Vicki Barr Series - Titles and Collecting Information

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June 14, 2006

The Vicki Barr Flight Stewardess Series, also known as the Vicki Barr Air Stewardess Series, was published by Grosset and Dunlap from 1947 through 1964.  The books were written by Helen Wells and Julie Campbell Tatham.  Julie Campbell Tatham was the author of the first six Trixie Belden books.  Wells and Tatham were also both authors of the Cherry Ames Nurse Stories.  

Volume 16, The Brass Idol Mystery, is credited to Helen Wells, but it is now believed that The Brass Idol Mystery was written by Walter B. Gibson, the creator and writer of "The Shadow."

Titles in the Vicki Barr Series:

  1. Silver Wings for Vicki, 1947
  2. Vicki Finds the Answer, 1947
  3. The Hidden Valley Mystery, 1948
  4. The Secret of Magnolia Manor, 1949
  5. The Clue of the Broken Blossom, 1950
  6. Behind the White Veil, 1951
  7. The Mystery at Hartwood House, 1952
  8. Peril Over the Airport, 1953
  9. The Mystery of the Vanishing Lady, 1954
10. The Search for the Missing Twin, 1954
11. The Ghost at the Waterfall, 1956
12. The Clue of the Gold Coin, 1958
13. The Silver Ring Mystery, 1960
14. The Clue of the Carved Ruby, 1961
15. The Mystery of Flight 908, 1962
16. The Brass Idol Mystery, 1964

Formats:

The earliest titles in the series were printed with solid blue boards.  Later, the series was printed in the blue tweed boards of the 1950s.  Volumes 1 through 15 were printed in dust jacket.  Volume 16 was only printed in picture cover.  Volume 16 is considerably difficult to acquire, as is volume 15 in dust jacket.

First printings:

The copyright page is not useful when trying to determine the age of a Vicki Barr book.  Grosset and Dunlap very rarely made changes to the copyright page, so all printings of Silver Wings for Vicki will have the identical copyright page with the only year listed as 1947.

The two easiest places to look in order to determine the age of a Vicki Barr book are on the dust jacket’s front flap, if the book still has its dust jacket, and on an interior list of titles.  The last title present in the list of Vicki Barr titles will tell you what the age of the book is.  For instance, if the dust jacket's front flap lists to Peril Over the Airport, then the book was printed in 1953, which is the year of publication for Peril Over the Airport .  Or, if the dust jacket's front flap lists to The Clue of the Carved Ruby, then the book was printed in 1961, which is the year of publication for The Clue of the Carved Ruby.  When the book is missing its dust jacket, refer to the interior list of titles, if present.  For the picture cover books, refer to the list that is present on the back cover.   

Nancy Drew #57-175 Wanderer/Minstrel/Aladdin Paperbacks

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June 23, 2006

The purpose of this guide is to list the paperback titles in the Nancy Drew Mystery Stories series so that buyers have a handy reference for title information.

The original 56 Nancy Drew books were published in hardcover by Grosset and Dunlap.  Simon and Schuster began publishing the Nancy Drew books with the release of volume 57.

Wanderer

Volumes 57 through 78 were published with the Wanderer imprint in paperback.

Volumes 57 through 78 were also printed in very limited quantities in hardcover with dust jacket.  The Wanderer hardcovers were mainly made available to libraries.  Some few copies were sold to individuals.  As a result, the vast majority of the surviving dust-jacketed Wanderer hardcover editions are library discards and are in rough shape.  Due to the limited quantities, the Wanderer dust-jacketed hardcover editions are extremely difficult to acquire in any condition.  Most collectors do not have a complete set of the Wanderer hardcover editions, and many people who are not interested in the Wanderer hardcover editions do not realize the extreme scarcity of these books. 

Minstrel

Beginning with volume 79, the imprint changed to Minstrel, and volumes 57 through 78 were reprinted with the Minstrel imprint.  The cover art also changed for volumes 57 through 78.  Volumes 57 through 163 were printed with the Minstrel imprint.  During the latter years of the Minstrel printings, many of the lower-numbered paperback titles went out of print.

Aladdin

Volumes 164 through 175 were published with the Aladdin imprint.  The higher-numbered Minstrel titles that were still in print when the imprint changed to Aladdin were also reprinted with the Aladdin imprint.  During the last printings, the books changed to a solid yellow spine that is very reminiscent of the Grosset and Dunlap books.  The original Nancy Drew Mystery Stories series was discontinued with volume 175 in 2003.

List of titles

  57. The Triple Hoax, 1979
  58. The Flying Saucer Mystery, 1980
  59. The Secret in the Old Lace, 1980
  60. The Greek Symbol Mystery, 1981
  61. The Swami’s Ring, 1981
  62. The Kachina Doll Mystery, 1981
  63. The Twin Dilemma, 1981
  64. Captive Witness, 1981
  65. Mystery of the Winged Lion, 1982
  66. Race Against Time, 1982
  67. The Sinister Omen, 1982
  68. The Elusive Heiress, 1982
  69. Clue in the Ancient Disguise, 1982
  70. The Broken Anchor, 1983
  71. The Silver Cobweb, 1983
  72. The Haunted Carousel, 1983
  73. Enemy Match, 1984
  74. The Mysterious Image, 1984
  75. The Emerald-Eyed Cat Mystery, 1984
  76. The Eskimo’s Secret, 1985
  77. The Bluebeard Room, 1985
  78. The Phantom of Venice, 1985
  79. The Double Horror of Fenley Place, 1987
  80. The Case of the Disappearing Diamonds, 1987
  81. The Mardi Gras Mystery, 1988
  82. The Clue in the Camera, 1988
  83. The Case of the Vanishing Veil, 1988
  84. The Joker's Revenge, 1988
  85. The Secret of Shady Glen, 1988
  86. The Mystery of Misty Canyon, 1988
  87. The Case of the Rising Stars, 1989
  88. The Search for Cindy Austin, 1989
  89. The Case of the Disappearing Deejay, 1989
  90. The Puzzle at Pineview School, 1989
  91. The Girl Who Couldn't Remember, 1989
  92. The Ghost of Craven Cove, 1989
  93. The Case of the Safecracker's Secret, 1990
  94. The Picture-Perfect Mystery, 1990
  95. The Silent Suspect, 1990
  96. The Case of the Photo Finish, 1990
  97. The Mystery at Magnolia Mansion, 1990
  98. The Haunting of Horse Island, 1990
  99. The Secret at Seven Rocks, 1991
100. A Secret in Time, 1991
101. The Mystery of the Missing Millionairess, 1991
102. The Secret in the Dark, 1991
103. The Stranger in the Shadows, 1991
104. The Mystery of the Jade Tiger, 1991
105. The Clue in the Antique Trunk, 1992
106. The Case of the Artful Crime, 1992
107. The Legend of Miner's Creek, 1992
108. The Secret of the Tibetan Treasure, 1992
109. The Mystery of the Masked Rider, 1992
110. The Nutcracker Ballet Mystery, 1992
111. The Secret at Solaire, 1993
112. Crime in the Queen’s Court, 1993
113. The Secret Lost at Sea, 1993
114. The Search for the Silver Persian, 1993
115. The Suspect in the Smoke, 1993
116. The Case of the Twin Teddy Bears, 1993
117.  Mystery on the Menu, 1994
118. Trouble at Lake Tahoe, 1994
119. The Mystery of the Missing Mascot, 1994
120. The Case of the Floating Crime, 1994
121. The Fortune Teller’s Secret, 1994
122. The Message in the Haunted Mansion, 1994
123. The Clue on the Silver Screen, 1995
124. The Secret of the Scarlet Hand, 1995
125. The Teen Model Mystery, 1995
126. The Riddle in the Rare Book, 1995
127. The Case of the Dangerous Solution, 1995
128. The Treasure in the Royal Tower, 1995
129. The Baby-Sitter Burglaries, 1996
130. The Sign of the Falcon, 1996
131. The Hidden Inheritance, 1996
132. The Fox Hunt Mystery, 1996
133. The Mystery at the Crystal Palace, 1996
134. The Secret of the Forgotten Cave, 1996
135. The Riddle of the Ruby Gazelle, 1997
136. The Wedding Day Mystery, 1997
137. In Search of the Black Rose, 1997
138. The Legend of the Lost Gold, 1997
139. The Secret of Candlelight Inn, 1997
140. The Door-to-Door Deception, 1997
141. The Wild Cat Crime, 1998
142. The Case of Capital Intrigue, 1998
143. Mystery on Maui, 1998
144. The E-mail Mystery, 1998
145. The Missing Horse Mystery, 1998
146. The Ghost of the Lantern Lady, 1998
147. The Case of the Captured Queen, 1999
148. On the Trail of Trouble, 1999
149. The Clue of the Gold Doubloons, 1999
150. Mystery at Moorsea Manor, 1999
151. The Chocolate-Covered Contest, 1999
152. The Key in the Satin Pocket, 2000
153. Whispers in the Fog, 2000
154. The Legend of the Emerald Lady, 2000
155. The Mystery in Tornado Alley, 2000
156. The Secret in the Stars, 2000
157. The Music Festival Mystery, 2000
158. The Curse of the Black Cat, 2001
159. The Secret of the Fiery Chamber, 2001
160. The Clue on the Crystal Dove, 2001
161. Lost in the Everglades, 2001
162. The Case of the Lost Song, 2001
163. The Clues Challenge, 2001
164. The Mystery of the Mother Wolf, 2002
165. The Crime Lab Case, 2002
166. The Case of the Creative Crime, 2002
167. Mystery by Moonlight, 2002
168. The Bike Tour Mystery, 2002
169. The Mistletoe Mystery, 2002
170. No Strings Attached, 2003
171. Intrigue at the Grand Opera, 2003
172. The Riding Club Crime, 2003
173. Danger on the Great Lakes, 2003
174. A Taste of Danger, 2003
175. Werewolf in a Winter Wonderland, 2003   

Nancy Drew Files #1-124 List of Series Titles

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June 23, 2006

The purpose of this guide is to list the titles in the Nancy Drew Files series.  The series began in 1986 and gave Nancy Drew trendy clothes, an interest in boys, and cases that usually involve murders.  The Nancy Drew Files series ran for 124 titles until it was discontinued in 1997. 

Some people confuse the title of this series with the Hardy Boys Casefiles series and refer to this series as the Nancy Drew Casefiles, while in fact it is simply the Nancy Drew Files series.

In most discontinued series, the higher-numbered titles are generally more difficult to acquire than the lower-numbered titles.  The same is true of this series to some extent.  However, I have come across multiple extras of quite a few of the higher-numbered titles and suspect that the hardest to find titles in this series may actually be scattered volumes from in the middle of the series.

    1. Secrets Can Kill, 1986
    2. Deadly Intent, 1986
    3. Murder on Ice, 1986
    4. Smile and Say Murder, 1986
    5. Hit and Run Holiday, 1986
    6. White Water Terror, 1986
    7. Deadly Doubles, 1987
    8. Two Points to Murder, 1987
    9. False Moves, 1987
  10. Buried Secrets, 1987
  11. Heart of Danger, 1987
  12. Fatal Ransom, 1987
  13. Wings of Fear, 1987
  14. This Side of Evil, 1987
  15. Trial by Fire, 1987
  16. Never Say Die, 1987
  17. Stay Tuned for Danger, 1987
  18. Circle of Evil, 1987
  19. Sisters in Crime, 1988
  20. Very Deadly Yours, 1988
  21. Recipe for Murder, 1988
  22. Fatal Attraction, 1988
  23. Sinister Paradise, 1988
  24. Till Death Do Us Part, 1988
  25. Rich and Dangerous, 1988
  26. Playing with Fire, 1988
  27. Most Likely to Die, 1988
  28. The Black Widow, 1988
  29. Pure Poison, 1988
  30. Death by Design, 1988
  31. Trouble in Tahiti, 1989
  32. High Marks for Malice, 1989
  33. Danger in Disguise, 1989
  34. Vanishing Act, 1989
  35. Bad Medicine, 1989
  36. Over the Edge, 1989
  37. Last Dance, 1989
  38. The Final Scene, 1989
  39. The Suspect Next Door, 1989
  40. Shadow of a Doubt, 1989
  41. Something to Hide, 1989
  42. The Wrong Chemistry, 1989
  43.  False Impressions, 1990
  44. Scent of Danger, 1990
  45. Out of Bounds, 1990
  46. Win, Place, or Die, 1990
  47. Flirting with Danger, 1990
  48. A Date with Deception, 1990
  49. Portrait in Crime, 1990
  50. Deep Secrets, 1990
  51. A Model Crime, 1990
  52. Danger for Hire, 1990
  53. Trail of Lies, 1990
  54. Cold as Ice, 1990
  55. Don't Look Twice, 1991
  56. Make No Mistake, 1991
  57. Into Thin Air, 1991
  58. Hot Pursuit, 1991
  59. High Risk, 1991
  60. Poison Pen, 1991
  61. Sweet Revenge, 1991
  62. Easy Marks, 1991
  63. Mixed Signals, 1991
  64. The Wrong Track, 1991
  65. Final Notes, 1991
  66. Tall, Dark and Deadly, 1992
  67. Nobody's Business, 1992
  68. Crosscurrents, 1992
  69. Running Scared, 1992
  70. Cutting Edge, 1992
  71. Hot Tracks, 1992
  72. Swiss Secrets, 1992
  73. Rendezvous in Rome, 1992
  74. Greek Odyssey, 1992
  75. A Talent for Murder, 1992
  76. The Perfect Plot, 1992
  77. Danger on Parade, 1992
  78. Update on Crime, 1992
  79. No Laughing Matter, 1993
  80. Power of Suggestion, 1993
  81. Making Waves, 1993
  82. Dangerous Relations, 1993
  83. Diamond Deceit, 1993
  84. Choosing Sides, 1993
  85. Sea of Suspicion, 1993
  86. Let's Talk Terror, 1993
  87. Moving Target, 1993
  88. False Pretenses, 1993
  89. Designs in Crime, 1993
  90. Stage Fright, 1993
  91. If Looks Could Kill, 1994
  92. My Deadly Valentine, 1994
  93. Hotline to Danger, 1994
  94. Illusions of Evil, 1994
  95. An Instinct for Trouble, 1994
  96. The Runaway Bridge, 1994
  97. Squeeze Play, 1994
  98. Island of Secrets, 1994
  99. The Cheating Heart, 1994
100. Dance Till You Die, 1994
101. The Picture of Guilt, 1994
102. Counterfeit Christmas, 1994
103. Heart of Ice, 1995
104. Kiss and Tell, 1995
105. Stolen Affections, 1995
106. Flying Too High, 1995
107. Anything For Love, 1995
108. Captive Heart, 1995
109. Love Notes, 1995
110. Hidden Meanings, 1995
111. The Stolen Kiss, 1995
112. For Love or Money, 1995
113. Wicked Ways, 1996
114. Rehearsing For Romance, 1996
115. Running Into Trouble, 1996
116. Under His Spell, 1996
117. Skipping a Beat, 1996
118. Betrayed by Love, 1996
119. Against the Rules, 1997
120. Dangerous Loves, 1997
121. Natural Enemies, 1997
122. Strange Memories, 1997
123. Wicked for the Weekend, 1997
124. Crime at the Chat Cafe, 1997    

Penny Parker Mystery Stories - Titles and Information

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July 7, 2006

The Penny Parker Mystery Stories is a series of books published by the Cupples and Leon company.  The series was written by Mildred A. Wirt Benson, who is best remembered as the author of the early Nancy Drew books.  

List of titles:

  1. Tale of the Witch Doll, 1939
  2. The Vanishing Houseboat, 1939
  3. Danger at the Drawbridge, 1940
  4. Behind the Green Door, 1940
  5. Clue of the Silken Ladder, 1941
  6. The Secret Pact, 1941
  7. The Clock Strikes Thirteen, 1942
  8. The Wishing Well, 1942
  9. Ghost Beyond the Gate, 1943
10. Saboteurs on the River, 1943
11. Hoofbeats on the Turnpike, 1944
12. Voice from the Cave, 1944
13. Guilt of the Brass Thieves, 1945
14. Signal in the Dark, 1946
15. Whispering Walls, 1946
16. Swamp Island, 1947
17. The Cry at Midnight, 1947

Determining the year of printing by using the dust jacket list:

As with other series of books, the easiest way to determine the age of a book is to find a list of titles on the dust jacket.  The Penny Parker dust jackets each have a list of titles on the front flap.  The last title present on the list determines the year of printing for the book.  For instance, if the last title listed on the front flap is The Secret Pact, then the book was printed in 1941, which is the year of publication for The Secret Pact.  Or, if the last title listed on the front flap is Whispering Walls, then the book was printed in 1946, which is the year of publication for Whispering Walls.

It is important to never use the copyright page to determine the age of a book.  Cupples and Leon operated much like Grosset and Dunlap in that the copyright page was never updated.  The Penny Parker books each have a list of titles present on the copyright page, but this list represents the list of titles that were in print at the time of the first printing of that book.  All subsequent printings of that book have the identical copyright page list; it is the list of titles on the front flap of the dust jacket that was changed rather than the copyright page list.  

Determining the year of printing when the dust jacket is missing:

Unfortunately, it is impossible to narrow down the year of printing beyond a range of years whenever the dust jacket is missing.  The only list of titles inside the book is the list on the copyright page, and as stated above, the copyright page list is useless.  However, it is possible to make certain observations about a book in order to determine the approximate age of a book that is missing its dust jacket.

The earlier books are around 1 1/4 inches thick with good quality paper and glossy frontispiece illustrations.  The later books are around 1 inch thick, have poor quality paper that has deeply yellowed or turned brown, and have plain paper frontispiece illustrations.  In between the earlier and later books are books slightly under 1 inch thick with good quality paper and glossy frontispiece illustrations.

The color of the binding is not a very good indicator of the age of the book since there are many exceptions.  Generally, the earlier books are red and the later books are blue, but there are scattered volumes that have yellow, pink, or green bindings.

The dust jackets for each volume all have the same cover art, except that the colors used were changed for various printings.  There is no clear pattern to how the colors were changed.  Some volumes have few variations while other volumes have many variations.     

Trixie Belden Series Titles and Collecting Information

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I left a note in this guide about eBay hiding the pictures, since it shows how inept eBay can be at times.  

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July 31, 2006

The Trixie Belden series is a series of books originally published by the Western Publishing Company under the divisions of Whitman and Golden from 1948 to 1986.  More recently, Random House has reprinted the earlier titles in the series.  Most of the titles in the series are still out of print.

The series was created by Julie Campbell Tatham, who quit writing the series after the first six titles.  Beginning with volume 7, the series was written by a variety of authors under the pseudonym of Kathryn Kenny.

List of titles:

  1. The Secret of the Mansion, 1948
  2. The Red Trailer Mystery, 1950
  3. The Gatehouse Mystery, 1951
  4. The Mysterious Visitor, 1954
  5. The Mystery Off Glen Road, 1956
  6. Mystery in Arizona, 1958
  7. The Mysterious Code, 1961
  8. The Black Jacket Mystery, 1961
  9. The Happy Valley Mystery, 1962
10. The Marshland Mystery, 1962
11. The Mystery at Bob-White Cave, 1963
12. The Mystery of the Blinking Eye, 1963
13. The Mystery on Cobbett's Island, 1964
14. The Mystery of the Emeralds, 1965
15. The Mystery on the Mississippi, 1965
16. The Mystery of the Missing Heiress, 1970
17. The Mystery of the Uninvited Guest, 1977
18. The Mystery of the Phantom Grasshopper, 1977
19. The Secret of the Unseen Treasure, 1977
20. The Mystery Off Old Telegraph Road, 1978
21. The Mystery of the Castaway Children, 1978
22. The Mystery on Mead's Mountain, 1978
23. The Mystery of the Queen's Necklace, 1979
24. The Mystery at Saratoga, 1979
25. The Sasquatch Mystery, 1979
26. The Mystery of the Headless Horseman, 1979
27. The Mystery of the Ghostly Galleon, 1979
28. The Hudson River Mystery, 1979
29. The Mystery of the Velvet Gown, 1980
30. The Mystery of the Midnight Marauder, 1980
31. The Mystery at Maypenny's, 1980
32. The Mystery of the Whispering Witch, 1980
33. The Mystery of the Vanishing Victim, 1980
34. The Mystery of the Missing Millionaire, 1980
35. The Mystery of the Memorial Day Fire, 1984
36. The Mystery of the Antique Doll, 1984
37. The Pet Show Mystery, 1985
38. The Indian Burial Ground Mystery, 1985
39. The Mystery of the Galloping Ghost, 1986

Prices:

The purpose of this guide is to provide a starting place for buyers and sellers who are interested in the Trixie Belden series.  This guide does not attempt to give the value of the different Trixie Belden books.  The values are constantly changing based on supply and demand.  If I were to attempt to give values, they would soon be meaningless.  There are way too many factors to consider.  The only statement that can be made with certainty is that the last few titles in the series are much more difficult to acquire and do consistently sell for higher prices.

If you are planning to sell some Trixie Belden books and need to get an idea of the current pricing, search the completed Trixie Belden auctions on eBay to get an idea of the selling prices.  If you are planning to buy Trixie Belden books, you should also search the completed auctions to see what the selling prices are.

Formats:

Note:  There are supposed to be pictures in this section, but I have noticed that eBay doesn't always show them.  Sometimes eBay will show some of the pictures and not the rest.  I cannot do anything to make eBay show them each time.   Try reloading or go to my About Me page, visit my series book website, click on the Trixie Belden section, and look at the pictures there.  I am very aware that this section is incomprehensible without the pictures, and I do apologize.

The series has been printed in a wide variety of formats during its years of publication.  The first three books were originally printed in hardcover with dust jacket from 1948 to 1953.  Early reprints of these books were printed with the same cover art but with boards protected with cellophane.  Unfortunately, the cellophane is very prone to peeling.

 Volumes 4 through 10 were also printed in the Cello Edition.

The next format of Trixie Belden books was printed from 1954 to 1964.  These books are known as the Cameo Editions, because a cameo picture of Trixie appears in the upper left corner of the front cover.

Volumes 1 through 13 were printed in the Cameo Edition.

After the Cameo Editions come the Deluxe Editions which were printed from 1965 to 1967.  The Deluxe Editions are tall books that have several color pictures scattered throughout the text.

Volumes 1 through 15 were printed in the Deluxe Edition. 

The Thin Hardcover Editions were printed during the early 1970s, and these books were made with cheap materials have have not lasted well.

Volumes 1 through 16 were printed in the Thin Hardcover Edition.

In 1977, the series changed to paperback with the publication of volume 17.  The earlier paperback editions are known as the Oval editions.

Volumes 1 through 34 were printed in the Oval edition.

In 1984, the paperbacks changed style and cover art, and these paperbacks are known as the Square editions.

Volumes 35 through 38, as well as most of the earlier titles in the series, were printed in the Square edition.  Some scattered volumes were never printed in the Square edition.

Random House is currently reprinting the Trixie Belden series, and the earlier titles are now back in print.  Unfortunately, the majority of the titles in the series remain out of print.  The high-numbered titles in the series went through fewer print runs and are much more difficult to acquire than the earlier titles in the series.

Judy Bolton Series - Titles and Collecting Information

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The Judy Bolton series is a series of books published by Grosset and Dunlap from 1932 through 1967.  The series consists of 38 titles that were all written by Margaret Sutton.  This series is popular with collectors of Nancy Drew, the Dana Girls, Beverly Gray, Trixie Belden, and other similar series.

The ads for the series stated that each book was "based on something that actually happened," and Margaret Sutton did indeed incorporate events from her life into each book.  

The last titles in the series are much more difficult to acquire than the earlier volumes, due to fewer printings and lower print runs.

The Judy Bolton books were never revised like a few other Grosset and Dunlap series.  All hardcover Judy Bolton books have the original unrevised text of the story, regardless of printing, with the exception of The Vanishing Shadow which does exist in a slightly revised 1964 printing.  The 1964 text of The Vanishing Shadow does have 1964 on the copyright page, so it cannot be confused with the original 1932 text.

Additionally, the first four Judy Bolton titles were issued in paperback by Tempo Books, a division of Grosset and Dunlap, in 1967.  The Tempo books do have slightly revised texts.

List of Judy Bolton titles:

  1. The Vanishing Shadow, 1932
  2. The Haunted Attic, 1932
  3. The Invisible Chimes, 1932
  4. Seven Strange Clues, 1932
  5. The Ghost Parade, 1933
  6. The Yellow Phantom, 1933
  7. The Mystic Ball, 1934
  8. The Voice in the Suitcase, 1935
  9. The Mysterious Half Cat, 1936
10. The Riddle of the Double Ring, 1937
11. The Unfinished House, 1938
12. The Midnight Visitor, 1939
13. The Name on the Bracelet, 1940
14. The Clue in the Patchwork Quilt, 1941
15. The Mark on the Mirror, 1942
16. The Secret of the Barred Window, 1943
17. The Rainbow Riddle, 1946
18. The Living Portrait, 1947
19. The Secret of the Musical Tree, 1948
20. The Warning on the Window, 1949
21. The Clue of the Stone Lantern, 1950
22. The Spirit of Fog Island, 1951
23. The Black Cat's Clue, 1952
24. The Forbidden Chest, 1953
25. The Haunted Road, 1954
26. The Clue in the Ruined Castle, 1955
27. The Trail of the Green Doll, 1956
28. The Haunted Fountain, 1957
29. The Clue of the Broken Wing, 1958
30. The Phantom Friend, 1959
31. The Discovery at the Dragon's Mouth, 1960
32. The Whispered Watchword, 1961
33. The Secret Quest, 1962
34. The Puzzle in the Pond, 1963
35. The Hidden Clue, 1964
36. The Pledge of the Twin Knights, 1965
37. The Search for the Glowing Hand, 1966
38. The Secret of the Sand Castle, 1967

Prices:

The purpose of this guide is to provide a starting place for buyers and sellers who are interested in the Judy Bolton series.  This guide does not attempt to give the value of the different Judy Bolton books.  The values are constantly changing based on supply and demand.  If I were to attempt to give values, they would soon be meaningless.  There are way too many factors to consider.  The only statement that can be made with certainty is that the last few titles in the series are much more difficult to acquire and do consistently sell for higher prices.

If you are planning to sell some Judy Bolton books and need to get an idea of the current pricing, search the recently completed Judy Bolton auctions on eBay to get an idea of the selling prices.  If you are planning to buy Judy Bolton books, you should also search the completed auctions to see what the selling prices are.

The illustrations:

Only volumes 1 through 10 were printed with the four glossy illustrations during the 1930s.  Volumes 11 and 12 were printed with one glossy illustration during the late 1930s and early 1940s, and during the same time period, volumes 1 through 10 were reprinted with only one glossy illustration.  Volumes 13 and up never had glossy illustrations; these volumes had the plain paper frontispiece illustration.

First printings:

Never use the copyright page to determine the age of a Judy Bolton book.  Grosset and Dunlap very rarely made changes to the copyright page.  Even when a list of titles does appear on the copyright page, the list will almost always not be accurate.

The two easiest places to look in order to determine the age of a Judy Bolton book are on the dust jacket’s front flap, if present, and on an interior list of titles.  The last title present in the list of Judy Bolton titles will tell you what the age of the book is.  For instance, if the dust jacket's front flap lists to The Mystic Ball, then the book was printed in 1934, which is the year of publication for The Mystic Ball.  Or, if the dust jacket's front flap lists to The Forbidden Chest, then the book was printed in 1953, which is the year of publication for The Forbidden Chest.

When the book is missing its dust jacket, refer to the interior list of titles, if present.  The earlier books from the 1930s and early 1940s have post-text ad pages with lists of titles.  The later Judy Bolton books will usually have a pre-text list of titles which will give you the same information.

Important:  When I refer to a pre-text list of titles, I do not mean a list that may appear on the copyright page.  Since Grosset and Dunlap rarely updated the copyright page, any list of titles that appears on the copyright page will almost always not be accurate.  If there is a pre-text list of titles that can be used to date a book, it will appear on a separate page from the copyright and title page, usually right after the endpapers.  However, with the early thick green Judy Bolton books, do not use an interior list that occurs in the front of the book but not on the copyright page.  For the thick green books, some of them have a list of titles on a page in the front of the book that is not the copyright page; these lists were also never revised. 

Identifying the age of a book:

It helps greatly to learn what the outside of a Judy Bolton book looks like for the different formats so that you can easily see by a seller’s picture how old the book likely is.  I have chosen not to add detailed pictures to this page since the number of pictures that eBay will allow on the guide is too restrictive for me to show you what you need to see.  I already have a very detailed formats page on my own website.  My formats page has pictures of all of the different types of Judy Bolton books.  

Mildred Wirt Benson: Stories and Novels for Children

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Mildred Wirt Benson is best remembered as the author of the early Nancy Drew books.  However, the Nancy Drew books are but one small part of her writing.  Benson wrote well over 100 books, most of which are just as good as the Nancy Drew books that she wrote.  While many of the books were written under Benson's real name, others were written under various pseudonyms.  The purpose of this guide is to list the many books written by Mildred Wirt Benson.

For more information about these different books, please visit my Mildred Wirt Benson page.

Boy Scout Explorers Series (as Don Palmer)

  1. Boy Scout Explorers at Emerald Valley, 1955
  2. Boy Scout Explorers at Treasure Mountain, 1955
  3. Boy Scout Explorers at Headless Hollow, 1957

The Brownie Scouts Series (as Mildred A. Wirt)

  1. The Brownie Scouts at Snow Valley, 1949
  2. The Brownie Scouts in the Circus, 1949
  3. The Brownie Scouts in the Cherry Festival, 1950
  4. The Brownie Scouts and Their Tree House, 1951
  5. The Brownie Scouts at Silver Beach, 1952
  6. The Brownie Scouts at Windmill Farm, 1953

The Dana Girls Mystery Stories (as Carolyn Keene)

  5. The Secret at the Hermitage, 1936
  6. The Circle of Footprints, 1937
  7. The Mystery of the Locked Room, 1938
  8. The Clue in the Cobweb, 1939
  9. The Secret at the Gatehouse, 1940
10. The Mysterious Fireplace, 1941
11. The Clue of the Rusty Key, 1942
12. The Portrait in the Sand, 1943
13. The Secret in the Old Well, 1944
14. The Clue in the Ivy, 1952
15. The Secret of the Jade Ring, 1953
16. Mystery at the Crossroads, 1954

The Dan Carter Cub Scout Series (as Mildred A. Wirt)

  1. Dan Carter, Cub Scout, 1949
  2. Dan Carter and the River Camp, 1949
  3. Dan Carter and the Money Box, 1950
  4. Dan Carter and the Haunted Castle, 1951
  5. Dan Carter and the Great Carved Face, 1952
  6. Dan Carter and the Cub Honor, 1953

Doris Force Mystery Stories (as Julia K. Duncan)

  1. Doris Force at Locked Gates, 1931
  2. Doris Force at Cloudy Cove, 1931

Dot and Dash Books (as Dorothy West)

  1. Dot and Dash at the Maple Sugar Camp, 1938
  2. Dot and Dash at Happy Hollow, 1938
  3. Dot and Dash in the North Woods, 1938
  4. Dot and Dash in the Pumpkin Patch, 1939
  5. Dot and Dash at the Seashore, 1940

Flash Evans Books (as Frank Bell)

  1. Flash Evans and the Darkroom Mystery, 1940
  2. Flash Evans, Camera News Hawk, 1940

Girl Scouts Series (as Mildred A. Wirt)

  1. The Girl Scouts at Penguin Pass, 1953
  2. The Girl Scouts at Singing Sands, 1955
  3. The Girl Scouts at Mystery Mansion, 1957

Honey Bunch Books (as Helen Louise Thorndyke)

18. Honey Bunch, Her First Little Treasure Hunt, 1937
19. Honey Bunch, Her First Little Club, 1938
20. Honey Bunch, Her First Trip in a Trailer, 1939
21. Honey Bunch, Her First Trip to a Big Fair, 1940
22. Honey Bunch, Her First Twin Playmates, 1941

Individual Titles (as Mildred Benson)

Dangerous Deadline, 1957
Quarry Ghost, 1959
Kristie at College [Quarry Ghost], 1960

Connie Carl at Rainbow Ranch, 1939 (as Joan Clark)

Mystery at the Lookout, 1942 (as Carolyn Keene)

Individual Titles (as Mildred A. Wirt)

The Twin Ring Mystery, 1935
Sky Racers, 1935
Carolina Castle, 1936
Courageous Wings, 1937
Linda, 1940
Mystery of the Laughing Mask, 1940
Pirate Brig, 1950

Kay Tracey Mystery Stories (as Frances K. Judd)

  3. The Mystery of the Swaying Curtains, 1935
  4. The Shadow on the Door, 1935
  5. The Six Fingered Glove Mystery, 1936
  6. The Green Cameo Mystery, 1936
  7. The Secret at the Windmill, 1937
  8. Beneath the Crimson Brier Bush, 1937
  9. The Message in the Sand Dunes, 1938
10. The Murmuring Portrait, 1938
11. When the Key Turned, 1939
12. In the Sunken Garden, 1939
14. The Sacred Feather, 1940

The Madge Sterling Series (as Ann Wirt)

  1. The Missing Formula, 1932
  2. The Deserted Yacht, 1932
  3. The Secret of the Sundial, 1932

The Mildred A. Wirt Mystery Stories

The Clue at Crooked Lane, 1936
The Hollow Wall Mystery, 1936
The Shadow Stone, 1937
The Wooden Shoe Mystery, 1938
Through the Moon-Gate Door, 1938
Ghost Gables, 1939
The Painted Shield, 1939

The Nancy Drew Mystery Stories (as Carolyn Keene)

  1. The Secret of the Old Clock, 1930
  2. The Hidden Staircase, 1930
  3. The Bungalow Mystery, 1930
  4. The Mystery at Lilac Inn, 1930
  5. The Secret at Shadow Ranch, 1931
  6. The Secret of Red Gate Farm, 1931
  7. The Clue in the Diary, 1932
11. The Clue of the Broken Locket, 1934
12. The Message in the Hollow Oak, 1935
13. The Mystery of the Ivory Charm, 1936
14. The Whispering Statue, 1937
15. The Haunted Bridge, 1937
16. The Clue of the Tapping Heels, 1939
17. The Mystery of the Brass Bound Trunk, 1940
18. The Mystery at the Moss-Covered Mansion, 1941
19. The Quest of the Missing Map, 1942
20. The Clue in the Jewel Box, 1943
21. The Secret in the Old Attic, 1944
22. The Clue in the Crumbling Wall, 1945
23. The Mystery of the Tolling Bell, 1946
24. The Clue in the Old Album, 1947
25. The Ghost of Blackwood Hall, 1948
30. The Clue of the Velvet Mask, 1953

The Penny Nichols Mystery Stories (as Joan Clark)

  1. Penny Nichols Finds a Clue, 1936
  2. Penny Nichols and the Mystery of the Lost Key, 1936
  3. Penny Nichols and the Black Imp, 1936
  4. Penny Nichols and the Knob Hill Mystery, 1939

The Penny Parker Mystery Stories (as Mildred A. Wirt)

  1. Tale of the Witch Doll, 1939
  2. The Vanishing Houseboat, 1939
  3. Danger at the Drawbridge, 1940
  4. Behind the Green Door, 1940
  5. Clue of the Silken Ladder, 1941
  6. The Secret Pact, 1941
  7. The Clock Strikes Thirteen, 1942
  8. The Wishing Well, 1942
  9. Ghost Beyond the Gate, 1943
10. Saboteurs on the River, 1943
11. Hoofbeats on the Turnpike, 1944
12. Voice from the Cave, 1944
13. Guilt of the Brass Thieves, 1945
14. Signal in the Dark, 1946
15. Whispering Walls, 1946
16. Swamp Island, 1947
17. The Cry at Midnight, 1947

The Ruth Darrow Flying Stories (as Mildred A. Wirt)

  1. Ruth Darrow in the Air Derby, 1930
  2. Ruth Darrow in the Fire Patrol, 1930
  3. Ruth Darrow in the Coast Guard, 1931
  4. Ruth Darrow in Yucatan, 1931

The Ruth Fielding Series (as Alice B. Emerson)

23. Ruth Fielding and Her Great Scenario, 1927
24. Ruth Fielding at Cameron Hall, 1928
25. Ruth Fielding Clearing Her Name, 1929
26. Ruth Fielding in Talking Pictures, 1930
27. Ruth Fielding and Baby June, 1931
28. Ruth Fielding and Her Double, 1932
29. Ruth Fielding and Her Greatest Triumph, 1933
30. Ruth Fielding and Her Crowning Victory, 1934

Trailer Stories for Girls (as Mildred A. Wirt)

 1. The Runaway Caravan, 1937
 2. The Crimson Cruiser, 1937
 3. Timbered Treasure, 1937
 4. The Phantom Trailer, 1938 

Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys Super Mystery Series Titles

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In this series, Nancy Drew teams up with Frank and Joe Hardy to solve mysteries.  This series was in print from 1988 until 1998 and consists of 36 volumes.  Since the higher-numbered titles went through fewer printings, they are much more scarce than the lower-numbered titles.

Unfortunately, the books are not numbered in this series as with most series books.  It is quite necessary to have a list of titles in order to keep track of which books are needed.  The purpose of this guide is to provide a list for buyers to use.  The books are listed in order by using the pre-text lists that appear in the front of each book.

This guide is not intended to be a price guide.  If I were to attempt to give prices, they would soon be meaningless.  Prices are constantly changing based on supply and demand.  If you want to have an idea of how much certain titles are worth, search on eBay for recently completed auctions and take a look at the prices.  The higher-numbered titles in the series usually sell for higher prices because they went through fewer printings.

List of Titles:

  1.  Double Crossing, 1988
  2.  A Crime for Christmas, 1988
  3.  Shock Waves, 1989
  4.  Dangerous Games, 1989
  5.  The Last Resort, 1989
  6.  The Paris Connection, 1990
  7.  Buried in Time, 1990
  8.  Mystery Train, 1990
  9.  Best of Enemies, 1991
10.  High Survival, 1991
11.  New Years Evil, 1991
12.  Tour of Danger, 1992
13.  Spies and Lies, 1992
14.  Tropic of Fear, 1992
15.  Courting Disaster, 1993
16.  Hits and Misses, 1993
17.  Evil in Amsterdam, 1993
18.  Desperate Measures, 1994
19.  Passport to Danger, 1994
20.  Hollywood Horror, 1994
21.  Copper Canyon Conspiracy, 1994
22.  Danger Down Under, 1995
23.  Dead on Arrival, 1995
24.  Target for Terror, 1995
25.  Secrets of the Nile, 1995
26.  A Question of Guilt, 1996
27.  Islands of Intrigue, 1996
28.  Murder on the Fourth of July, 1996
29.  High Stakes, 1996
30.  Nightmare in New Orleans, 1997
31.  Out of Control, 1997
32.  Exhibition of Evil, 1997
33.  At All Costs, 1997
34.  Royal Revenge, 1997
35.  Operation: Titanic, 1998
36.  Process of Elimination, 1998

The Bobbsey Twins Series by Laura Lee Hope 1904-1979

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The Bobbsey Twins series was published by Grosset and Dunlap from 1908 until 1979.  The original Bobbsey Twins series lasted for 72 titles.  The series was written by several authors under the pseudonym of Laura Lee Hope.  

The first publishers of the Bobbsey Twins were Mershon and Chatterton-Peck before Grosset and Dunlap took over in 1908.  In 1979, new titles were published in softcover under the Wanderer imprint by Simon and Schuster.  This page does not cover the Simon and Schuster titles.  

The original copyright date is listed below for each volume.  Many of the books were revised during the 1960s, and the titles were changed.  The 1960s titles are also indicated in the below list.

List of titles

  1. The Bobbsey Twins, or Merry Days Indoors and Out, 1904
      The Bobbsey Twins of Lakeport, 1961
  2. The Bobbsey Twins in the Country, 1907
      The Bobbsey Twins' Adventure in the Country, 1961
  3. The Bobbsey Twins at the Seashore, 1907
      The Bobbsey Twins: The Secret at the Seashore, 1961
  4. The Bobbsey Twins at School, 1913
      The Bobbsey Twins' Mystery at School, 1962
  5. The Bobbsey Twins at Snow Lodge, 1913
      The Bobbsey Twins and the Mystery at Snow Lodge, 1960
  6. The Bobbsey Twins on a Houseboat, 1915
  7. The Bobbsey Twins at Meadow Brook, 1915
      The Bobbsey Twins' Mystery at Meadow Brook, 1963
  8. The Bobbsey Twins at Home, 1916
      The Bobbsey Twins' Big Adventure at Home, 1960
  9. The Bobbsey Twins in a Great City, 1917
      The Bobbsey Twins' Search in the Great City, 1960
10. The Bobbsey Twins on Blueberrry Island, 1917
11. The Bobbsey Twins on the Deep Blue Sea, 1918
      The Bobbsey Twins' Mystery on the Deep Blue Sea, 1965
12. The Bobbsey Twins in Washington, 1919
      The Bobbsey Twins' Adventure in Washington, 1962
13. The Bobbsey Twins in the Great West, 1920
      The Bobbsey Twins' Visit to the Great West, 1966
14. The Bobbsey Twins at Cedar Camp, 1921
      The Bobbsey Twins and the Cedar Camp Mystery, 1967
15. The Bobbsey Twins at the County Fair, 1922
      The Bobbsey Twins and the County Fair Mystery, 1960
16. The Bobbsey Twins Camping Out, 1923
17. The Bobbsey Twins and Baby May, 1924
      The Bobbsey Twins' Adventures with Baby May, 1968
18. The Bobbsey Twins Keeping House, 1925
      The Bobbsey Twins and the Play House Secret, 1968
19. The Bobbsey Twins at Cloverbank, 1926
      The Bobbsey Twins and the Four Leaf Clover Mystery, 1968
20. The Bobbsey Twins at Cherry Corners, 1927
      The Bobbsey Twins: The Mystery at Cherry Corners, 1971
21. The Bobbsey Twins and their Schoolmates, 1928
22. The Bobbsey Twins Treasure Hunting, 1929      
23. The Bobbsey Twins at Spruce Lake, 1930
24. The Bobbsey Twins' Wonderful Secret, 1931
      The Bobbsey Twins' Wonderful Winter Secret, 1962
25. The Bobbsey Twins at the Circus, 1932
     The Bobbsey Twins and the Circus Surprise, 1960
26. The Bobbsey Twins on an Airplane Trip, 1933    
27. The Bobbsey Twins Solve a Mystery, 1932           
28. The Bobbsey Twins on a Ranch, 1935           
29. The Bobbsey Twins in Eskimo Land, 1936          
30. The Bobbsey Twins in a Radio Play, 1937
31. The Bobbsey Twins at Windmill Cottage, 1938
32. The Bobbsey Twins at Lighthouse Point, 1939
33. The Bobbsey Twins at Indian Hollow, 1940
34. The Bobbsey Twins at the Ice Carnival, 1941
35. The Bobbsey Twins in the Land of Cotton, 1942    
36. The Bobbsey Twins in Echo Valley, 1943
37. The Bobbsey Twins on the Pony Trail, 1944    
38. The Bobbsey Twins at Mystery Mansion, 1945    
39. The Bobbsey Twins at Sugar Maple Hill, 1946
40. The Bobbsey Twins in Mexico, 1947
41. The Bobbsey Twins' Toy Shop, 1948
42. The Bobbsey Twins in Tulip Land, 1949
43. The Bobbsey Twins in Rainbow Valley, 1950
44. The Bobbsey Twins' Own Little Railroad, 1951
45. The Bobbsey Twins at Whitesail Harbor, 1952
46. The Bobbsey Twins and the Horseshoe Riddle, 1953
47. The Bobbsey Twins at Big Bear Pond, 1953
48. The Bobbsey Twins on a Bicycle Trip, 1954
49. The Bobbsey Twins' Own Little Ferryboat, 1956
50. The Bobbsey Twins at Pilgrim Rock, 1956
51. The Bobbsey Twins' Forest Adventure, 1957
52. The Bobbsey Twins at London Tower, 1959
53. The Bobbsey Twins in the Mystery Cave, 1960
54. The Bobbsey Twins in Volcano Land, 1961
55. The Bobbsey Twins and the Goldfish Mystery, 1962
56. The Bobbsey Twins and the Big River Mystery, 1963
57. The Bobbsey Twins and the Greek Hat Mystery, 1964
58. The Bobbsey Twins: Search for the Green Rooster, 1965
59. The Bobbsey Twins and Their Camel Adventure, 1966
60. The Bobbsey Twins: Mystery of the King's Puppet, 1967
61. The Bobbsey Twins and the Secret of Candy Castle, 1968
62. The Bobbsey Twins and the Doodlebug Mystery, 1969
63. The Bobbsey Twins and the Talking Fox Mystery, 1970
64. The Bobbsey Twins: The Red, White and Blue Mystery, 1971
65. The Bobbsey Twins: Dr. Funnybone's Secret, 1972
66. The Bobbsey Twins and the Tagalong Giraffe, 1973
67. The Bobbsey Twins and the Flying Clown, 1974
68. The Bobbsey Twins: On the Sun-Moon Cruise, 1975
69. The Bobbsey Twins: The Freedom Bell Mystery, 1976
70. The Bobbsey Twins: The Smoky Mountain Mystery, 1977
71. The Bobbsey Twins in a TV Mystery Show, 1978
72. The Bobbsey Twins: The Coral Turtle Mystery, 1979

Formats

The Bobbsey Twins books printed by Grosset and Dunlap from 1908 until 1932 have four glossy illustrations.  These books are thick and have good quality paper.  From 1932 through 1942, the books were printed with just a glossy frontispiece illustration.  From 1942 through 1948, the books became less thick.  These books each have a plain paper frontispiece illustration and have poor quality paper.  From 1949 through around 1962, the books have a tweed cover.  Around 1963 to 1964, the series switched to the lavender spine picture cover format.  

It is important to note that not all of the Bobbsey Twins books were printed in the lavender spine picture cover format during the 1960s and 1970s.  It is impossible to obtain a complete set of volumes 1 through 72 in the lavender spine format.  I do not know for certain which titles were omitted, but I believe it is some of the books that were never revised, such as volumes 21 through 23 among others.

For more information and pictures about the different Bobbsey Twins formats, there is an excellent website with this information.  It can easily be found by searching the internet for Bobbsey Twins formats.*

Prices

Prices are constantly changing based on supply and demand.  Generally, there is not as much demand for Bobbsey Twins books as for other vintage series books.  However, certain formats that are more scarce will sell for higher prices when several buyers are interested.  This guide is not intended to be a price guide since it is impossible to predict what a certain book will bring at any given time.

First printings

The copyright page is the last place to look when trying to determine whether a Bobbsey Twins book is the first printing.  The copyright pages were rarely updated by Grosset and Dunlap.

If the book does not have a dust jacket and if it is one of the thick, earlier books with glossy illustrations, look in the back of the book after the end of the story to see if there is a list of Bobbsey Twins titles.  If the book is one of the less thick books that has a plain paper frontispiece, there may be a list in the front of the book on a page other than the copyright page.  Do not use any list that may appear on the copyright page.  For the lavender spine books, there is a list of titles that appears on the back cover of the book.

If the book has a dust jacket, look on the front flap and/or back panel for a list of Bobbsey Twins titles. 

Once an appropriate list of titles has been found, refer to the last title in the list.  The last title listed determines the year of printing.  For instance, if the dust jacket's front flap lists to The Bobbsey Twins in the Land of Cotton, then the book was printed in 1942, which is the year of publication for The Bobbsey Twins in the Land of Cotton.  Or, if the dust jacket's front flap lists to The Bobbsey Twins at Pilgrim Rock, then the book was printed in 1956, which is the year of publication for The Bobbsey Twins at Pilgrim Rock. 

*eBay never allowed off-site links in its guides, so I had to tell users how to find the Bobbsey Twins formats pages.  The page to which I referred in the guide is Bobbsey Twins Formats.  Another page now exists, The Bobbsey Twins Collectors Guide.

Susan Sand Mystery Stories by Marilyn Ezzell 1982-1984

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The Susan Sand Mystery Stories series was published by Pinnacle in softcover from 1982 through 1984.  The series was written by Marilyn Ezzell.

Advertisements for the series described Susan Sand as the "modern detective heroine in the classic tradition of Nancy Drew."  The series was published as a direct rival to the Nancy Drew series.  The design of the front covers mimicked the design of the Nancy Drew paperback titles of the early 1980s.

List of Titles:

1. The Mystery at Hollowhearth House, 1982
2. The Secret of Clovercrest Castle, 1982
3. The Clue in Witchwhistle Well, 1982
4. The Riddle of Raggedrock Ridge, 1982
5. The Phantom of Featherford Falls, 1983
6. The Password to Diamonddwarf Dale, 1983
7. The Search for the Snowship Songs, 1984
8. The Mystery of Beggarbay Bluff, 1984

Availability:

All eight titles are scarce.  The higher-numbered titles are more scarce, and #8 is rare.  The first several titles are worth around $5 to $10.  #7 is worth around $25.00, and #8 is worth at least around $50.00.*  These values are just an estimate based on selling prices that I have seen.  The values are subject to increase or decrease based on supply and demand.  Also keep in mind that books with heavy wear will be worth significantly less. 

*The above information about value was based on my observations in 2006.  Most series book values collapsed in late 2008 and have never recovered.  All titles in the series can currently be found for under $20, and sometimes partial or complete sets sell for under $20.  The books are still scarce, but few people are interested in purchasing them.

Connie Blair Series - Titles and Collecting Information

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The Connie Blair series is a 12 volume series that was published by Grosset and Dunlap.  The first 11 books were written by Betty Cavanna under the pseudonym of Betsy Allen, and the last book was written by an unknown acquaintance of Cavanna.  The advertising for the series states, "You can identify A Connie Blair Mystery at a glance because a color is always featured in the title."

Connie Blair is a young woman who works for an advertising firm.  Connie's assignments often lead her to exotic locales and always land Connie in the middle of a dangerous mystery.

List of Titles:

  1. The Clue in Blue, 1948
  2. The Riddle in Red, 1948
  3. Puzzle in Purple, 1948
  4. The Secret of Black Cat Gulch, 1948
  5. The Green Island Mystery, 1949
  6. The Ghost Wore White, 1950
  7. The Yellow Warning, 1951
  8. The Gray Menace, 1953
  9. The Brown Satchel Mystery, 1954
10. Peril in Pink, 1955
11. The Silver Secret, 1956
12. The Mystery of the Ruby Queens, 1958

Formats:

All 12 volumes were originally printed in hardcover with dust jacket.  Volumes 1 through 4 were reprinted in the picture cover format, which is when the front cover picture is printed directly on the book itself.  Volume 4 is more difficult to acquire in picture cover than volumes 1, 2, and 3.  All 12 volumes were reprinted during the late 1960s in paperback by Tempo Books, a division of Grosset and Dunlap.  In 1978, volumes 1, 9, and 12 were once again reprinted in paperback.

Identifying the age of a book:

The copyright page is the last place to look when you are trying to discover the age of a Connie Blair book.  Grosset and Dunlap never made changes to the copyright page.  For each volume, every single printing in dust jacket will have the same copyright page.  For example, all printings of The Clue in Blue from 1948 until the last dust-jacketed printing in 1961 will have the exact same copyright page stating 1948 with no other dates.  This means that to the uninformed, all dust-jacketed copies of The Clue in Blue appear to be first printings when most of them are not first printings.  The same applies to the rest of the titles in the series.

The two easiest places to look in order to determine the age of a Connie Blair book are on the dust jacket’s front flap, if the jacket is present, and on an interior list of titles.  The last title present in the list of Connie Blair titles will tell you what the age of the book is.  For instance, if the dust jacket's front flap lists to The Green Island Mystery, then the book was printed in 1949, which is the year of publication for The Green Island Mystery.  Or, if the dust jacket's front flap lists to The Brown Satchel Mystery, then the book was printed in 1954, which is the year of publication for The Brown Satchel Mystery.

When the book is missing its dust jacket, refer to the interior list of titles, if present.  There is usually a list of titles present on one of the pages in the front of the book. 

For more information, visit my series book website.

Rick Brant Science Adventure Series by John Blaine

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The Rick Brant Science Adventure series was published by Grosset and Dunlap from 1947 through 1968.  The series is also known as the Rick Brant Electronic Adventures and the Rick Brant Science-Adventure Stories.  The series was written by Peter J. Harkins and Harold Goodwin under the pseudonym of John Blaine.  Harkins and Goodwin co-wrote the first three titles, and Goodwin wrote the rest of the series himself.

List of Titles:

  1. The Rocket's Shadow, 1947
  2. The Lost City, 1947
  3. Sea Gold, 1947
  4. 100 Fathoms Under, 1947
  5. The Whispering Box Mystery, 1948
  6. The Phantom Shark, 1949
  7. Smugglers' Reef, 1950
  8. The Caves of Fear, 1951
  9. Stairway to Danger, 1952
10. The Golden Skull, 1954
11. The Wailing Octopus, 1956
12. The Electronic Mind Reader, 1957
13. The Scarlet Lake Mystery, 1958
14. The Pirates of Shan, 1958
15. The Blue Ghost Mystery, 1960
16. The Egyptian Cat Mystery, 1961
17. The Flaming Mountain, 1962
18. The Flying Stingaree, 1963
19. The Ruby Ray Mystery, 1964
20. The Veiled Raiders, 1965
21. The Rocket Jumper, 1966
22. The Deadly Dutchman, 1967
23. Danger Below!, 1968
24. The Magic Talisman, 1990
Rick Brant's Science Projects, 1960

Prices:

The purpose of this guide is to provide a starting place for buyers and sellers who are interested in the Rick Brant series.  This guide does not attempt to give the value of the different Rick Brant books.  The values are constantly changing based on supply and demand.  If I were to attempt to give values, they would soon be meaningless.  There are way too many factors to consider.  The only statement that can be made with certainty is that the last few titles in the series are much more difficult to acquire and do consistently sell for high prices.

If you are planning to sell some Rick Brant books and need to get an idea of the current pricing, search the recently completed Rick Brant auctions on eBay to get an idea of the selling prices.  If you are planning to buy Rick Brant books, you should also search the completed auctions to see what the selling prices are.

Formats:

Books 1 through 16  as well as Rick Brant's Science Projects were originally printed in hardcover with dust jackets.  Volumes 1 through 16 were also printed in picture cover during the 1960s.  The picture cover editions are books that have the picture printed directly on the front cover of the book.  Volumes 17 through 23 were only printed in the picture cover format.

Volume 24 was never published by Grosset and Dunlap.  It was finally printed in 1990 in a limited edition by Manuscript Press.

First printings:

Never use the copyright page to determine the age of a Rick Brant book.  The copyright pages were never updated by Grosset and Dunlap, so all of the books appear to be first printings when only the copyright page is considered.

The two easiest places to look in order to determine the age of a Rick Brant book are on the dust jacket’s front flap, if the dust jacket is present, and on an interior list of titles.  The last title present in the list of Rick Brant titles will tell you what the age of the book is.  For instance, if the dust jacket's front flap lists to The Whispering Box Mystery, then the book was printed in 1948, which is the year of publication for The Whispering Box Mystery.  Or, if the dust jacket's front flap lists to The Electronic Mind Reader, then the book was printed in 1957, which is the year of publication for The Electronic Mind Reader.

When the book is missing its dust jacket, refer to the interior list of titles, if present.  There is often a list of titles in the front of the book somewhere in front of the title page.  

For the picture cover editions, there is a list of titles on the back cover.  The last title in this list will indicate the year of printing. 

For more information, visit my series book website.