Moonstone Mystery Romance #6 When Darkness Falls by Barbara Corcoran, 1985

Keeping tabs on a pack of ten-year-olds isn't the easiest job Julie's ever had, but working as a camp counselor has its rewards, too.  Like meeting Mark, the tall, blue-eyed hiking counselor who seems as nice as he is good-looking.

But then Pat, one of Julie's campers, suddenly disappears, and Mark turns cold and distant.  He's hiding a sinister secret behind that charming smile, and it might have something to do with Pat.  If only Julie can discover what Mark is up to - then she can be sure that Pat, and her own heart, are safe. 

I mentioned in two of my other reviews that I looked for anything that could refer to Nancy Drew or other series books as I read through this set, since the title of the series appears to be a nod to the Nancy Drew book, The Moonstone Castle Mystery.

I found several names in this book that might or might not mean anything.  Bungalows are mentioned.  Some character names are Dana, Joe, and Aunt Harriet.

This is a suspenseful and very good book.

Moonstone Mystery Romance #5 Something Out There by Leslie Davis, 1985

This is by far the easiest title to acquire in the series since it was reprinted as an Especially for Girls book club edition hardcover.  Unfortunately, the book club edition is the only one that can be found without a lot of trouble.  The original paperback is a bit hard to find, just as all of the other books in this series are hard to find.

At home on beautiful Massachusetts Bay, Chips is enjoying the best summer ever.  Her sailing school is a big success, and so is her romance with gorgeous soccer star Ryan Kennedy. 

So why does Chips also get a crush on Jeff, the boy her parents have hired to guard their house?  And why is he acting suspiciously?  Is he involved in the robberies that have frightened everyone in town?  Suddenly, lots of scary things are happening fast.  Soon Chips is awash in real danger - stranded at an abandoned lighthouse in a raging storm, face to face with a rescuer who may be a deadly foe!

I believe that this series was named as a nod to the Nancy Drew book, The Moonstone Castle Mystery.  This book mentions Nancy Drew multiple times.  Chips' boyfriend calls her "Nancy Drew" to tease her about being suspicious of certain events.

From page 83 of the Especially for Girls edition:

Chips settled into the couch, looking up from her book only occasionally whenever a June bug butted against the screen in an effort to reach the lighted room.

She had scanned Melissa's old collection of Nancy Drew mysteries and had chosen one about a lighthouse.  Maybe, she thought with a smile, it would tell her how to recognize clues or convince doubting boyfriends to take her seriously.

Skimming the pages, she found herself engrossed in the story and laughing at the heavy weather, foggy nights, and strangers in the shadows.  When the scratching began on the screen, she didn't look up at first because she thought more bugs were flapping against the mesh.

There are some things about Chips' behavior that I find annoying, but aside from that, this book is quite enjoyable.  I consider it to be overall very good.

Moonstone Mystery Romance #4 Fatal Secrets

I had purchased all of the Moonstone Mystery Romance books but couldn't find #4 Fatal Secrets when I decided to read through the set.  I knew I had ordered the book, but it was nowhere to be found.  I finally figured out where I purchased the book.  The seller had marked it as shipped with no tracking number.  That always makes me wonder if the book was ever shipped.  I realized that I had never received the book and sent a shipping query.  The seller responded, saying that the book was mailed right after it was purchased but that it had apparently been lost in the mail.  I received a full refund.

I really had to wonder whether the book was ever mailed.  The seller still had it up for sale on a different site.  Did the seller still have the book, or was the listing a phantom listing?

I found exactly one other book for sale online, from a seller of whom I am wary since this person sent the wrong edition of a book the last time I ordered from her.  I decided to give it a try.  The seller cancelled the order, saying that she couldn't find the book.  How splendid.  Also, not helpful.

No copies of Fatal Secrets were available, other than the phantom listing mentioned above.  I have this obsession where I must have every book in a set while reading the set.  I needed the book immediately.  So, I looked into downloads.  The book was on some shady sites that required a credit card number.  I wasn't about to give away a credit card number.

I then found that the Internet Archive had the book scanned.  I love it when the actual book has been scanned and not reformatted.  I signed up for a free membership and was able to borrow the book for one hour.

It took me 35 minutes to screen capture all of the scans and save them to the cloud.  I was then content, since I had all six books, even if one was digital only.  

#4 Fatal Secrets by Linda A. Cooney, 1985

"Run, Kate!"  David yelled.  But the powerful older man grabbed David viciously by the front of his shirt and shoved his gun under David's chin.  I was unguarded, but afraid to do anything that would cause him to pull the trigger.  

He dragged David across the lab.  Tying David's wrists to a pole with the wiry twine, he spewed out a horrifying set of orders.  

"As soon as I've got him tied, I'll get the girl."  Then, he said to his partner, "I want you to turn on every gas jet in this dump.  Turn them on high.  I see on the shelf they've got kerosene in one of those chemical vats.  That'll make a great lighter.  We're going to make a little kerosene bomb..."

I believe that "moonstone" in the name of this series is a reference to Nancy Drew, since one book in the Nancy Drew series is titled The Moonstone Castle Mystery.  For that reason, I have looked for anything that could refer to Nancy Drew in these books.  In this book, a character is named Bess and another one is named Carolyn.  A bungalow is mentioned.  This could just be coincidence, but Nancy Drew is directly mentioned multiple times in the next book in the series.

On page 71, I was appalled that high school students had open access to a chemical shed with dangerous chemicals including sulfuric acid.  Wow.

This is an excellent book.  It's too bad that it's impossible to find.  Thank goodness a digital copy is available online.

Moonstone Mystery Romance #2 The Shadowed Path and #3 Dangerous Beat

#2 The Shadowed Path by Barbara Corcoran, 1985

When a accident forces Phyllis to stay alone at a lake cabin, she isn't afraid - at first.  Her new friend David, a local boy, visits her every day.  And Ron, the smooth young man in the next cabin, is very attentive. 

But the sound of a helicopter landing at night, and a stranger with a gun, convince Phyllis that Ron is involved in deep trouble.  Soon she's caught in a sinister plot, a prisoner of her own suspicions.  She's seen too much - and unless help arrives at the last minute, she'll never escape alive! 

It was obvious from early in the story exactly which young man couldn't be trusted.  Even though I already knew where the plot would go, the story was still very suspenseful.  The last part of the story is more what one would expect from a boy's book with grave danger as Phyllis is held captive.

This is a very good book.

#3 Dangerous Beat by Charlotte Flynn, 1985

Jennifer loves her summer job helping the record critic of the local paper.  Through work, she meets two terrific boys - Billy, the fun-loving manager of a local rock group and Ken, the main source of information for her first big story.

But now, strange thefts haunt the newsroom; a mysterious death plagues Jen's budding story, and Ken warns her to get off the story and stay off!  Suddenly, the cub reporter is in over her head in a whirl of crime and danger where she had hoped to find romance.

Suspicion was cast on both boys in this book, but it was apparent to me from early in the story which one was the culprit.  That did not reduce my enjoyment of the book at all.  

This is an excellent story.

Moonstone Mystery Romance #1 Deadly Design

The Moonstone Mystery Romance series was published in 1985.  Five of the six books are quite scarce.  The only book that can be found easily is Something Out There in the Especially for Girls hardcover book club edition.

1.  Deadly Design

2.  The Shadowed Path

3.  Dangerous Beat

4.  Fatal Secrets

5.  Something Out There

6.  When Darkness Falls

I believe that this series was named after the Nancy Drew book, The Moonstone Castle Mystery.

In #1 Deadly Design, Charlotte has landed a job at an upscale boutique at Mission Square Mall.  Charlotte is thrilled about her job, and she really likes Steve, who works at the adjacent book store.  But Charlotte soon realizes that the mall is not a safe place.

I was about to return my sales book to the special place in the drawer when I noticed a slight thickness toward the back of it.  As I investigated further, I found a bulky note was stuck to one of the pages.  I pried the note off carefully, being sure not to rip the pages of my precious book.

As I opened the folded note I saw that it was composed of letters cut out of magazines or newspaper and glued onto a sheet of paper.  

BE VERY CAREFUL.  HE HAS A GUN.

Who has a gun?  The thought was so sharp that for a moment I was afraid I had actually said it out loud.  Was it the gang leader who had trailed me to my apartment building the night before?

Or was it Steve?

Please don't let it be Steve, I thought.  Anyone but Steve!

I really enjoy books that are set in stores or shopping centers and have an unknown danger.  I found this book to be interesting from the very beginning.  It's clear from early in the story that something odd is going on at the mall.  It's not clear who the culprit is.

Charlotte has legitimate reason to suspect multiple people of threatening her and following her.  I didn't guess the actual solution until the reveal towards the end of the story.  I think I could have if I had been thinking more in a certain direction.  The author did a good job of casting suspicion on several characters, actually to most of the characters.  I like that.  It's always more entertaining to be kept guessing, wondering what is really going on. 

This is an excellent book.