Posted on by TracyC

The Black Jacket Mystery

Trixie Belden

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#8 The Black Jacket Mystery by Kathryn Kenny, 1961.

Trixie and the other Bob-Whites are concerned about their pen pals in Mexico because an earthquake has damaged their town. To help them rebuild their school library, the Bob-Whites decide to hold a benefit carnival to collect books.

While they are planning the carnival, Trixie becomes worried about Regan, who is in charge of Mr. Wheeler’s stable. She overhears him speaking to her mother about a problem, asking her advice, but saying that he doesn’t want the kids to know. Although Trixie doesn’t want to pry to into Regan’s business, she can’t help but worry about him and wonder what he doesn’t want them to know.

Then, a boy called Dan Mangan comes to live with Mr. Maypenny. Dan wears a black jacket and looks like a member of some kind of street gang. At school, he brags about brushes with the law. The Bob-Whites try to be friendly with him, but something about Dan gets on Trixie’s nerves.

When someone sells Honey’s missing watch at Mr. Lytell’s store, people begin to suspect that Dan may be a thief. But, soon, Trixie and the others start to suspect that someone else may be hiding out in the woods.

The book is currently available online through Internet Archive.

Posted on by TracyC

The Mysterious Code

Trixie Belden

TBMysteriousCode

#7 The Mysterious Code by Kathryn Kenny, 1961.

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The title is a little misleading because the code is really only a mystery for a small part of the book.

When the story begins, the existence of the Bob-Whites is threatened because there has been some vandalism at the school and there are fears of gang activity in the area. The school board is considering outlawing all clubs that are not directly supervised by the school and do not serve a specific purpose.

The Bob-Whites explain to their principal that they are a club that supports benevolent causes, but the principal says that they must demonstrate that they support something specific. Trixie suggests to the others that they raise money for UNICEF because it is a good cause and something that the school board would approve of. The Bob-Whites decide that they will hold an antique show to raise money, and they get people to donate items for them to exhibit and sell.  Honey’s mother says that they can have some things that were left in their attic by the former owner of the Manor House.

TBMysteriousCodeSwordIn the attic, Trixie finds a key with a tag on it. The tag is covered with a bunch of little stick figures, which turns out to be a form of code (one that fans of Sherlock Holmes would be likely to recognize). The key opens a box hidden in the attic, which contains a treasure that will raise a considerable sum of money for their cause. However, there is more mystery to come.

While Trixie and her little brother are on their way home from picking up an antique lap desk from a neighbor, they are attacked by three robbers, who steal the desk. A set of samurai swords is also stolen from the Bob-Whites, and someone attempts to burn their clubhouse. Can they find the criminals and recover the missing antiques, or will their antique show be ruined?

Posted on by TracyC

The Mystery Hideout

MysteryHideoutThe Mystery Hideout by Ken Follett, 1976.

The first time Mick Williams meets Randall Izard (called “Izzie”) is when the news dealer Mick works for asks him to train the new boy on his paper route, and Mick learns that Izzie will also be going to his school. Mick doesn’t like Izzie much at first. The new boy speaks with a posh accent and is riding an expensive bike that he says was a present from his father, who makes television ads for a living. Mick doesn’t have a father, and he stole the bike that he rides for his paper route.

Mick guesses that Izzie’s family used to have more money but have fallen on hard times, which is why Izzie needs the paper route.  Mick is worried about his own future.  Someone is building a new hotel on the street where he lives by knocking down the old film studios, and his mother says that they’re going to demolish all the old apartment buildings around it.  That means that they’ll have to find a apartment, which isn’t easy because they don’t have much money, and not everyone wants to rent to a lone woman with a child.

Mick kind of envies the criminal gangs that he reads about in the paper, like the Disguise Gang.  They stage daring raids on banks while wearing clever disguises so that no one knows that they really look like.  They fool everyone and get away with tons of money.  Mick wishes that he was that clever!  If he was, his mother would never have to worry about money again.

MysteryHideoutPicBut, Izzie turns out to be a good friend for Mick.  They both love to play soccer, and Izzie tells Mick that his father used to work in the old studio buildings that they’re tearing down to build the new hotel. In fact, Izzie even knows a secret way in, so the boys sneak in to explore a little.  They’re goofing off with some of the props when they make the startling discovery that the prop guns are loaded with real bullets! Then, the boys have to make a run for it because there are other people sneaking around the old studios. What is going on there?

This book actually takes place in London. I don’t think they actually say the name of the city in the story, but they do mention the Thames, the money is all in pounds, and there are children playing cricket.  But, it’s the kind of story that could take place anywhere.  Mick and Izzie are realistic characters.  Both of them are worried about their families’ hard times.  Mick in particular wants to be the man of the house and to help his mother in her struggles to provide for them.  His inner debate about which side of the law he should be on is also feels real, and it’s satisfying what he chooses when he realizes what criminals are really like and the danger they pose to people he cares about.