Kay Tracey #15 The Lone Footprint

In Kay Tracey #15, The Lone Footprint, Kay and Cousin Bill's Uncle Byram owns a resort, Owl's Hole.  The resort has had a series of disturbances and thefts, and the Traceys stay at the resort to try to find out what is happening.  Kay spots a lone footprint, seemingly made by a man with one leg.

Meanwhile, Ethel stays at the resort, spreading malicious rumors that cause residents to leave.  Kay must learn the truth before Uncle Byram loses Owl's Hole.

In this book, Kay is in a boat crash, her forehead gets cut, she falls into a deep ravine and disappears, and she gets a concussion

Ethel finds a dead skunk on her porch, and since Kay is nearby, Ethel assumes that Kay did it.  Ethel is forced to dispose of the skunk.

On page 64, Jupiter Jones buys red paint for his barn.  Some will recognize this name from the Three Investigators series, and it's use in this book is purely coincidental.

On page 94, Ethel and her aunt spread a rumor that Kay has infantile paralysis.  I had forgotten the meaning of the term, so I looked it up.  Ah, polio.  I can see where that would cause a panic.

On page 183, we learn that the lone footprint was made by someone on crutches who has one leg that doesn't touch the ground.  But wouldn't the crutches leave marks?  This plot doesn't make any sense.

The text was not revised for the later Garden City and Books, Inc. reprints.

I somewhat lost interest towards the end of the story, but I never was very interested.  The plot goes around in circles.  This is my least favorite book in the Kay Tracey series.