Most fans of series book will recognize the name of Betty Cavanna as the author of the 12-book Connie Blair series, written under the pen name of "Betsy Allen." Some fans, however, know that Ms. Cavanna also wrote a number of books for children under her own name. This particular book I chanced upon at an antique book store in Atlanta a few years back, and it has sat unread on my bookshelf alongside the Connie Blair series and a few other Betty Cavanna-authored books that I own. Since I have read a couple of the Connie Blair mysteries (enjoying one, but not so much the other), I was curious to see whether I would enjoy a non-series book by this author. What I found on the pages inside was not at all what I was expecting!
Secret Passage is more than just a mystery story for girls. As the biographical blurb on the dust jacket back cover says, this book "has in it more fact than fiction." Even the synopsis of the story on the inside front flap of the dust jacket does not truly prepare the reader for the story he or she is about to read. The title and the synopsis merely gives the reader the idea that this is a historical mystery (set in 1859, just two years before the start of the Civil War) that involves a 12-year old girl, Sally, and her trip to a Virginia plantation, then her return home where she becomes enthralled with the idea of secret passages and tales of Revolutionary spies that may have used them. While those elements are certainly a part of the story, they are only a small part of it. The main focus of the story is the changing sentiment towards slavery during that time period and how Sally's family (both immediate and distant) is involved with it. The story is heavy on the subject of freeing the slaves, and the manner in which the Underground Railroad worked to help get slaves away from their owners in the South and up to the free states in the North.
Cavanna not only sets her story in a very volatile time, but she has created characters that are drawn straight out of that era. Sally comes from a very strict Quaker family, as shown not only in her personality, but in her somber dress (plain, solid-color dresses of gray and brown), as well as her and her family's use of "thee" and "thy" instead of "you." Additionally, her family are strong believers that ALL men are created equal, including those of African-American descent, and Sally adheres to that belief. This book, published back in 1946 and copyrighted in Great Britain, as well as its "dominions and possessions" according to the copyright page, and as such, the author does not shy away from referring to the slaves as "black" or "Negro," or even in some cases as "n**ger." However, the uses do not come across as derogatory, as the Brighton family is clearly on the side of abolishing slavery, and by the end of the story, they are actively helping some of the slaves escape. When reading the book, one must remember not only the time period in which it was published, but also the time period in which the story is set, as such terms would have been used without question at that time.
The story opens with 12-year old Sally traveling by herself on a train from Pennsylvania down to Virginia to visit her cousin Dorothea and Aunt Charlotte, who live on a plantation called "Carrington." And, yes, when I saw that name, I immediately thought of
Dynasty. In fact, the description of the old plantation house would probably match in size to the Carrington home on that show. It is while visiting there that Sally first learns of the mistreatment of slaves at a neighboring plantation, and she overhears some of her aunt's servants making plans to run away to the North. Her trip is cut short when her father writes and informs her that she must come back home, as the family is moving from Philadelphia to Haddonfield, New Jersey - and yes, that name also made me stop, as that is the same name as the city in Illinois where the
Halloween series of films is set. Of course, nothing in this story comes even close to the terrors of those films!
It is not until the Brighton family is settled into their new home in Haddonfield that Sally learns of an underground tunnel beneath a nearby Inn, which is what begins her adventure that leads her to learn of the possibility of a tunnel underneath her own home. Strange cries in the night, mysterious meetings behind their neighbor's house, and her own father's mysterious comings and goings all add to the mystery. She eventually learns her father is involved with helping runaway slaves, and when some of the servants she met at her aunt's plantation show up in Haddonfield needing help, it is Sally who ultimately saves them from capture and gives them the chance to gain their freedom. While the book is not really heavy on the mystery part (despite the subtitle indicating it is a mystery story), it is quite the adventure, with some tense moments here and there.
The book features illustrations by Jean MacLaughlin, who, according to the back cover bio, was an old friend of the author and who had previously done many illustrations for magazine stories. Other than the information provided on the back cover, I was not able to find much information about Ms. MacLaughlin. The frontis piece is a color illustration, which is simply the cover scene repurposed for an internal. However, the remaining internals spread throughout the book are black-and-white line drawings that are heavy on detail and utilizes much line shading in each illustration. With the exception of the very last illustration on page 207, none of the scenes depict anything exciting; rather, they are simply every day scenes from Sally's life, both at Carrington and in her new Haddonfield home. I do have to say, however, MacLaughlin does manage to draw the characters at their correct ages given in the story (I always through those illustrations in the 1930s series books depicted 16-year old girls looking more like they were in their 20s or even 30s in some instances - so it is nice to see pictures where the characters are drawn age appropriate!).
While definitely not the story I was expecting, the book was certainly a good read and one I would recommend.
RATING: 9 excited black puppies named Cinder out of 10 for telling a brutally honest story of what life was like in the 1800s and mixing factual history with fictional adventure to craft a good mystery.
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