know there will only be one more Darby Castle story to read!

RATING:  8 new Sony cassette recorders out of 10 for some great red herrings, some well-placed misleading clues, and a good over-all read!

The Autobiography of Nancy Drew - a collection of poems by R.J. Ingram

When I happened across this on Amazon, I did not hesitate to buy it, simply because it has Nancy Drew in the title.  After all, it must have some connection to everyone's favorite teen sleuth, right?  Amazon describes the book as "an unexpected and unique perspective on the profound impact of pop culture icons" where "you'll encounter a blend of melancholy, mystery, and sensuality - a tantalizing exploration of Nancy Drew's ilk."  That certainly sounded intriguing, so I was curious to know what I would find within the pages of this book when it finally arrived on my doorstep.  Well, I can honestly say that this book was nothing at all what I was expecting, and the title ... well, the title is extremely misleading, to say the least.

The Autobiography of Nancy Drew is a collection of poems of all type, written by R.J. Ingram.  The cover art, by Casey Hannan, is not really indicative of what's inside - honestly, I can't make heads or tails of the what purpose the cover art serves, other than perhaps as a way to entice people to pick up the book based solely on the drawing of a man in his underwear on the cover.  As far as the title to this collection of poetry goes - well, it is actually the title to one of the poems inside (p. 3).  I had thought that based on the title, the majority, if not the entire, book would somehow be connected with Nancy Drew, whether the books, the television shows, the movies, the collectibles, or even simply the pop culture status of the character.  Sadly, I was extremely disappointed to find that only the one poem directly addressed our favorite teen sleuth.  "Tell the school your Aunt Carolyn writes / The Nancy Drew books about you..." starts the poem, basically placing the reader in a position of pretending that the Nancy Drew Mystery Stories were written about them.  However, the poem quickly changes gear, revealing the author's own (real? pretend?) relationship with his grandmother.  Which begs the question - how is this poem, let alone the book, an autobiography of Nancy Drew?

That being said, there are some Nancy Drew references throughout the book.  Page 21 offers up a poem titled "The Bungalow Mystery Book," dedicated to Grandma Harriett, which one might assume is the author's grandmother (although is it merely a coincidence that Grandma shares the same name with Edward Stratemeyer's daughter, albeit with an extra "t"?).  The poem, however, has absolutely no connection to the Nancy Drew mystery by the same name.  There's also the poem titled "The Secret of the Wooden Lady" on page 24.   Again, this is not in any way connected with the Nancy Drew book that shares that same name, but rather, appears to pay respect to the loss of a mother's apartment to a fire.  Then there is "The Secret of the Old Clock," named after the very first Nancy Drew mystery; again, no connection to the book, but dedicated to Grandma Joyce with memories of a hospital visit following an accident not described.  Three pages later, on page 51, we get "The Sign of the Twisted Candles," dedicated to Grandma Mable.  Unlike the book, the poem deals with death, memories, and imagined "pseudoccult" and dark magic candles.  The final Nancy Drew reference is only a partial one, "The Password to Shadylake Drive" on page 72, which perhaps pays homage to a home left long ago, or perhaps one the author never wanted to enter as a youth.  No bluebells or old spinsters held by unscrupulous men in this one!

The remaining poems make reference to other pop culture icons, such as Mary Poppins, Padme Amidala (from the Star Wars saga, for those who don't know), Rhiannon, Jurassic Park, Barbie, Carrie, Princess Leia Organa, Margaritaville, Miss Piggy, Sam and Diane (which, I assume, are from Cheers), and others.  I skimmed through some of those, and find little connection to the titles within the actual poems.  Now, I will readily admit, I'm not a big fan of poetry, and I don't pretend to understand poets' intent when they write what I consider abstract poetry (poems that do not have readily understood context from the words and lines themselves), so I cannot make any observations as to whether the poetry in this book would be considered "good" or "great" or "bad" or any other adjective.  Rather, I can only comment on the fact that I find the title to the book and the poems which use Nancy Drew books as their titles to be misleading and a misrepresentation of the content.  I see absolutely no connection whatsoever to those titles (other than, perhaps, the first one, which does actually reference "Nancy Drew" and "Carolyn" - Keene, the named author of the Nancy Drew series).  As such, for me, this book proved to be a huge disappointment and will simply go on my shelf as another Nancy Drew collectible in name only.   Fans of poetry, however, may find this book to be something entirely different, and for the author's benefit, I certainly hope that is the case!

 

Would I recommend this book?  Only if you like poetry and are willing to take a chance on a new author. Otherwise, for Nancy Drew fans, be warned - this is a Nancy Drew collectible in name only.

 

RATING:  3 Willie Nelson concerts out of 10 for simply taking advantage of the Nancy Drew icon status to attract buyers and readers and giving Nancy Drew fans an extremely unusual collectible (to say the least!). 

Harlequin Gothic Romance Series No. 32004 - An Innocent Madness

"What strange dark presence transformed the majestic Rathmay into a prison?  Charlotte only knew it must be destroyed..." (cover blurb)

I definitely have to hand it to Harlequin - whey they made the decision to publish this Gothic Romance line of books, they definitely sought out some great writers and some fantastic stories.  Four books into the series, and I have found each and everyone of them to be engaging, well written, and thoroughly enjoyable.  This fourth book is written by Dulcie Hollyock, which is the author's real name and not a pseudonym.   Hollyock (1914-2004) is an Australian author who served as the Chief Librarian of the Victorian Teaching Training Colleges for more than twenty years.  She authored a number of short stories and articles, and it was not until she was in her 70s that she had her first two novels published, both in the Harlequin Gothic Romance line.  Ironically, both of her stories are set in Ireland, and both books feature a male protagonist by the name of Richard.  More information about Hollyock can be found at University of Melbourne Archives - Dulcie Hollyock.

An Innocent Madness, the first of Hollyock's two gothic novels, is the story of Charlotte Bolton, a young British woman whose grandmother has decided she is of the age where she must be married. Charlotte wants to marry for love, but her grandmother arranges a marriage with one Richard Chivers, the heir of the Chivers' fortune and homestead, Rathmay, better known as Rathmaiden.  The only problem is, Charlotte arrives in Ireland and is unceremoniously dropped at a crossroads with her large trunk of belongings. Leaving the trunk behind, she makes her way to the small town of Newton Maiden, only to discover that no one at the old house knows who she is, nor are they aware of the arranged marriage.  She is reluctantly allowed to stay the night at Rathmaiden until the matter can be sorted out.  Charlotte soon learns that her intended is deceased, and the new heir is actually her betrothed's cousin.  To make matters worse,  the cousin (also named Richard) lives in the tower house behind the Raithmaiden, as the original Lord Chivers lost the main house in a gambling debt to a not-so-gentlemanly man by the name of James Giles, who is the new lord of the manor.  His housekeeper, Mrs. Kirby, makes it clear she does not want Charlotte there, but Mr. Giles seems to have other ideas (none of which appeal to Charlotte at all!).  When her trunk is not only not brought to the house, but is said to have disappeared, Charlotte is left with no clothes, no money, and nowhere to go!

Hollyock definitely puts poor Charlotte through the ringer in this mystery.  Giles and Kirby doubt Charlotte's story, and even Sarah (who makes it clear she is not the maid!) has her doubts.  When Dorothy Giles arrives, Charlotte thinks everything will be cleared up, as she had met Miss Dorothy a number of times at various social functions in England - but her hopes are dashed when Dorothy looks at her and claims to have no knowledge of her!  (She later recants and admits she knows who Charlotte is, not that it seems to matter to James Giles or Mrs. Kirby!)  The housekeeper continues her taunts to get Charlotte to leave, and Charlotte wonders how far the woman will go. A ruined dress, a warning note, and the discovery from the post office in town that someone at Rathmaiden had picked up Charlotte's trunk days ago leads Charlotte to suspect something much more sinister is going on in that house.  Charlotte manages to get a secret message mailed off to England, in the hopes her grandmother, or perhaps her grandmother's attorney, will see it and send help - but before that help can arrive, Mrs. Kirby plays the ultimate trick and accuses Charlotte of stealing Dorothy's clothes!  Charlotte is sent to jail, and there is an interesting turn of events as her godfather's nephew, Jeremy Carstairs, arrives with Lord Chivers to help prove her innocence - and Dorothy herself proves to be the very witness that could gain Charlotte her freedom.

The further one gets into the story, the more the readers begins to think that everyone is exactly who they say they are.  The wicked, nasty ones are just that - the evil villains; while the more reserved, caring ones are those who can be trusted and believed.  But after the trial, the continued delays in taking Charlotte home and the secrecy of some of the characters makes one think that perhaps everything here is not what it seems.  And one of the characters suddenly reveals themself to be Charlotte's ultimate enemy, the one that has been working behind the scenes the entire time to get rid of her - and the climactic scenes definitely take a very dark and twisted turn that makes this story well worth the read!

A few factual tidbits about the book.  While Hollyock refers to the town in Ireland as "Newton Maiden," it turns out the town of Maiden Newton is actually in Dorset, England, not Ireland.  There is, however, a Rathmaiden in Ireland, which is likely where Hollyock pulled the name for this story.  Hollyock also makes use of the real novel, The Widow Barnaby by Frances Milton Trollope, which Charlotte picks up in the library and reads while she is trapped at Rathmaiden (p. 38).  She refers to the book as being "just published" - and since the book was originally published in 1839, that would set this story taking place around that time.

For once, we do not get the standard two men - one good, one evil, but which is which? - story; no, Hollyock plays the tale different for this gothic mystery.  Instead, we get one man with a secret past that haunts him - a past that ultimately comes back to haunt poor Charlotte as well and nearly costs her her life!  I love the payoff at the end of the book, and Hollyock knows how to not only shock and surprise her readers, but also to provide her protagonist with a well-deserved resolution.  If Hollyock's second gothic in this series is half as good as this one, it will still be worth the read.

 

Finally, no idea who the cover artist is - but I love the scene and expression on Charlotte's face.  This depicts a scene near the end, when Charlotte is held captive and opens her long-lost trunk, only to discover it contains something other than her clothing!

RATING:  10 black taffeta skirts and cashmere shawls out of 10 for spinning a new take on the typical gothic tale with way more villainous characters than one would expect to find!

Penny Parker Mystery Stories No. 17 - The Cry at Midnight

And at long last, we've reached the seventeenth and final Penny Parker Mystery Story.  It is a bittersweet feeling, because I've been anxious to see just how this series was going to end, while at the same time, I'm disappointed to have reached the final Penny Parker story.  A seventeen-book series that was published from 1939 to 1947 at two each year (except for 1945, in which only one Penny Parker book was published), the series has offered up some very interesting stories that gradually became more and more dark and intense as the it progressed.  This final book has probably the darkest story in it, and one has to wonder if perhaps the story is a reflection of everything the author had experienced in the years leading up to the printing of this last volume.

The Cry at Midnight opens with a somewhat cheerful winter scene, as Penny Parker and her (boy) friend, Jerry Livingston, are getting ready to ski down the slops of Knob Hill.  Now, anyone familiar with series books from this era, and more certainly, anyone familiar with Mildred Wirt Benson's work is going to stop right here and say:  Knob Hill?  Where have I heard that name before?  Well, it just so happens that the final book in the Penny Nichols series, written by Benson under her pseudonym Joan Clark, was titled The Knob Hill Mystery (you can read my review of that book by clicking on the link).  The Knob Hill in that book was not a hill for skiing, however, nor was the mystery set in the dead of winter; however, it did feature a youngster who was being held captive in a house, similar to the captives in this book.  I suppose it is fitting that Benson ended both of her "Penny" series with a mystery set on or around a place named "Knob Hill."

The story takes a darker, more gothic tone as Penny and her best friend, Louise Sidell, are walking back to their car when they pass by the supposedly haunted Abbington Monastery and they hear a "shrill, piercing scream" from inside the monastery (p. 7).  This, of course, immediately piques Penny's interest, as she immediately sees there is a story to be uncovered here.  The monastery is described as a "structure of moldy stone enclosed by a high brick wall" with a graveyard just inside the wall (p. 4), and that there is a "deserted garden beyond the gatehouse" where "several statues [are] covered with soft white shrouds" (p. 6), giving the reader an imagery of ghostly figures.  When they discover the gate is open, Penny convinces Louise to go inside, where they meet "a grotesque, deformed human figure," and they see "silhouetted against the gray stone walls ... a hulk of a man with a large head and twisted back made unsightly by a hump" (p. 10).  The man who now owns the monastery, when he first appears, is said to be a "very tall man" wearing a "dark hooded robe" (p. 12).  These details are clearly intended to set the mood for the story - a dark, foreboding house inhabited by cloaked and grotesque individuals, which definitely provide the set-up for a good gothic tale!

Jay Highland, who calls himself Father Benedict (p. 14) tells Penny and Louise that he has no secrets within the halls of the monastery, and the only thing they will find are "serene faith and hope for a better world" (p. 14).  Penny has seen enough charlatans by this point to recognize one, and it is obvious to her something is not right here.  And one has to smile at the author's choice of names for the Father - "Benedict" could easily be a reference to the Benedictine monks who used to live in Abingdon Abbey (which is the name of the REAL abbey located in Oxfordshire, founded in 675 AD and dis-established in 1538 - like the Abbington Monastery in this book, the real Abingdon Abbey has some walls and buildings remaining, but a number of the buildings have only a few physical remains on the land).  

From here, Benson introduces another character into the story, who may be a greater mystery than the scream at the monastery.  As Penny and Louise are driving home, Penny nearly hits a young girl walking down the road with a suitcase (p. 16).  They have to literally beg her to get her to enter the car and allow them to give her a ride (but not before they debate the safety of picking up a hitchhiker on page 17 - which is a funny coincidence, as part of the mystery in that last Penny Nichols book also involves a hitchhiker, only in that story, it is a male, not a female), and she refuses to disclose any personal information, including her own name.  She insists she be let out on the docks in Riverview, and it is there that she disappears right at the river's edge (p. 23).

Well, yet another mystery falls into Penny's lap when she gets home to find her father meeting with James Ayling, an investigator for the Barnes Mutual Insurance Company (p. 30).  It seems that one Mrs. Hawthorne and her granddaughter Rhoda have gone missing, and the insurance company is concerned about the extremely valuable star sapphire that they insure - they are afraid she may lose or give away the cursed jewel, leaving the insurance company to pay out!  And, yes, the jewel does come with a curse.  According to the story the star sapphire was set in a necklace worn by a king who met a violent death; since that time, every owner thereafter has had bad luck, with several of them dying in strange ways (p. 31).  Mr. Ayling is worried the older woman may believe in the curse and get rid of the jewel.  Now, this whole segment of the mystery definitely has some interesting things to point out.  First, it is said Mrs. Hawthorne's husband was Nathaniel Hawthorne!  You may recognize that name as the great American novelist and short story writer (1804-1864). What's more coincidental is the real Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote House of Seven Gables while living just outside of Lenox, Massachusetts, a city that was settled by one Jonathan Hinsdale, whose daughter's name was ... Rhoda!  And if that weren't enough, a little digging reveals that the real Hawthorne had a cousin whose name was Rhoda Campbell Morgan (1819-1867)!  Whether Benson used these names because she was aware of the connection, or whether it is simply one huge coincidence, I suppose will remain an unsolved mystery...  And, with regard to the "cursed" sapphire, it turns out there really was a star sapphire with a supposed curse to it.  The Delhi Sapphire is sad to have brought terrible misfortune and financial ruin to anyone who possessed it!

Penny's intuition serves her well in this story, as Father Benedict is easily seen by the reader as a charlatan.  While he proclaims his followers lead lives of poverty, with no desire for worldly possessions, Penny and Louise discover his office within the monastery is furnished with "thick velvet carpet ... a large mahogany desk, a sofa, two easy chairs, and a cabinet filled with fine glassware, gold and silver objects, and a blue glass decanter of wine" (p. 40).  He then informs the girls that collecting art treasures is a hobby of his, explaining the decanter "is a piece of Ching-Hoa porcelain and very rare," while also showing them a Byzantine amulet and golden goblets recovered from a European church destroyed a century ago (p. 42).  But the clincher is when Penny spots the crystal ball supported by the claws of a bronze dragon (p. 40).  One might remember in the very first Penny Parker mystery, Tale of the Witch Doll, features a medium who is scamming people.  Thus, when Father Benedict suggests Penny stare deep into the glass (the frontis piece!), she sees nothing at all (p. 44-45).  Father Benedict says she simply does not believe, to which Penny quips, "Guess I haven't got enough of the witch in me" (p. 45)!   This is one of my favorite things of the Penny Parker series - Benson gave Penny some sarcastic wit that comes out to play now and again and is a joy to read!

While the mystery is not really too hard to figure out (I mean, come on, who didn't immediately figure out that the young girl walking down the street, away from the monastery, was actually Rhoda?), it is following along with Penny as she figures it all out that is half the fun.  And the gothic elements abound within the story - there is a closet that offers a peep hole that allows one to spy into the chapel room (p. 144); there is a secret tunnel from the basement to the graveyard (p. 81); a lift that lowers the canopied bed in the chapel room own into the cellar by secret mechanism (p. 113); and even a crazy old woman (p. 13) who continually warns Penny away from the monastery (p. 38), but who ultimately aids her in her quest to uncover the truth about what is going on at the monastery!  This story could easily transition into one of the gothic novels published in the 1960s and '70s that populated bookstore shelves so heavily during that time.  It has the perfect premise and setting, that's for sure!

One final observation in this book concerns the ceremony given by Father Benedict.  While he starts the ceremony by chanting in Latin, he also recites a somewhat lengthy quote (p. 133) from The Monastery, a novel by Sir Walter Scott published in 1820.  He is reciting a quote of the White Lady from the novel, a character that is a supernatural figure who guides some of the other characters in the story.  Scott's novel, as clear from the title, is centered on a monastery that is based on the real Melrose Abbey in southeast Scotland.  I would love to know what promptly Benson to use this quote for the story, and whether Scott's novel itself gave her some inspiration for the final Penny Parker mystery!

While not the strongest mystery in this series, I would have to say that The Cry at Midnight provides readers with a satisfying conclusion to the Penny Parker Mystery Stories.  That final statement by Penny on page 207 pretty much sums up her future, had the series continued:  "Writing this story will be duck soup compared to digging up the material.  Just lead me to a typewriter!"  And with that, the stories of plucky teen-sleuth Penny Parker came to an end, and we are left with a legacy of great stories by which we will always remember her!

RATING:  9 cheap silver colored rings with a red glass tone out of 10 for sending Penny Parker off into the annals of history with a solid, 17-book legacy that could truly be enjoyed by fans of any age in any decade!

A Ted Wilford Mystery, no. 13 - The Abandoned Mine Mystery

It was time to step back into the world of budding reporter, Ted Wilford, and his photographer best friend, Nelson Morgan.  This book marks the thirteenth book in the series, and it has been rather enjoyable watching Ted and Nelson grow up, graduate high school, and enter college, all while Ted has pursued his career as a reporter.  I have also liked the rapport between Ted and Nelson - like two best friends in the real world, they joke with one another, they support one another, and they encourage and compliment one another.  I think those are some of the reasons why I have truly liked this series, because the characters feel real and relatable, as do most of the mysteries and situations in which the boys find themselves (although, like any good series books, there are those instances of coincidence that would never happen in the real world, but, hey!  these young sleuths have to be able to solve their mysteries, don't they?).

The Abandoned Mine Mystery is set during the boys' summer break from college, as Ted is once again working for the Forestdale Town Crier, the town's local newspaper.   Editor Christopher Dobson sends Ted and Nelson to the small community of East Walton, a few hours away from their own hometown, to look into claims that an accidental mine explosion, which shut down the mine, may not have been accident at all.  East Walton had thrived while the mine was open, but now that it has been closed, its citizens were suffering.  The owner of the mine has kept it closed, waiting on federal aid, and the mine workers and their families cannot hold out without work much longer.  Ted must first make contact with the Town Crier contact in East Walton - one Phil Royce - to ensure he is not stepping on his toes before investigating the story, but before he can even reach the town, the mystery begins...

A news report about two missing children catches their attention on the way to East Walton, and wouldn't you know it - arriving at the edge of the town, they spot two children heading into what appears to be the entrance to a coal mine.  As a storm approaches, Ted and Nelson do what any responsible adult would do - head into the mine to try and find the children.  They manage to find them, but not before the storm breaks, forcing them to spend the night in the mine!  The next morning, they return the children to their mother and learn that the children had been trying to find their mule, Alice, who has a tendency to wander off.  While there, the mule is returned by a farmer on the other side of the river - and if you don't think that is a big clue that something odd is happening, since the children followed the mule into the mine, then you haven't been reading children's mysteries very long!  Leaving the children's home, they are stopped again before they can make it to town in order to assist a man named Patrick Sorrel, whose car has stalled by the side of the road.  As they drive him to town, they learn Mr. Sorrell is a real estate man who is attempting to build a new community on the other side of the river (hmmmm, now isn't that a coincidence?!), but the people of East Walton are not happy with him, believing he is taking advantage of them and the closing of the mine.  Now, the question becomes - how do either of these things tie into the actual closing of the mine?  Well, that is what Ted intends to find out.

 

Remember, Ted was sent to East Walton to uncover whether the mine explosion really was an accident.  He meets with correspondent Phil Royce, who is dealing with a break-in at his father's drug store, so he has no issue with Ted pursuing the story.  He also meets with the woman who wrote the letter to the Town Crier about the explosion, along with the man who owns the coal mine, the mayor, and several other people in the town, all of whom have been affected by the closing of the mine.  The common thread seems to be Mr. Sorrell and his intent to build a new community across the river.  Ted and Nelson daringly go into the mine several times to investigate, and they find it is a maze of paths - both Ted and Nelson devise their own ways to keep track of where they are going:  Ted draws a map as they go, while Nelson uses a piece of chalk to mark off their turns.  To be honest, I would not have any desire to go traipsing around in mine tunnels that go deeper and deeper into the ground - thinking about all of that dirt and stone above me would make me extremely uncomfortable (and I'm not claustrophobic at all!).  But Ted and Nelson brave the tunnels in order to figure out what is really going on - one time, they even lose both of their flashlights, leaving them completely stranded in the maze with no way to find their way back - until, that is, they hear a slight tinkling of a bell - one worn by a certain mule who has a tendency to wander off!  Yes, Alice returns to rescue out two heroes - how convenient is that!

The boys ultimately learn about the coal pirates, nearly get arrested when someone plants a stolen gun in the glove compartment of Nelson's car, are given false information to hurt their credibility, and discover a long closed-off tunnel that leads under the river, revealing a secret that could very well cost Mr. Sorrel quite a bit of money if people were to find out!  While the mystery did not involve ghosts or hidden treasures or lost wills or the such, it was actually still a very good read.  The topic of real estate swindles, blackmail, and political agendas reads more like an adult mystery than a children's series book; however, Pallas manages to keep it readable and enjoyable, and I'll give you a big hint - the real villain of the story is not who you think it is.

Sadly, there are only two books left to go in this series, and I almost hesitate to read them, because once I do, I know there will be no more.  I just hope when I do read them, they hold up as well as this book does.

RATING:  9 small orange-colored boxes out of 10 for a different kind of mystery that is a reminder that not every problem one faces will have an easy solution!

Classic Ghosts - 1970s Gothic Television

Normally, I don't do reviews of television or movies on this blog, but once in a while, something comes along that so catches my interest and so impresses me, that I have to share it with others.  This is one of those cases.  I happened across this Blu-ray set of movies while scrolling through Amazon - which seems to be the way I come across quite a number of things in recent years! - and having never heard of it before, I was curious as to its contents.  After all, with my love for all things gothic, that tagline definitely had my attention.  And when I discovered who directed four of the five films, well, there could be no doubt but that I had to have this collection!  Thankfully, I was a really good boy this year, and "Santa" gave me the Blu-ray collection, and I was able to check out these classic tales of gothic suspense!

Classic Ghosts was a five-film series aired late nights on ABC television back in 1973 during the "ABC Wide World of Mystery" time slot.  In so many ways, it was clearly inspired by the success of Dark Shadows, the daytime soap which aired on the same network from 1966 to 1971.  All five films were filmed directly on tape and produced in the same manner as daytime serials, so when watching them, you almost get the feel as if you are watching a Dark Shadows-esque series.  While the sets are beautifully decorated and colorful and the costumes are elaborate, if one pays any attention whatsoever, it is easy to see that four of the five films use the same exact set, but simply redecorate it and move the walls around a bit.  Nevertheless, the stories - all of which are based on published stories - are engaging and the actors definitely give it their all (even if some of it comes across a bit campy - and hey, it worked for Dark Shadows, and quite honestly, it works here, too!).  

 

Obviously, I was too young to be aware of these back in 1973 when they first aired, and from what is revealed in the special features, these films were believed lost, never seen since their original airings - however, they were discovered not so long ago in the vaults of the UCLA Film and Television Archive, nicely preserved and ripe for a new generation of viewers!  And thanks to UCLA's preservation services and Kino Cult (a distribution company), I was able to enjoy these classic 1970s gothic films!  The Blu-ray collection does not have them in the originally aired order, so my look at each film below will follow the order in the Blu-ray, and not the chronological order of their airings.

"The Haunting of Rosalind" originally aired on April 10, 1973 and was based on a short story by Henry James titled "The Romance of Certain Old Clothes" (1875).  It tells the story of two sisters - Perdita (portrayed by a very young and very beautiful Susan Sarandon!) and Rosalind - who are vying for the attention of the same man - Arthur Lloyd, a friend of their brother who comes to visit.  Rosalind believes Arthur has feelings for her, but he marries Perdita instead. When Perdita dies (under mysterious circumstances), Rosalind worms her way into Arthur's life and marries him - but she can't shake the feeling that Perdita is still haunting her.  All the while, the sisters' brother is beginning to suspect Arthur is not everything he says he is, and quite possibly he murdered his first wife.  Their rush to save Rosiland at the end proves to be a fantastic climax to the tale! While this film has some massive time jumps that are bit jarring, the story is actually really good, and the performances by the actors truly set the tone well.  This movie was directed by Lela Swift, who also directed quite a number of episodes of Dark Shadows, so if you get the vibe of that show while watching the film, you'll know why.

"The Screaming Skull" originally aired on February 14, 1973 and was adapted from a short story by F. Marion Crawford (1908).  This movie tells the tale of Luke Pratt (played by David McCallum, best known for his role on The Man from U.N.C.L.E.), a physician who is always engrossed with his research.  He is married to a rather testy woman, Helen, who blames him for not saving her son when he died.  When Luke's brother comes for a visit and relates a strange story of how a woman in South America got away with murdering three of her husbands by a rather ingenious method, Luke begins to gets ideas.  It's never explicitly stated whether Luke kills his wife (it could have been hallucinations, him dreaming of doing the deed), but he thinks he did, so he goes to the grave and removes her head to hide the evidence by keeping her skull among the other skulls in his office.  The only problem is, the skull won't leave him alone!  It appears everywhere, moaning at him, reminding him of what he did, until he can no longer take it.  When he dies, his brother inherits the property - and the curse of the skull!  A rather enjoyable gothic tale, and even though it's clearly the same set redressed, the story and acting are good enough to make you overlook that fact.  This movie was directed by Gloria Monty, who is probably best known for her work on General Hospital in the '80s.

"Deadly Visitor" originally aired July 4, 1973 and was taken from Fitz-James O'Brien's short story, "What Was It?  A Mystery?" (1859).  This was the second movie to be directed by Lela Swift, and it stars a very young Perry King  (from the television show, Riptide) as a young writer moves into a boarding house where his artist friend resides so that he can finish the book he is working on.  The room he rents turns out to be haunted, but the landlady, Mrs. Moffat, plays down that fact - no, she is more interested in making moves on Jaime (the writer)!  Jaime, though, has other things on his mind, because there is a ghost in his room that can't seem to decide whether it loves him or wants to kill him!  Jaime begins to think it is the ghost of a woman from his past (especially after they capture the invisible form and make a plaster cast of it, identifying the shape as female), but later learns it could be something far, far worse!  The special effects for this one are actually pretty good considering the time when the movie was made, and I thought the actors did a superb job with the material - especially King, who had to fight with an "invisible" ghost and consistently react to something that was not really there. The ending was somewhat ambiguous, as we do not get any real resolution, but from what I understand, the short story leaves things unresolved as well.

"The House and the Brain" originally aired May 20, 1973 and is said to be based on Edward Bulwer-Lytton's short story, "The Haunted and the Haunters; Or, The House and the Brain" (1897); however, from sources I've found online, the movie has very little connection to the short story.  This was the second film directed by Gloria Monty and stars Keith Charles (known for his work on a number of soap operas during the '60s and '70s) as a military man who has recently been discharged and is looking to rent a room in a beautiful old mansion in New Orleans.  He is at first warned away by the property owner's ward, Marianna, but the housekeeper appears and assures him the room is for rent.  We get glimpses of a mysterious person upstairs with a bird who seems to insist that David (the military man) stay and that he fall in love with Marianna - for what purpose, we don't know right away - but as the movie continues, the clues are there.  The painting of Marianna's great-grandmother who so closely resembles her; the warnings from Marianna; the strange tombstone on the patio; and the cryptic demands that Marianna convince David to fall in love with her ... it seems David's friend, Kate (portrayed by Gretchen Corbett from The Rockford Files) is the only one who realizes there is something fishy going on in that old house...sadly, by the time David realizes it, it's too late!  The actress who plays Marianna was perfect casting - she has that young, innocent look that Alexandra Moltke had when she was cast as Victoria Winters in Dark Shadows, but in this case, looks can be very deceiving - which gives the story the perfect gothic twist!

"And the Bone Came Together" originally aired February 15, 1973.  The story was written by Sholomo Keil and is the only one of the five films that does not utilize that same house set with the staircase.  Instead, this one is a rather unique gothic set in New York City.  It is the only one of the five films directed by a man - Henry Kaplan, who directed quite a few episodes of Dark Shadows, and went on to direct episodes of All My Children, Another World, Ryan's Hope, and others.  The plot involves a widower Jewish man who is being evicted from his apartment so the city can tear down the building and rebuild new, more modern housing.  He is unable to convince the real estate agent to let him keep his home, so he somehow manages to place a curse on the agent, which ultimately affects both him and his pregnant wife (played by a young Robin Strasser, from One Life to Live and Passions).  Strange, supernatural things begin to happen, and the agent becomes possessed by the old man's spirit.  Strasser's character is so scared, she goes to the grave of the old man and begs him to release his hold on her husband, willing to do anything to make that happen - which results in a very surprising twist at the end.  This one is definitely far different from the other four films, not just in location, but in the plot and characterization.  It is not your typical "gothic" tale - yet, it definitely has the elements necessary to fit the genre!

Obviously, the movies do not necessarily hold up when compared to today's films - back in 1973, the industry did not have the same technology today for filming and special effects; however for the period in which they were made, I'd have to give these films two thumbs up.  The sets are magnificent, the acting is well done, and the casting was pretty much spot on for nearly all the characters.  Anyone who enjoys gothic tales will love these films, as they adhere to the standard gothic tropes from the '60s and '70s novels, daring to go a step beyond by including the supernatural elements as real and not merely imagined by the characters.  I highly recommend this collection!

RATING:  9 weeping grave stones out of 10 for a fantastic effort at cashing in on the gothic craze of the 1970s and giving fans some great visual tales of a now almost-forgotten genre!

Ms. Tree - Heroine Withrawal (The FIfth Ms. Tree Graphic Novel)

I can never get enough of Ms. Tree.  Ever since I picked up that first issue of Ms. Tree's Thrilling Detective Adventures (which I still love that title, even though I'm aware Ms. Tree's creators do not - for me, it gave the book a pulp feel, which I think fit the character nicely), I've been hooked, and I was devastated when the series eventually ended after years at Eclipse, then Aardvark-Vanheim, then Renegade Press, and finally DC Comics.  So, when Titan announced it would be collecting and reprinting the entire run, I was super-excited - sure, I had all the individual issues; but now I would have easy access to reading the stories again and again and again without having to dig through my comic boxes, unseal the bags, and pull out issue after issue to read them.  Even though the collections are not telling the stories in order (they reprinted the ten DC issues first, then went back to the beginning to start with the Eclipse issues, before moving on to the AV and Renegade issues - and even those have been told somewhat out of order, collecting them by story relevance and not chronologically), I have absolutely loved curling up in my recliner and walking down memory lane with Ms. Tree, Dan, Effie, and the rest of the gang...

Ms. Tree: Heroine Withdrawal collects issues 18-27 and 29-31 (with the title having officially switched fully to Renegade Press by issue 19).  These are some of my favorite issues, as they deal with Ms. Tree's final confrontation with Dominic Muerta and the aftermath - as well as a two-part story that dealt with the topical issue of abortion.  This is some of Max Allan Collins' best writing in the series, as they give the readers a real sense of why Ms. Tree is who she is and why the world (well, her fictional world, anyway) needs a Ms. Tree in it.  It's also extremely character driving, as most of the series is anyway - but these issues in particular give readers a greater understanding of not just Ms. Tree, but also many of the supporting characters.  Plus, we get our introduction to Dominique Muerta (gotta love Collins' play on names in this series), who turns out to be a wonderful frenemy for our favorite gun-toting crime-fighter!

"Muerta Means Death," the four-issue story that runs through issues 18, 19, 20, and 21, provides readers with a very satisfying conclusion to Ms. Tree's vendetta against the man who had her husband killed.  The title has a double meaning, since the word "muerta" is actually the Spanish word for "dead," and at the same time, it refers to the fact that Dominic Muerta is a killer, and if you cross him, you die.  I suppose it could also have a third meaning, since in the story, we learn Muerta has cancer and is on his death bed - and when Dan Green comes back to work (with a hook in place of the hand he lost in the explosion set by Muerta's men in a previous story), he's all set to take revenge on Muerta.  It all gets confusing when Dan goes to Muerta's house prepared to kill him - and when Ms. Tree and the police get there, they find Dan just waking up in the same room where Muerta and his nurse are both dead!  Dan swears he did not do it, and Ms. Tree sets about proving his innocence.  The story takes a few surprising twists, with the final one giving Ms. Tree the satisfaction she has been seeking - definitely a great read, and for astute readers (who have become accustomed to Collins' playing with names), Muerta's attorney, Dimitri A. Dopler, should give you a huge clue as to one of the biggest secrets in this story!

Following this big payoff, Collins gives readers a few shorter stories - the first being "Right to Die," which addresses the issue of abortion and readers find out that Ms. Tree had an abortion when she was younger, an act she regrets now that Mike Tree is dead, and the only child she could have had with him is gone.  The story addresses the issue without straying into preaching which side of the issue is "right" - instead, the story focuses on how various people deal with abortion and the doctors who perform the procedures.  It has a sad ending, and let's just say there are no real winners in this one - especially for Ms. Tree, as her actions in this story have serious repercussions...

Leading into the next two-parter, "Prisoner Cell Block Hell," in which Ms. Tree does time in a women's prison (with all the standard stereotypes you'd expect to see), and Ms. Tree has to face someone coming after her - after all, as the saying goes, the past always has a way of catching back up to you.  After unveiling some very corrupt prison guards, Ms. Tree then gets transferred to a psychiatric facility in the two-part "Heroine Withdrawal."  For those who remember the very first Ms. Tree story in her own comic (after her origin in Eclipse Magazine), Ms. Tree has a reason to be wary of psychiatrists - and for good reason!.  Only this time around, she manages to reveal the unscrupulous actions of a nurse and orderly, as well as a high-powered politician! And she makes a new friend who may or may not have been taken by aliens (let's just say Collins leaves it up to the reader to decide at the end of the story...)

This collection concludes with the three-issue tale, "The Other Cheek," which introduces us to a newly reformed Ms. Tree who has completed her psychiatric care and has decided to walk away from all of the violence, not even carrying a gun any more.  This, of course, forces all of those who work with her - including Effie! - to step up their game, because when it comes to Ms. Tree, danger is never far away. It's not until her stepson, Mike (named after his father), is kidnapped that Ms. Tree realizes she has no choice, and she throws off the new persona and steps back into the shoes she was made to fill - that of a female vigilante who fights for justice, and always wins!  One thing I thought was a great choice for Beatty in this story (and I don't know if it was his idea, or if Collins told him to do it), but I loved the fact that "reformed" Ms. Tree dressed so much differently - even wearing flower-print dresses!  But when she goes back to her old self to rescue Mike, she once again dons that blue overcoat that give her such distinctive style!  It makes for a nice visual aid to her change in character back and forth.

With only one more collection go to complete the reproduction of the entire run of Ms. Tree, I hope the sales on these collections have been such that Collins and Beatty will consider telling some more stories.  With all of the controversies in the news today, they would literally have a plethora of topics to pick from to create some great tales!  And who knows?  Maybe they could even age the characters, so that Mike (her stepson) could be old enough to work along side her - what a story that would be!  Any way you say it, we definitely need MORE MS. TREE!!!!!!

10 old-fashioned dynamite bombs out of 10 for some truly dynamite story-telling, masterful twists and surprises, and some of the best artwork you will ever see in a comic!  What more could you want?

Dark Over Acadia - a Magnum Gothic original

This is one of those books that attracted me because of the cover.  Most gothic covers feature a variation on a young woman in a flowing dress running away from a dark, foreboding house in the background.  This cover, however, surprised me by featuring a young woman sitting in a wheelchair!  Yes, we still get the foreboding plantation house in the background (with the obligatory one light on in an upstairs window); however, the young woman on this cover is not running at all - rather, she is sitting, staring directly at the reader with an expression that tells you she is trapped and cannot escape whatever terror is waiting in that house.  Having never seen a gothic with an invalid such as this on the cover, I had to snag it and find out exactly what it was about!

Dark Over Acadia is written by Anne Talmage, who I discovered (after considerable searching!) is actually a pen name for Talmage Powell (1920-2000).  Powell began writing in the 1940s, his work appearing in many pulp magazines, such as Black Mask and Dime Mystery.  He has also had short stories appear in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine and Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine.  He also wrote four books in the '60s as Ellery Queen.  From what I was able to learn, this book is the only gothic novel he wrote (and the only instance of his using "Anne Talmage" as a pseudonym, although he did use others over the course of his writing career).  The story is set in the swamp land of Louisiana in the early 1970s (the book having been published in 1971), and rather than a dark, unwelcoming house you find in most gothics, this book features a rather grand plantation manor known as Devereau House (and although it is not spelled the same, I could not help but think of Blanche Devereaux ever time I saw the name of the house and the last name of the family!).  

The main character is Diana Latham, a teacher from Kansas who travels all the way to Louisiana to spend the summer with Lucy Devereau, a friend she made while serving in the Peace Corps in the Peruvian Andes.  The two had become fast friends, and Diana was excited to spend the summer in the Devereau's great house.  But her excitement disappears when she arrives to find that her friend is bedridden and nearly completely paralyzed after a freak accident - a St. Joan statue in the crumbled chapel on the Devereau grounds fell over on her, leaving her unable to move or even speak. But Lucy begins to show signs of life when she sees Diana, and through a coded message (tapping out the letters of the words Lucy wants to say), she warns Diana that danger lurks within the walls of the house - and that her injuries were not the result of an accident, but rather, an attempted murder!  Diana is fearful at first, but her determination overcomes the fear as she realizes she must find out what did this to her friend and see that justice is served.

Talmage (Powell) provides readers with a number of quirky characters, any of whom could potentially turn out to be the evil behind poor Lucy's condition.  Lucy's father, Huxley, comes across as a kind, elderly patriarch, but the mere mention of Prospera Clantell sends him into a fury.  Lucy's brother, Antoine (Tony), is a hard one to figure out, since his outward appearance would mark him as a Cajun rebel, but his soft-spoken nature when it comes to Diana shows another side of him.  Lucy's cousin, Philip Lockridge, is all business, a dependable sort who takes a keen interest in Diana, much to the chagrin of his assistant, Robin Toutain - a woman determined to win Philip's hand and who makes no bones about removing anyone who gets in her way.  Then there is Myree, a housekeeper that Diana first sees as a "mangy old cat" (p. 46), but whose gruff exterior could just be a defense from a hard life lived.  There is also Clotidle (Cloty) Mathis, Lucy's governess, who has cared for her ward for  years and is praying Diana can get to the bottom of what really happened.  And one must not forget Ozar Fant, the Cajun drifter who lives in the swamps on Devereau property - a man that can be violent in one moment and tender in the next.  Finally, there is the regal woman known as Domina, who is a friend to Huxley and appears to know everything that happens in the swamp.  The Devereau family has its secrets, and one of those secrets has come back to exact a deadly price from this family!

I readily admit that I was engaged with trying to figure out which of these members of the cast could have caused Lucy's injuries and is now intent on getting rid of Diana.  A pitchfork launched at her from the upper floor of the barn ... locked in the mausoleum and left to die ... and more than once warned to leave Devereau House before it's too late.  I wavered a bit between a few of the characters, thinking each had a possible motive - but I was caught off-guard by the revelation of who was really behind the attacks; I did not see that coming at all!  Which, of course, made for a very nice surprise, as it kept this book from being predictable at all.  Thus, not only did the book offer a unique cover, but it provided a well-written tale of mystery and gothic suspense.

Along with the gothic, Talmage (Powell) provides readers with some of this history of this area of Louisiana. Lucy describes the area of Cajun country as "A world of its own, where the native dialect is a mixture of French, Spanish, English.  It's still more French-colonial than automated American. Fellow from the Indochina rice paddies could feel right at home there" (p. 9).  Diana also considers the Acadians who had first come to the area, driven south "when the British had wrested control of Canada from the French more than two hundred years ago" (pp. 9-10).  She even wonders "how the Acadians had picked such an unlikely, far-off destination ... Louisiana was French at the time, and the back-delta country offered peace and a chance to build in a land no one else wanted" (p. 10).  We even get a lesson on jambalaya, which Huxley explains, "was a ham and rice dish ... Jambon, French for ham, and a la ya, a sort of African for rice (p. 63).  In some ways, it felt very much like a Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys book from the Harriet Stratemeyer Adams era, when the books always seemed to include some sort of lesson on history, artifacts, or regions.  

This is one of those rare gothics where we actually know the name of the artist who provided the art for the cover!  The artist was Charles Lilly, who is probably best known for his painting of "Malcolm X" in 1973, which was used for the cover of Alex Haley's novel, The Autobiography of Malcolm X.  The cover for this book must have been one of his earliest professional works, as he graduated from the School of Visual Arts in 1970 (Artist: Charles Lilly), and Dark Over Acadia was published in 1971.  The cover is apparently representational in nature, since the scene never occurs anywhere in the book - Lucy is bedridden for the entire story, never sitting up in a wheelchair at any time.  The statue that can be seen in front of Devereau House on the cover likely represents the statue of St. Joan that falls on Lucy in the chapel behind the manor.  Nevertheless, the expression on Lucy's face, along with the dark green, black, and blues of the cover give it a very high creep factor that would send a chill down anyone's spine!

Just like the last Magnum Gothic Original that I read (Ravensridge), this is another gothic that I highly recommend - well written, great story, and a gothic tale that will keep you guessing!

RATING:  10 pairs of spectacles with one lens broken out of 10 for an unusual gothic tale, Cajun-style, with some of the most unusual names I've seen to date!

The Hardy Boys: The Mystery of Cabin Island (Hardy Boys Mystery Stories # 8 - Original Text)

Yes, believe it or not, I can now say I have actually read a vintage Hardy Boys book.  Growing up, I did not like the Hardy Boys, because to me, they were more adventure stories than they were mystery stories.  I was more interested in haunted houses, spooky staircases, dark attics, hidden rooms, and the like.  These were the type of mysteries I could find in the Nancy Drew books.  In recent years, yes, I've been reading the recently published Hardy Boys Adventures series, and they have not been half-bad.  Yet, I just have not been able to bring myself to go back and read those original adventures of Frank and Joe Hardy, as I simply did not have the interest.  But with the Christmas holidays, I have been urged (I would say "bullied," but in today's climate, people would jump on that and take it completely the wrong way!) to read one particular Hardy Boys book that is set during that time, and I had no other choice ... so I did!

The Mystery of Cabin Island is the eighth book in the Hardy Boys series, published back in 1929 (the year before Nancy Drew made her debut).  It was written by Leslie McFarlane based on an outline provided by Edward Stratemeyer, and it could have been more aptly subtitled, "The Hardy Boys and their Ice Boat Adventures."  The boys spend an inordinate amount of time in this book traveling in their ice boats, nearly getting run down twice by other ice boats (one from some rivals, one from their friends), and it seems the ice boats are their only means of travel between "Cabin Island" and the mainland of Bayport.  The frontis piece of the edition I have of this book is even an illustration (by someone named "Auscott") of their rivals' ice boat "booming down on the smaller craft at terrific speed" (p. 16).  It is interesting to note that this scene takes place so early in the book - normally the frontis piece of series books depicts a scene from much later in the story.  I also have to wonder at McFarlane's choice of words, since just a few paragraphs before on the previous page, he describes the boat as "hurtling forward at terrific speed" (p. 15), then reiterates the same phrase when ending the chapter with "booming down ... at terrific speed" (p. 16).  Perhaps he forgot his thesaurus when he was writing that day (sorry Pam!).

 

The story centers around the isolated cabin that stands on Cabin Island, owned by one Elroy Jefferson.  The boys visit the island with their friend Chet Morton, only to be warned away by a man they later learn is Mr. Hanleigh - a rather pushy man intent on buying the island from Mr. Jefferson.  The boys befriend Mr. Jefferson, who it turns out was one of the people that they helped save his valuable car in a previous book (The Shore Road Mystery), and he graciously allows the boys and their friends to camp out at the cabin over the Christmas break from school.  Something odd about the planning of his trip is that Chet first mentions the idea of camping out over the Christmas holidays at the beginning of the story (p 3); yet, a few chapters later, Biff Hooper makes the suggestion of a camping trip over the holidays, and the Hardys say they will think about it and discuss it with Chet (pp. 30-31) - why would they need to discuss something with Chet who already approached them with the idea?  Had they already forgotten Chet's suggestion?  Or had McFarlane forgotten already that he wrote that earlier scene?

The mystery, such as it is, comes into play after Frank, Joe, Chet and Biff take up residence in the cabin and all of their food supply is stolen!  They do eventually locate the food hidden behind some rocks on the shore beneath the cabin, along with a small notebook that contains a message written in code.  Personally, I found the code rather simple to crack, but the boys spend a number of chapters trying to figure it out (I suppose if they solved it too early, it would not make for an exciting story).  It is obvious the notebook belonged to Mr. Hanleigh, who keeps returning to the island, looking for something in the cabin.  The cover even depicts one of those instances when the boys spy the man sneaking into the cabin (pp. 113-14).  It ultimately turns out that a valuable stamp collection stolen from Mr. Jefferson many years ago was hidden in the cabin by the thief, and Mr. Hanleigh is determined to get his hands on it.  As the coded message reveals, the box containing the stamps is located somewhere near or in the chimney (which seems to be a common thing in children's series books - check out The Wooden Shoe Mystery and The Missing Formula to see what I mean).  McFarlane does provide a rather dramatic climax to the story, when a tree collapses on the cabin during a horrific snow storm, destroying the chimney and revealing the hidden location of the box (pp. 195-99).

While the mystery itself was not overly thrilling and seemed to be a smaller portion of the story, I do have to say the book contains quite a few dated references in it (and considering it was published in 1929, one would have to expect it to!).  The most obvious one was when the Hardys discover the notebook, and Frank find written on one of the pages "October, 1917") - to which he exclaims, "Why, that's eleven years ago" (p. 101).  This is the first actual date reference I've seen in any of these series books, where a character specifically sets the date (since that eleven years would place the story in 1928, the year prior to the publication date).  It was my understanding that the Syndicate specifically avoided these type of references, so as to not fully date the books; but, perhaps, since this was still while Edward Stratemeyer was in charge, he was not as stringent about these type of things as his daughters became.  There is also the reference to Frank and Joe receiving "two small caliber rifles, each with a box of ammunition" for Christmas presents from their father (p. 46).  You would DEFINITELY not see rifles given to teenagers as gifts in today's books, that's for sure!

There's also the overuse of the word "queer" in the book (which, back in the time when this book was written, would have meant "strange" or "odd" - it did not have the same connotation that it does today).  In just a few paragraphs, one of the characters refers to Elroy Jefferson as "very queer" and "a queer old chap," even saying he had "a heart of gold, specially where boys is concerned.  But queer - mighty queer in some ways..." (p. 86).  People reading those lines today would probably have an entirely different take on what was meant!  And speaking of word use, McFarlane used a rather interesting term to describe poor Biff - he was described as "pugilistically inclined" (p. 79), which refers to someone fighting with his fists, specifically used when talking about boxers.  I have to wonder how many young people would have known what that word meant - heck, I did not even know what it meant until I looked it up!  Then there's the reference to the two foxes killed by Frank and Biff in the story - McFarlane writes that "the boys cut the brushes from the two foxes ... and placed the prizes in a place of honor above the fireplace" (p. 132).  I honestly cannot figure out exactly what the author is referring to here.  I was unable to find a definition for the phrase "cut the brushes" in this context (most of what I found referred to cutting paint brushes); speaking with my friend Pam, who is a McFarlane expert, it seems "cut the brushes" refers to the fact that the boys cut off the fox tails and kept them as trophies of their catch.  I had never heard this before, so perhaps it is a Canadian turn of phrase.

McFarlane also makes reference in the story to Edgar Allen Poe's short story, "The Gold-Bug" (p. 105).  That particular story involves the deciphering of a secret message (written as a cryptogram) that is supposed to lead the characters to a buried treasure. He clearly used this as a comparison to the Hardys attempting to figure out the cryptogram written in the notebook they discovered.  Frank even tries to follow the character's suggestion in the story of looking for the most frequently appearing letter in the message and substituting it with the letter "e," which is said to be the most frequently used letter in the English language (p. 105) - sadly, though, that substitution method did not work for the Hardys.  At least McFarlane did not make it too easy on them (although, in reality, the solution to the code is fairly simple - reversing the alphabet, i.e. A=Z, B=Y, C=X, and so on).

The only other thing I thought was note-worthy was the fact that Chapter XX in the book has an entire change in the point of view.  That particular chapter is told completely through the eyes of Mr. Hanleigh, as he faces difficulties with his henchmen, Carson and Nash, who have been ferrying him back and forth to Cabin Island aboard their own ice boat.  It is rather fun to read part of the story from the villain's point of view, as you see how easily he gets riled up and how he intends to double-cross his own men!

While I understand that a number of Hardy Boys fans like this particular volume, I have to admit that I did not find it all that great.  Sure, it has plenty of adventure in it, but I like mystery, and the book fell rather short on that (in my opinion).  I tried to go into it with an open mind, and not let my distaste for the Hardy Boys series to color my reading of the story; but, I suppose, I'm just not a Hardy Boys fan, and for me, this story is a reminder why I prefer Nancy Drew and the other female sleuths to boys' series such as this.

RATING:  6 precious rosewood boxes out of 10 for giving me a cryptogram to solve (I love those type of puzzles!) and showing how dangerous ice boating can be!

A Zebra Mystery Puzzler #11 - Death on the Slopes

With the eleventh Zebra Mystery Puzzler, we are treated to a new author to the series, Norma Schier.  This is the first of four books Schier writes for this series, all of which feature the young assistant district attorney, Kay Barth.  From what I have been able to learn, Norma Scheir was the author's actual name, and aside from these Zebra Mystery Puzzlers, Ms. Schier has also authored some very unique short stories over the years in which she parodies well-known mystery writers, using anagrams throughout her tales.  In fact, many of the pseudonyms used for these short stories are anagrams of actual authors, many of which are collected in Schier's book, The Anagram Detectives (for more about this, see Norma Schier - Anagam Detectives).  However, other than these Zebra mysteries and the short stories, I was unable to find any other books by Schier.

Death on the Slopes was published at the end of 1978, just one year prior to her book, The Anagram Detectives - leading me to believe that her short story fiction was published prior to her first Zebra Mystery Puzzler (and those stories may have been why Kensington asked her to write some of the mysteries for this series).  The book opens in rather unique way, with readers being dropped into a scene just moments before the murder occurs, as seen and heard through the eyes and ears of a witness who does not come back into play until considerably later in the book.  We even get our first interior illustration in that barely three-page prologue - but it is definitely enough to set the stage for all that comes after!

The first six chapters introduce readers to the vindictive, self-absorbed victim, Valerie Mayne, as well as the large cast of suspects - from Jason Ryder, newly transplanted from New York to Colorado to teach as the college in Aspen; to Drew Courtney, the tenured professor who will determine whether Jason is hired; to Alicia Courtney, the professor's wife who spends more time in the bottle than anywhere else; to Tammie Courtney, the professor's daughter, who is not thrilled her boyfriend is paying more attention to Valerie than her; to Anton Duval, a Frenchman who is a member of the ski patrol and thinks himself quite the ladies' man; to Charlie Winstead, the head of the ski patrol on the Aspen slopes, who is still getting over the fact his wife left him - with the exception of Valerie, who showed up on his doorstep in New York claiming to be an old friend of his dead wife who was in need of a place to stay before following him to Colorado, Jason known none of these people.  When Valerie turns up dead, and Jason is the prime suspect, he can't help but wonder if one of these people is the real killer?

And that is the very question to which Kay Barth, the young assistant district attorney with shiny black hair that tumbles to her shoulders, wants to find an answer!  Our protagonist of the tale finally makes her appearance in chapter 7, well after the other characters, the murder, and the setting are all established.  Schier provides readers with a very strong female lead, one who goes up against the chief of police, Mark Field, in an effort to solve this murder.  She quickly realizes that Jason Ryder is not the killer, but Field thinks it is only because she has developed feelings for the guy.  Determined to show Field that she is more than just a pretty face (and the mother of a young girl), Kay sets out to uncover the truth about what happened to Valerie Mayne - the only problem is, Valerie Mayne doesn't exist!  None of her back story that she told Jason checks out, and no one has come to claim her body, despite news reports showing her picture all over the place.  Kay realizes that in order to solve the murder, she is going to have to figure out who Valerie Mayne really is!

The mystery is very well written, and Schier does manage to throw out there a number of clues that will lead the reader in different directions.  However, when Kay ultimately tracks down Valerie's real identity and begins to put the pieces of her past together, there is one piece of that puzzle that made it clear for me who the killer was (and yes, it is definitely one of those suspects listed above - only not the one you would expect!).  And I found it interesting that Schier changes point-of-view a number of times throughout the book, switching between Jason and Kay, and even among some of the other cast as well - but she is careful not to give away anything too early in the story, which makes for a great read.

The internal illustrations are nicely done, but one again, no credit is given, and there are no signatures on any of the drawings.  They are quite detailed, reminding me a great deal of Ruth Sanderson's work in the Nancy Drew books published by Simon & Schuster back in the early 1980s.  (And speaking of which, as an aside here, Schier does manage to sneak in a Nancy Drew reference in there, when Kay tells her daughter she is investigating a crime, and her daughter asks, "Like Nancy Drew?" [p. 83])  I just wish the books had given a list of the "clues" that were supposedly in the illustrations, as I looked at all eight internal illustrations, and I honestly did not see any clue at all in them.  The cover, on the other hand, does have one rather subtle clue.  And speaking of the cover, Bruce Emmett (who painted the covers of the Marcia Blair books in this series) provided the art for this book - which gives this book another "Nancy Drew" connection, as Emmett provided the second cover art for Nancy Drew 68 - The Elusive Heiress.  (I won't even mention the "Ski Jump" sign in the internal illustration on page 85, which made me immediately think of Nancy Drew 29 - Mystery at the Ski Jump!)

This ranks among the best in this series, and it makes me look forward to Schier's future entries into the Zebra Mystery Puzzlers.

RATING:  9 blue Pontiac Bonnevilles out of 10 for mixing murder and mystery in the snow-covered mountains of Colorado and introducing readers to a great new sleuth!

Trouble Vision - the 3rd Raven's Nest Bookstore Mystery

What better way to start off the new year than reading a great murder mystery?  Well, to be honest, I read this book and am writing this blog post before the New Year - but since it's not going up before 2025 begins, I figured it would be a great way to ring in the new year!  And thus far, I've enjoyed the Raven's Nest Bookstore Mysteries by Allison Kingsley, the first two books in the series having some great mysteries to them - and the fact that one of the main characters has a psychic ability is just an added plus.  As the blurb on the back cover says, "Delightful ... [A] winning addition to the cozy paranormal mystery realm" (from bestselling author Yasmine Galenorn) - and I could not agree more.

Trouble Vision is the third book in this series about cousins, Clara and Stephanie Quinn.  After having solved two previous murders in their small coastal town of Finn's Harbor, the only excitement the new year has brought with it is a town uproar concerning the new resort being built along the coast.  The townspeople are fearful the resort will take away a lot of their summer tourist business, but the mayor believes it will only bring in more business for everyone.  The town meeting is heated, and a number of people are extremely irate - but the question is, was someone mad enough to kill the foreman in charge of the construction, Scott Delwyn?  Clara's "Quinn Sense" visions sure think so!

Kingsley provides a superb mystery here, as the foreman's fall from the scaffolding appears to be nothing more than an accident.  No one saw anything, there are no signs of a struggle, and the cause of death is attributed to the damage sustained from the fall.  There is absolutely nothing suspicious about the fall at all.  So, why, then, does the Quinn Sense keep nagging at Clara that there is a lot more to this death than it appears?  She can't go to the police with what she suspects, because who would believe her hunch is based upon a psychic impression, especially when Clara is determined to keep her abilities a secret from everyone except her cousin.  Thus, she and Stephanie, along with their assistant at the Raven's Nest bookstore, Molly, set out to uncover the truth of what happened that night.

The mystery is intriguing through pretty much the entire book.  Kingsley provides only the slightest of hints / clues as to the identity of the killer, and it becomes even more confusing with someone robs the local bank right in the middle of mid-day and gets away without anyone knowing who it was!  Clara's second sight suddenly changes, and she sees the ghost of Scott Delwyn outside the bank, convincing her that his death and the bank robbery are connected.  Clara also finds herself being pulled (psychically) into the past to witness his murder (but not the murderer) and the robbery (but not the identity of the thief).  She even tries to convince the chief of police the two incidents are connected, but he will not listen and warns Clara that she and her cousin better stay away from this or he will throw them both in jail!

And not only does the reader get treated to the evolving powers of Clara's psychic abilities, but we also get treated to Clara's evolving relationship with Rick Sanders, who owns the hardware store across the street from the Raven's Nest.  After what happened in New York, Clara has been ambivalent about whether she has been ready to enter into another relationship - but in this book, she finally takes a step in the right direction, and readers who have been enjoying this series will all breathe a sigh of relief - finally!

The only drawback to this book is the final revelation regarding the killer's identity.  There's no clue anywhere in the story as to the killer's motive, so when it is revealed, it almost feels the same as when Mrs. Voorhees is revealed as the killer in the first Friday the 13th film - absolutely no way the viewer (or in this case, the reader) could have known based upon everything that has been revealed up until that point.  I took a look back through the book, and although there are things that point to the identity of the killer, there is nothing that gives even the slightest hint as to the motive.  For me, that was a let-down, as I have been enjoying this series so much, and I felt Kingsley owed it to her readers to at least give us some tidbit of a clue prior to the final reveal.

Nevertheless, I'm still looking forward to reading the fourth (and sadly, final) book in the series, and hopefully it goes out on a high note!

RATING:  7 gift certificates for a day at the spa out of 10 for a great combination of psychic abilities and mystery crafted into a nice tale of murder!