Jenny Dean #3 Third Eye and #4 Invisible City

In Jenny Dean #3, The Secret of the Third Eye, Padme Lampo has returned from Tibet. He is now a Grand Lama and has mystical powers, including the ability to predict the future and to levitate himself.  Padme Lampo plans to use his powers to help the people of Winter Falls.  Unfortunately, an evil man wishes to use Padme Lampo for his own nefarious purpose.

Page 14:

Dr. Gwen, Winter Falls' leading psychologist and Jenny's mother, exchanged a secret smile with her daughter.  They both knew how splendidly capable Jenny was of not only taking care of herself, but everyone else in sight.

Wow!  I nominate Jenny Dean as the most perfect series book character ever!

I enjoyed this book, but not as much as I did the first two.  The plot is just too weird, and the book has little suspense.  There isn't a mystery.  The reader knows from near the beginning that Padme Lampo has strange powers, and the plot pretty much just consists of Jenny trying to keep him safe.

In Jenny Dean #4, The Secret of the Invisible City, a strange cyclone tears across the Kansas plains.  After the cyclone is gone, Jenny discovers an invisible wall near her aunt and uncle's farm.  Jenny soon is pulled into the mysterious area, where she discovers an invisible city inhabited by aliens who recently arrived from a distant galaxy.  The people most important to Jenny are also pulled into the alien city, and soon, Jenny fears that they will never be able to return home.

On page 26, Jenny's cousin Martha comments that Jenny didn't tell her friends about her strange abduction.  Jenny replies, "They'd worry."  Martha responds, "The way you are, I can see why."  Indeed.  Jenny has a knack for getting into bizarre situations.

This book is the most bizarre in the series.  In fact, each book has been more bizarre than the previous title.  I enjoyed this book more than the third book but less than the first two books.

I enjoyed reading the Jenny Dean Science Fiction Mysteries series.

Jenny Dean #1 Shining Children and #2 Hidden Trap

The Jenny Dean Science Fiction Mysteries series was written by Dale Carlson.  The books were published by Grosset and Dunlap in 1983 and 1984.  The series consists of the following titles.

1.  The Mystery of the Shining Children, 1983
2.  The Mystery of the Hidden Trap, 1983
3.  The Secret of the Third Eye, 1983
4.  The Secret of the Invisible City, 1984

Each book has neat endpapers that feature a map of Winter Falls and the surrounding area.  The map features all the locations used in the four books.  Click on the image to see a larger version.

In #1 The Mystery of the Shining Children, Jenny Dean and Mike Wood notice that their classmates at Winter Falls High School are behaving strangely.  Their complexions are pale and shining.  As Jenny investigates, she discovers that a virus is responsible and soon suspects who the ruthless culprit is.

Jenny is more perfect than Nancy Drew in the opening scene.  The author lets the reader know that Jenny's parents and the police chief come to Jenny for advice concerning just about all of their problems.  And Jenny always knows the answers.

Jenny and Mike pretty much abduct a child from a research hospital, believing that he is in danger.  They take the child to Jenny's Aunt Sally's house, where they are staying.  Oddly, Aunt Sally asks no questions about the extra guest the next morning, apparently accepting it as normal that Jenny and Mike have brought a strange child into her home.

I find it interesting how Jenny's parents question none of Jenny's decisions, no matter how bizarre they are.  The story is interesting, although improbable.  The ending is wrapped up way too fast.

This book is very easy and pleasant to read.  I enjoyed it.

In #2 The Mystery of the Hidden Trap, one at a time, four different people in different towns near Winter Falls are involved in near-fatal accidents.  Each accident was caused by the same boy, at least that is what everyone thinks at first.  Soon Jenny learns that each boy is part of a set of quadruplets that were separated at birth and put up for adoption.  And it gets crazier from there.

Old Mr. Marsh falls into an illegal trap and breaks both of his legs.  The Deans arrive to help him, and Jenny's parents splint his legs. Next, the Deans go outside to investigate.  On page 18, Mrs. Burgess "wanted to serve coffee before they took Mr. Marsh to the hospital for x-rays."  Say what?!  And the Deans proceed to drink coffee while Mr. Marsh lies around with his splinted legs waiting to be taken to the hospital.  Apparently Mr. Marsh doesn't get any coffee.

This book is very suspenseful as Jenny figures out the strange events.  I enjoyed this book even more than I did the first book.