Kay Tracey #11 When the Key Turned

In Kay Tracey #11, When the Key Turned, Rosa Lusardi may not be able to play in Carmont High School's upcoming recital since her father's Stradivarius violin has been stolen.  Rosa must lend her own violin to her father, leaving her without one.  Kay promises to help Rosa, and Kay's search for the violin leads her into a dangerous mystery.

On page 4, Kay must proofread music as part of an audition.

Not the least bit nervous, the girl seated herself at the piano.  With confidence and ease she played a well-known air.  Mr. Ward nodded approvingly and placed before her the same selection he had given Ethel.  Fortunately Kay could read music quickly and played the simple number without a flaw.

Kay is so perfect, just as perfect as Nancy Drew.

Kay is lucky to get out of this book alive.  Ethel puts some kind of poison powder on the piano's keyboard, and Kay gets knocked out.  Kay and Wilma are trapped in a burning house.  Kay falls through a hole into a basement.  Kay is attacked by a bear, so she hits it over the head with a violin.  Kay gets locked in a trunk.  Kay gets stuck in a quagmire.

Ethel is present when the house burns with Kay and Wilma inside.  The two escape, but Ethel doesn't know this.  Ethel rushes to the Tracey home as fast as she can.  When Mrs. Tracey answers the door, Ethel happily tells her that Kay and Wilma "were both burned to death in a fire!"  Yikes.  Fortunately for Mrs. Tracey, Kay and Wilma show up a few pages later.

On page 181, Betty and Wilma go for help after Kay gets stuck in a quagmire.  When they return, Kay has vanished!  The girls feel certain that Kay was pulled under and is dead.  Wow.

The Garden City and Books, Inc. texts look to completely identical to the Cupples and Leon edition.

This story has such a flair for the melodramatic.  I love it.