Trixie Belden #39 The Mystery of the Galloping Ghost

In Trixie Belden #39, The Mystery of the Galloping Ghost, Trixie and Honey travel to Minnesota with Regan to stay on a ranch.  At the ranch, Regan hopes to learn some new techniques that he can use with the Wheelers' horses.  Trixie meets a ghost hunter, and she even sees what might be a ghost riding a horse.  The ranch is in danger of being lost to a developer, and Trixie suspects trickery.

One of the ranch's horses is named Jupiter.  This is odd, since one of the Wheelers' horses is Jupiter.

The ranch owner's name is Bill Murrow.  The author refers to him as Bill throughout the book, and this kept confusing me since Regan's first name is Bill.  I don't understand why the surname wasn't used.  It would have helped me for sure.

The plot is very flimsy, especially towards the end.  For instance, a horse goes missing, and everyone searches for the horse for at least a couple of hours.  It seems to me that they search in the entire surrounding area.  Later, Trixie realizes where the horse must be, and she goes directly there and finds it.  The location is rather close to the ranch, close enough that Trixie and Honey can walk there.  This doesn't make sense.

While I consider this book to be overall good, it bored me for the most part.

As I read Trixie Belden #35 through 39, I kept thinking of the Nancy Drew Diaries series, which is the current incarnation of Nancy Drew that is being published by Simon and Schuster.  I can make multiple comparisons.  The authors of the final Trixie Belden books didn't try very hard, just like the authors of the Nancy Drew Diaries series put forth little effort.  The Trixie Belden authors had to have looked at the publisher information sheet for the series, but it's more like they simply pulled names off of it and used however they wanted, kind of like Mad Libs (see Nancy Drew Diaries #10 review).

Trixie is "smug" in these final books, which is like when Nancy Drew or her friends "smirk" in the Nancy Drew Diaries series.  Both words annoy me so much.

And now I will stop myself before I go off into a long rant about the Nancy Drew Diaries series.  But I will make one final remark.  What was done to Trixie Belden in the final Trixie Belden books was bad but nowhere near as bad as what has been done to Nancy Drew in some of the Nancy Drew Diaries books.  Just read my review of Nancy Drew Diaries #16 to see how Nancy Drew has been turned into a coward.  The inconsistencies of the final Trixie Belden books are bad, but at least Trixie mostly retains her correct character traits, unlike Nancy Drew in the Nancy Drew Diaries series. 

Trixie Belden #37 Pet Show Mystery and #38 Indian Burial Ground Mystery

In Trixie Belden #37, The Pet Show Mystery, Trixie sees Norma Nelson feeding the pheasants on Glen Road.  When Trixie realizes that the pheasants cannot find enough food during the winter, she and the Bob-Whites organize a pet show.  The proceeds will purchase seed for the birds.  As plans get underway, someone tries to sabotage the show.  Trixie must find the culprit before the show is ruined.

It's a bit rude for Trixie to upstage Norma and find a way to feed the birds without asking Norma for help or trying to involve her at all.

The characters behave inconsistently in this story as compared to earlier books in the series.  Quality control was lacking.  That aside, the story is overall very good.

In Trixie Belden #38, The Indian Burial Ground Mystery, an archaeological dig commences in the Wheelers' game preserve.  Trixie and Honey get jobs at the dig.  Meanwhile, thieves are breaking into the homes of the wealthy.  One night, the girls see a ghost in the game preserve while the Manor House is being robbed.  Is there a connection, or have the Indians' spirits risen from their graves?

This book is full of characterization errors.  Suddenly, Trixie likes riding Lady the best.  It was always Susie before.

Miss Trask actually screams when the Manor House is robbed.  Miss Trask would never scream.  On page 171, Miss Trask grumbles.  Ugh!  No, she wouldn't!

I just wanted to slap Trixie all through this book.  She is described as "smug" over and over throughout the book.  This reminds me of the "smirks" in the Nancy Drew Diaries series.  I cannot stand it.

Trixie also pouts on page 180.  Say what?!

On page 151, Trixie and Honey are able to pull a man and a dog out of a cellar by pulling them up by rope.  The man and dog are said to weigh around 200 pounds altogether.  I am a bit skeptical about whether the girls really could have done it.

This is a very good book, but in order to enjoy it, the reader must ignore the glaring inconsistencies.

Trixie Belden #35 Mystery of the Memorial Day Fire and #36 Mystery of the Antique Doll

In Trixie Belden #35, The Mystery of the Memorial Day Fire, the Bob-Whites are watching the Memorial Day Parade with the rest of the town when a large explosion occurs inside a downtown building.  The Bob-Whites are dismayed to learn that Nick Roberts' father's shop was the location of the explosion.  The shop has been destroyed and Mr. Roberts is suspected of being the culprit.  Trixie suspects a newspaper reporter of setting of the explosion, perhaps to create news.

Beginning with this book, the stories are around 20 pages shorter than the preceding books in the series.

The Bob-Whites are selling T-shirts to help Nick's father, and on page 122, Trixie claims that she doesn't know anybody, which makes it hard to sell anything.  She then states that she is afraid to try because she fears that "people will hang up on me or laugh at me."  Since when has Trixie ever worried about failure or what other people think?  This is such a major character inconsistency that I am dumbfounded.  How could the author screw up like this?

Later in the book, the Wheelers' tack room is on fire.  The horses are inside, and nobody removes them.  The horses are just left in there to inhale smoke while the fire department is called.  Sure, the fire is put out, but the horses still could have died of smoke inhalation.  Not only that, but Regan is absent without explanation.  I thought Regan is paid to take care of the horses.  I suppose that's why everyone just leaves the horses in the stable to die.

This book is overall good, but it is certainly below average as compared to most books in the series.

In Trixie Belden #36, The Mystery of the Antique Doll, Trixie and Honey are enlisted to help Mrs. De Keyser, an injured woman who lives on Glen Road.  A new antique shop has opened next to Mrs. De Keyser's house, and Trixie finds it strange that the owner, Mr. Reid, knows very little about antiques.  Later, Trixie and Honey plan to go to Paris for the weekend with the Wheelers as a reward for being finalists in a spelling bee.  Mr. Reid requests that the girls pick up an antique doll for him and bring it to the United States.

The problem with this book is that so much of it makes little sense.  It's odd for Trixie and Honey to be finalists in a spelling bee.  This is random and inconsistent with the rest of the series.

It's also odd that Trixie and Honey are suddenly on the school's newspaper staff along with Mart.

I kept wondering about the antique doll.  It is strangely not mentioned until page 70.  The titular subject is completely absent until nearly halfway through the story.

It's strange for Trixie and Honey only, and no other Bob-Whites, to get to go to Paris on a weekend in the middle of the story.  It's also bizarre for the Wheelers to turn the girls loose in Paris unchaperoned except for their cab driver, who was not known to them beforehand.

The next paragraph contains a plot spoiler, so skip it if you don't want to know.  I contend that this story is too stupid for a spoiler to matter, but I have done my duty in warning anyone who cares.

The antique shop owner was using the girls to smuggle something into the United States—something hidden on the doll.  You would think that the objects would be hidden inside the doll.  But no, the rather heavy and unwieldy items are sewn into the doll's dress.  How utterly obvious and stupid.  Oh, and the objects?  They are printing plates to be used to print counterfeit money.  OMG.

The book is actually overall good, but the plot is beyond stupid.

Trixie Belden #33 Mystery of the Vanishing Victim and #34 Mystery of the Missing Millionaire

In Trixie Belden #33, The Mystery of the Vanishing Victim, the Bob-Whites decide to hold a rummage sale.  A Model T Ford is donated to the sale, and the Bob-Whites advertise the sale by using the Model T to pick up donations.  The vehicle is vandalized, and meanwhile, a man is run down by a vehicle.  The man does not know his own name, and he disappears.  Trixie vows to find him.

This book contains too much information about various collectibles, automobiles, and other explanatory information.  It is so boring!  The mystery is uninteresting, and I have never liked this book.

I remember purchasing this book at Target, probably in 1983.  I remember reading it, and I did not enjoy it.  Most of the books I read were from my elementary school library, although my mother did purchase a few of the older editions for me at a garage sale.  This was the only Trixie Belden book that I purchased new and the only title higher than #16 that I read when young.  If I had only purchased a different book than this particular one from Target, perhaps I might have purchased some more of the higher-numbered ones, like the ones that are actually good.

In Trixie Belden #34, The Mystery of the Missing Millionaire, Trixie and Honey find a wallet on Glen Road near Mr. Lytell's store.  The girls turn the wallet over to Mr. Lytell, who gets in touch with the owner's daughter.  The girls learn that the man has disappeared, and his daughter, Laura, is very worried.  Laura needs money to hire a private investigator, and Mr. Lytell loans her some money.  Trixie doesn't like Laura, because Jim pays too much attention to her.  Trixie is quite suspicious of Laura and doesn't know whether she has just cause or is suspicious because of her feelings.

A subplot has Mart falling for a get-rich-quick scheme.  I find it rather hard to believe that Mart, of all people, would fall for a scam.  It would have been more believable for Bobby to have fallen for a scheme, since Bobby lacks all common sense.

This is a very good book.

Trixie Belden #31 Mystery at Maypenny's and #32 Mystery of the Whispering Witch

In Trixie Belden #31, The Mystery at Maypenny's, a factory plans to expand using part of Matthew Wheeler's game preserve.  The factory also plans to take part of Mr. Maypenny's property.  Mr. Maypenny is strongly opposed to the plan, while Mr. Wheeler is in favor of it.  Even the Bob-Whites are divided, with some of them wanting the economic development and others wanting the game preserve to stay completely intact.

Mr. Maypenny's nephew comes to visit, but he doesn't stay long after Mr. Maypenny becomes furious that his nephew is trying to obtain power of attorney.  An environmentalist also becomes involved, and the situation worsens when dead ducks are found in the game preserve.

The story has some flaws, but this is still a very good book.

In Trixie Belden #32, The Mystery of the Whispering Witch, Fay Franklin lives in the old Lisgard mansion with her mother, who is the housekeeper.  Fay's mother has to be hospitalized, so Trixie and Honey spend the night in the mansion with Fay.  The mansion is said to be haunted, and the girls are visited by the witch.  Terrified, the girls make it through the night, but nobody will believe their story.  It soon becomes apparent that Fay thinks she is possessed, but Trixie suspects a more earthly explanation.

This book probably would have scared me if I had read it when young.  Now, it does nothing for me.  I don't find it scary because the story is too strange for a Trixie Belden book.

While the main mystery is explained away, the ending of the story implies that Trixie actually had been visited by the witch's spirit.

This is an overall good story.

Trixie Belden #29 Mystery of the Velvet Gown and #30 Mystery of the Midnight Marauder

In Trixie Belden #29, The Mystery of the Velvet Gown, Trixie helps with the school's production of Romeo and Juliet.  The drama teacher, Miss Darcy, has borrowed some costumes for the production.  The velvet gown disappears, and Trixie finds Miss Darcy with the costume later.  While Trixie trusts Miss Darcy, she begins to suspect that all is not right.

In the meantime, Miss Darcy's father has been abducted in England, and a classmate is jealous that Diana has won the role of Juliet.

The plot has too many different parts that don't fit well together.  The jealous classmate is not relevant to the rest of the story except that the jealous classmate helps the girls towards the end of the story.

The abduction of Miss Darcy's father is relevant to the plot, but it appears to be inconsequential until late in the story.  In short, the story could have been plotted better.

This book is good but nothing special.  I became bored towards the end of the story.

In Trixie Belden #30, The Mystery of the Midnight Marauder, a vandal who calls himself the Midnight Marauder performs acts of mischief during the night.  Strangely, the vandal warns his victims ahead of time, which is most curious.  Mart is one of the suspects, simply because he will not admit to why he was at the school late one night.  The Bob-Whites know that Mart is innocent but cannot figure out the guilty party.  Trixie soon realizes that the advance warnings hold the key to determining the Midnight Marauder's true purpose.

This story is extremely good, and the plot is quite compelling.  Mart is involved with the school newspaper, and Mart's role in the story is what makes this book so good.  I cannot give any further information without revealing a major plot point.

This is an excellent book.

Trixie Belden #27 Mystery of the Ghostly Galleon and #28 Hudson River Mystery

In Trixie Belden #27, The Mystery of the Ghostly Galleon, the Bob-Whites spend the weekend at Miss Trask's family home Pirate's Inn, on the Hudson River.  Trixie hopes to solve the mystery of how old Captain Trask vanished from the dining room many years before.  Instead, Trixie finds herself working on the mystery of how Miss Trask's brother, Frank Trask, disappears from the dining room during dinner one evening.  Even worse, Mr. Trask's money has disappeared, and the Trask family may end up losing the inn when they fail to pay back their creditor.

Pretty much everything about this story is great.  I enjoyed Miss Trask's behavior when the Bob-Whites worry about imposing on her trip back home.  The banter between the Bob-Whites is quite good, and the story is quite engaging.

This is a very suspenseful story.  It is excellent.

In Trixie Belden #28, The Hudson River Mystery, Brian begins acting strange.  He is forgetful and uninterested, and he has a car accident.  Meanwhile, Trixie sees a shark in the Hudson River, but no one will believe her.  Trixie asks for help from an author who is staying in Sleepyside, and later, Trixie realizes that the author knows nothing about sharks.

The author of this book outs herself on page 153.  "Lawrence Krull was believed to be the only victim of the boating accident... Kathleen, his ex-wife, stated that Krull hunted sunken treasure."  This book was written by Kathleen Krull.  Clever!

This story is a bit weak.  It really has two unconnected plots that should have been connected.  When Brian gets sick, his illness should have been caused by a contaminant found near the Hudson River, since Brian had been spending his free time there.  After all, the book is The Hudson River Mystery, so it's odd that Brian's illness has nothing to do with it.

The other part of the plot has to do with someone trying to retrieve treasure from the river, and this part is a bit stupid.

All that aside, I really enjoyed the book and still consider it to be an excellent story.

Trixie Belden #25 The Sasquatch Mystery and #26 The Mystery of the Headless Horseman

In Trixie Belden #25, The Sasquatch Mystery, the Bob-Whites and Miss Trask are camping in the woods of Idaho with Hallie, Cap, and Knut Belden.  One evening, the campers spot a very tall creature near camp, a creature that might be the sasquatch!  When Cap Belden vanishes, the Bob-Whites fear that the sasquatch has taken him.

This is a good book, but it isn't as good as it should have been.  I feel that the story could have been more compelling.  Perhaps the problem is simply that I knew that the sasquatch could not possibly be real, so I never felt much suspense.

In Trixie Belden #26, The Mystery of the Headless Horseman, Diana's butler, Harrison, disappears, just before a charity event that he is to help run for the Bob-Whites.  Trixie and Honey follow a trail of clues and discover Harrison locked in the basement of Sleepyside Hollow.  Strangely, Harrison insists that he accidentally locked himself in the basement, when there is no possible way he could have bolted it from the outside.  Trixie begins to suspect that Harrison is guilty of a crime, which puts a strain on her relationship with Di.

This story is interesting since it mimics plot points from Trixie Belden #4, The Mysterious Visitor, as well as some of the other Julie Campbell titles.  In fact, page 149 refers to "Harrison's mysterious visitors."

Like in The Mysterious Visitor, Trixie and Di's relationship is strained because Trixie suspects someone close to Di of being guilty of a crime.  Harrison has a prominent role in both stories.

I also noticed that Trixie and Honey hide in the hayloft of an abandoned barn just like they do in The Red Trailer Mystery.  Last, Reddy causes lots of trouble just like he does in the Julie Campbell books.

This book is excellent.

Trixie Belden #23 Mystery of the Queen's Necklace and #24 Mystery at Saratoga

In Trixie Belden #23, The Mystery of the Queen's Necklace, Honey has a necklace that has been passed down through the Hart branch of her family.  The Bob-Whites travel to England with Miss Trask to help research the history of the necklace.  Trixie soon notices that a pickpocket keeps following them around.  She suspects that the pickpocket is after the necklace.  Trixie is soon suspicious of everyone, including the knowledgeable and affable guide.

In this story, London said to be the sixth largest city in the world, and this was in 1979.  I knew London couldn't be anywhere near that high on the list now.  I checked, and London is now #29 on one list and #42 on another.

As the Bob-Whites visit the sites, they end up on Baker Street at 221B.  I am glad that Sherlock Holmes is said to be fictional, unlike the nonsense in The Mystery on the Mississippi when the Bob-Whites act like all of Mark Twain's characters were real.

The book is good but is not one that I enjoy very much.  The book is too much of a travelogue for me.

In Trixie Belden #24, The Mystery at Saratoga, Regan has disappeared!  He left shortly after the arrival of Mr. Worthington, who races valuable horses.  Trixie investigates and learns that Regan once worked for Worthington and was suspected of doping a horse.  Trixie is devastated, but her intuition tells her that Regan is innocent.  Trixie and Honey stay with the Wheelers at Saratoga as they search for Regan and try to find a way to prove his innocence.

This book has way too much history and information about horses.  I skimmed those parts.

The parts of the story that focus on Regan are pretty good.

Trixie and Honey meet a woman who once cared about Regan.  I find it rather strange that she also calls him Regan instead of using his first name, Bill.

I skimmed the last part of the story.  The book is good, but I do not care for it.

Trixie Belden #21 Mystery of the Castaway Children and #22 Mystery at Mead's Mountain

In Trixie Belden #21, The Mystery of the Castaway Children, the Beldens find a baby in Reddy's doghouse.  The entire family and all of the Bob-Whites immediately fall in love with the baby and take turns caring for it.  The Bob-Whites are distressed that the baby has bruises and are concerned for its welfare.  They begin searching for the family.

I have never liked this book, and I still do not like it.  I read some of it, skimmed to the middle, then I quit reading.

In Trixie Belden #22, The Mystery at Mead's Mountain, the Bob-Whites visit a mountain resort that Mr. Wheeler and a partner intend to develop.  The Bob-Whites are to make a report of what they like and what can be improved.  Trixie is soon involved in a mystery after Honey's watch vanishes.  The lights go out unexpectedly, and Trixie receives several ominous warning notes.

This mystery is set up more like the typical Nancy Drew mystery in that Trixie receives warning notes.  By having the mystery driven by warning notes, it isn't that much of a mystery and more of a case of trying to figure out which residents of the inn are the culprits.

The Bob-Whites plan a New Years' Eve party.  On page 185, Honey suggests that Miss Trask recite some Robert Frost poetry at the party.  Miss Trask doesn't want to do it, but the Bob-Whites "[clamor] so much that she could hardly say no."  Say what?  This sounds a bit strange for a group of teenagers to be so enthusiastic about a poetry reading at a party.

This is a very good book.

Trixie Belden #19 Secret of the Unseen Treasure and #20 Mystery Off Old Telegraph Road

In Trixie Belden #19, The Secret of the Unseen Treasure, Mrs. Elliot struggles to make ends meet.  Her stepson, Max, helps her run the family's farm.  Meanwhile, social security checks have been stolen along Glen Road, but Mrs. Elliot's check was not stolen, since she has it sent straight to the bank.  Trixie suspects that Max is up to no good, and she wonders if Max is involved with the stolen checks, since he had advised Mrs. Elliot to have her checks sent to the bank.

This book was published in 1977.  On page 163, Jim remarks that a number of states are considering legalizing marijuana.  Hmm.  This surprised me since the legalization of marijuana is a current issue.

Oregon, Alaska, and Maine decriminalized marijuana during the 1970s.  New Mexico had a brief medical marijuana program in 1978.  However, the first state to legalize medical marijuana was California in 1996, 19 years after this book was published.  This shows how slowly things change.  It's interesting that this book centers around a topic that is still relevant today.

On page 185, it is stated that a certain person will not likely go to jail since it cannot be proved that they planted the marijuana.  This is silly.  That's why the laws were written so that possession of marijuana is illegal, so who planted the marijuana is a moot point.

This is an excellent book.

In Trixie Belden #20, The Mystery Off Old Telegraph Road, the Bob-Whites plan a bike-a-thon to benefit the art department of Sleepyside Junior-Senior High School.  Strangely, one of the art students, Nick, seems to be against the bike-a-thon.  Honey's visiting cousin, Ben Riker, makes fun of the bike-a-thon in front of other students.  Soon, the Bob-Whites receive warning messages telling them not to have the bike-a-thon.  Trixie suspects that someone is hiding criminal activity that is occurring somewhere near the path of the bike-a-thon.

On page 151, Honey talks about Ben's silly pranks, including making calls to Honey's home, which is the Manor House, and asking whether he was speaking to "Man or House."  He would then demand to know which one.

I have a similar story.  When I was young, people would make prank phone calls to my house.  They would ask if they had reached the White House.  After receiving an affirmative answer, they would ask to speak to the President.  Of course that prank quit working pretty quickly, since we learned not to fall into the trap.

This is also an excellent book.

Trixie Belden #17 Mystery of the Uninvited Guest and #18 Mystery of the Phantom Grasshopper

In Trixie Belden #17, The Mystery of the Uninvited Guest, Trixie's cousin, Hallie, comes to visit, and Trixie is furious.  Trixie and Hallie have never gotten along, and Trixie takes offense at everything Hallie does.  Meanwhile, Bobby acts strangely, talking about a wheelchair that only he saw on Glen Road, and food keeps disappearing out of the Beldens' kitchen.  As Trixie tries to puzzle out the mysterious events, she helps the Wheelers plan the wedding of Jim's cousin, Juliana.

On page 53, Bobby says that he doesn't have a bike.  This is strange, since Bobby has a new bicycle in Trixie Belden and the Marshland Mystery.

I have read this book at least twice before.  I seem to recall that I did not like it very much.  On this reading, I thoroughly enjoyed it.  Hallie always annoyed me, but this time I found Trixie's behavior towards Hallie to be far more annoying than Hallie herself.

This book is very interesting from start to finish and held my attention well.  This is an excellent story.

In Trixie Belden #18, The Mystery of the Phantom Grasshopper, Hoppy the weather vane disappears from its perch above city hall.  Trixie has always loved the weather vane and is upset that it has vanished.  Later, a valuable coin collection also vanishes from a school classroom.  Trixie fears that Miss Lawler and her friend, Sammy, may be responsible for the coin theft.  Trixie really likes Miss Lawler and fears that she is guilty.

On page 15 the word "pixilated" is used.  This is not the same word as "pixelated," which is used to describe photos that have been blown up large enough to show the pixels.  "Pixilated" describes a person who is crazy, confused, or mentally unbalanced.

Sammy calls Miss Lawler "Cis," but Trixie hears "sis," not knowing that it is a name.  The reader knows, because of the spelling.  Later, an awkward scene occurs when Sammy is referred to as Miss Lawler's brother, which upsets her.  This part of the plot is unnecessary and obnoxious.  It's obnoxious because the reader sees the name spelled correctly and never thinks what Trixie does.  I recall finding it confusing the first time I ever read this book.

Additionally, the two culprits use songs with "Louis" in the title to send each other messages about whether to pick something up on Louis Road.  One culprit calls the radio station all day long with requests for one song so that his partner would know what to do.  When plans change, he uses another song.  This is a bit stupid, especially considering that having a radio station play songs with "Louis" in the title draws more attention to the situation than using some other method of communication.  How about just putting a message in a hollow oak or something?

The two plot points mentioned above are likely why I never enjoyed this book.  They bothered me.  This time I was able to ignore those parts and ended up thoroughly enjoying the book.  This is a very good to excellent story.

Trixie Belden #15 Mystery on the Mississippi and #16 Mystery of the Missing Heiress

In Trixie Belden #15, The Mystery on the Mississippi, the Bob-Whites travel to St. Louis, where Trixie discovers a mystery immediately.  Trixie finds papers in the wastebasket of her motel room.  Later, she learns that a man was looking for some papers, but she keeps them.  This starts a sequence of events where three people stay in constant pursuit of the Bob-Whites and try to kill Trixie.  Even when the authorities learn about the case and warn Trixie away from it, she continues her investigation with no thought for her own safety.

Dan is present in this story, but Di is away on vacation.

This really wouldn't be much of a story except for Trixie's mistakes that put her in constant danger.

I don't get much out of all of the Mark Twain and Tom Sawyer references.  It is odd that the Bob-Whites speak of Twain's characters as though they are actual historical figures.  The Bob-Whites act like they are visiting the actual places where Twain's characters lived and breathed.

The Mark Twain references are so strong that I have to wonder whether this was an attempt to get children to purchase Whitman's Mark Twain reprints.

This book is unusual in that the villains attempt to kill Trixie—and attempt to kill her more than once.

I have always really liked this book.  The part I no longer enjoy is everything having to do with Mark Twain and his literary characters.

In Trixie Belden #16, The Mystery of the Missing Heiress, Jim discovers that he has a cousin, Juliana, who will inherit $150,000 from the sale of some land on the Hudson River.  When Juliana arrives, she is a bit distant and wants to close the sale of the land as quickly as possible.

Meanwhile, a girl was struck by an automobile on Glen Road.  The girl has amnesia, and everyone calls her Janie.  The Beldens have Janie come home to stay with them, and Trixie tries to figure out who Janie really is.

The mystery in this book is extremely obvious.  I don't remember whether I guessed it when young, but I certainly would have guessed it on this reading if I hadn't already read the book before.

Dan is present in this book.

This is an excellent story.

Trixie Belden #13 Mystery on Cobbett's Island and #14 Mystery of the Emeralds

In Trixie Belden #13, The Mystery on Cobbett's Island, the Bob-Whites stay on Cobbett's Island in a home rented by the Wheelers.  Trixie finds an old letter in a book, and the letter indicates that following the directions in a sailing game will lead to some money that has been hidden on the island.  Trixie unearths several clues which reveal who the rightful owner of the money is, and that person could well use it.  The Bob-Whites hope that they can find the money and bring happiness to others.

On page 57, Honey breaks one of the rules of the club by mentioning it to a stranger.  Really?  The Bob-Whites wear matching jackets, and besides, they have been pretty open about the club in previous books.  It's hardly a secret.

Dan is missing from this book.

This is a very good book, although I did not enjoy it as much as I once did.  The sailing information bored me on this reading.

In Trixie Belden #14, The Mystery of the Emeralds, Trixie discovers a hidden room in the attic at Crabapple Farm.  In an article of clothing, she discovers a letter.  Some excellent sleuthing leads to an elderly woman who lets Trixie and Honey read some diaries.  The girls discover that the letter is a clue to hidden emeralds on an estate near Williamsburg.  Fortunately, the Bob-Whites are able to travel with the Lynches to Williamsburg so that they can pursue the quest.

Dan is mentioned, but he is not in this book.

This story holds up quite well.  On this reading, I found it to be excellent and enjoyed it from start to finish.

Trixie Belden #11 Mystery at Bob-White Cave and #12 Mystery of the Blinking Eye

In Trixie Belden #11, The Mystery at Bob-White Cave, the Bob-Whites stay in the Ozarks with the Beldens' Uncle Andrew.  Trixie sees an article that advertises a $500 reward for the first person who can provide specimens of ghost fish in each of three different stages of evolution.  Trixie is obsessed, so Uncle Andrew purchases the necessary equipment, and the Bob-Whites begin exploring the nearby caves.

Both Di and Dan are absent from this book.  Dan has been missing since his introduction in #8.

On page 103, Mrs. Moore accidentally reveals the plans for a surprise party.  Once the Bob-Whites know about the party, they help prepare for it.  All of the furniture is moved, and a tremendous amount of food is cooked.  I am a bit puzzled how the Moores thought that they could have kept the party a secret, with all of the preparation that was required.

This book has some tedious details that were uninteresting to me, including comparing Missouri and New York.  Nevertheless, this is still an overall very good book.

In Trixie Belden #12, The Mystery of the Blinking Eye, the Bob-Whites vacation in New York City with their friends from Iowa.  Trixie helps a woman at the airport, and the woman writes a strange verse in Spanish.  Miss Trask translates the verse, which strangely rhymes in English.  Trixie is soon convinced that the verse predicts the future, and all of the Bob-Whites' New York adventures follow the verse as strange men follow them around and try to steal Trixie's purse.

All of the Bob-Whites, including Di and Dan, are present in this story.

On page 47 Trixie calls home, and rather conveniently, Mrs. Wheeler and Mrs. Lynch are out in the garden with her.  All three girls are able to talk to their mothers.  This is strange.  Since when do Mrs. Wheeler and Mrs. Lynch hang out in the Beldens' garden?

This story is a travelogue, but it strikes the perfect balance with the sightseeing.  It is done so well that the sightseeing is actually interesting, which is remarkable since I have a very low tolerance for that sort of thing.  The rhyming verse that predicts the entire story has much to do with it.  If you have never read this book and are curious, the rhyming verse is displayed on the left side of this page under the scans of the different editions.

This is an excellent story.

Trixie Belden #9 Happy Valley Mystery and #10 Marshland Mystery

In Trixie Belden #9, The Happy Valley Mystery, the Bob-Whites stay with the Beldens' Uncle Andrew on his sheep farm in Iowa.  When Trixie learns that Uncle Andrew's sheep are being stolen by thieves, she is immediately on the hunt for the culprits.  Trixie keeps accusing the wrong people of being thieves based only on how suspicious she thinks they look.  All of the adults laugh at Trixie's exploits as she vows to solve the mystery.

I used to love this book, and the flood scene with Jim, Trixie, and Honey is one of my most vivid memories from reading the Trixie Belden books while in the sixth grade.  The story did not hold up at all.  Trixie's stupid mistakes are too stupid for me.  I did not enjoy seeing Trixie get laughed at over and over.  Half of the story is Trixie made into a laughingstock.  The other half of the story consists of too much information about  4-H, sheep farming, jackrabbit hunting, and comparisons between Iowa and New York.

With this book, the Bob-Whites have paired off into couples that are suddenly slightly romantically interested in each other.  It seemed forced to me on this reading.  In fact, this book reads much like a malt shop book, which is not my kind of book.

The book is not much of a mystery, and there is no real detecting.

I did not enjoy this book, aside from the flood scene which I still enjoy.

In Trixie Belden #10, The Marshland Mystery, Trixie wants to replace Miss Bennett's herb collection, which was destroyed by a clumsy student.  Brian gives Trixie directions to Martin's Marsh.  During the outing, Trixie and Honey meet Miss Rachel, who is the last of the Martins.

Meanwhile, a child prodigy named Gaye is staying with the Wheelers.  Gaye will be playing in a recital and has to practice constantly.  Gaye is a very snobbish young girl, and she is also very unhappy.  Gaye also goes out to the marsh, and Gaye's adventure leads to complications for Miss Rachel, who may end up losing her home.

I have always considered this cover to be creepy and scary.

On page 19, we learn that the bracelet that Jim gave Trixie in the previous book is not a sentimental gift.  Oh, really?  The bracelet has "Jim" engraved on it.  How very odd for Jim to give Trixie a bracelet that is not sentimental but just happens to have his name engraved on it.

Trixie turns 14 at the end of this book, and her age is frozen at 14 for the rest of the series.

In my opinion, the series hits its stride with this book.  The Julie Campbell books are excellent and serve to set up the premise of the series.  The books between the Julie Campbell books and this one are transition volumes.  From this point on, the Bob-Whites just are.  This book hits the right tone.

This is an excellent story, and I enjoyed it as much as ever.

Trixie Belden #7 Mysterious Code and #8 Black Jacket Mystery

In Trixie belden #7, The Mysterious Code, the school board is concerned about the existence of clubs in Sleepyside after several acts of vandalism.  The Bob-Whites are informed that they may have to disband.  In order to prove the worth of the club, the Bob-Whites plan an antique charity show.  After a lap desk is stolen, Trixie searches for clues to the people who are causing trouble in Sleepyside.

This is the first book not written by Julie Campell.  It has a very different tone.  The teasing banter that was present in the first six books is absent from this story.

Bobby is suddenly quite mature and can put together complete sentences and can pronounce words correctly.

On page 108, a Japanese man is interested in the swords.  Trixie observes that he keeps bowing.  Trixie's observation serves no purpose, and neither does the constant bowing.  It struck me as an unnecessary racial stereotype.

On page 110, the Japanese man "shows his white teeth in a broad smile."  My thought was, Why do white people not show their white teeth?

On page 161 we learn that Trixie's birthday is May 1.

I have never liked this book.  The entire plot feels forced.  There is no real reason for anyone to think the Bob-Whites are to blame for anything, and the Bob-Whites come up with an immediate charity event on the spot with no trouble at all.  It didn't ring true for me.

I also have read this story far fewer times than the rest of the first 16 books.  I am not certain whether I ever read this book in the sixth grade.  Regardless, I still do not like it.  I find it uninteresting.  I skimmed the book on this reading.

In Trixie Belden #8, The Black Jacket Mystery, a boy named Dan Mangan starts school in Sleepyside and lives with and works for Mr. Maypenny.  Dan wears a black jacket that has a name on the back that has been painted over.  Trixie is suspicious that Dan is a member of a gang and that he is up to no good.

Thankfully, the fun banter is back with this volume, so the tone is much improved from the previous book.  The banter is what makes the Trixie Belden series so entertaining.  My all-time favorite Trixie retort is when she puts Mart in his place on page 30.  "The use of too many polysyllabic words is definitely a symptom of immaturity."  Poor Mart is flabbergasted!

Not only does Dan have a black jacket, but he wears cowboy boots.  This considered quite unusual.  This book was published during the 1960s, so I'm sure it was odd at that time.  However, it wouldn't be considered odd now.

Dan's gang is called "The Cowhands."  What kind of stupid name is that?  I have always thought it stupid.

I really feel that The Black Jacket Mystery should have been written and published before The Mysterious Code.  If The Mysterious Code had been published after the introduction of Dan Mangan, then it would have been logical for the school board to have questioned the Bob-Whites' legitimacy as a club.  Dan's presence would have marred their reputation, due to his shady history as a gang member in New York City.

I don't like this book as much as I once did.  It is good, but I skimmed parts of it.

Trixie Belden #5 Mystery Off Glen Road and #6 Mystery in Arizona

In Trixie Belden #5, The Mystery Off Glen Road, Brian plans to purchase a jalopy from Mr. Lytell for $50.  Brian's plans collapse when the Bob-Whites' clubhouse is heavily damaged by a hurricane.  Brian's money is used to repair the roof, so Brian won't be able to buy the jalopy after all.

Trixie comes up with an idea to use the ring that Jim gave her as collateral so that Mr. Lytell won't sell the jalopy.  Meanwhile, the Bob-Whites take over the job of patrolling the Wheelers' game preserve, which only Trixie and Honey know will pay for the jalopy.  Trixie discovers signs of a poacher and fears that the Bob-Whites will lose their job.

On this reading, I found it odd that Trixie thinks that the single-wheel tracks belong to a unicycle.  The tracks lead away from where a dead deer was found, and the carcass has disappeared.  Trixie thinks that the poacher somehow carried the deer on a unicycle.  It's strange that Trixie never thinks of a wheelbarrow or similar contraption. 

This story is really not a mystery at all.  Trixie's scheme is the main plot, but it is hilarious and entertaining.

In Trixie Belden #6, The Mystery in Arizona, Uncle Monty invites the Bob-Whites to spend their Christmas vacation in Arizona at his dude ranch.  Upon the group's arrival, the Bob-Whites discover that the Orlando family has vanished, leaving Uncle Monty without help.  Trixie volunteers the Bob-Whites as replacements, which keeps everyone quite busy.  Trixie soon notices some strange behavior and is convinced that several residents of the dude ranch have strange secrets.

I always loved this book when young, but the story did not hold up well this time.  I was quite bored with all the history and information about Arizona.  I skimmed those parts.

Trixie Belden #3 Gatehouse Mystery and #4 Mysterious Visitor

In Trixie Belden #3, The Gatehouse Mystery, Trixie and Honey explore the old gatehouse on the Wheeler property.  When Brian and Mart return from camp, they along with Trixie, Honey, and Jim form the Bob-Whites, making the old gatehouse their secret clubhouse.

Trixie finds a diamond embedded in the floor of the gatehouse, and she concocts a strange theory where a gang of thieves stayed in the gatehouse, losing one diamond.  Trixie suspects the Wheelers' new chauffeur, Dick, but everyone else thinks she is crazy.  Trixie sets out to prove that she is right.

Only the third floor of the Wheeler house is air-conditioned.  I did not think this strange years ago, but now I do.  I realize that it was uncommon back then for homes to be air-conditioned.  However, the Wheelers are so rich that I feel they should have done the entire house.  Why not?

I only partially enjoyed this book on this reading.  I know the story by heart, and I was not very interested in the later part of the story.  I also was not interested in the culprit's lengthy explanation of every detail, so I skimmed the climax of the story.

In Trixie Belden #4, The Mysterious Visitor, Trixie and the Bob-Whites become friends with Diana Lynch, who is struggling to adjust to being wealthy.  Di is inducted into the club, and the Bob-Whites help Di plan a Halloween party.  Di's Uncle Monty, a long-lost relative, has recently appeared, and Uncle Monty seems determined to make Di's life difficult.  For this reason, Trixie is certain that Uncle Monty is an impostor.  She is determined to uncover the truth, despite the danger.

On page 54, Trixie wonders whether the "person Di hated so violently" was Uncle Monty.  I mention this because I like using the word "violently" in front of "dislike" to indicate my feelings.  One time recently, a coworker expressed surprise at my use of the word "violently" as if I were strange to use it.  I started wondering about my usage of the word.  I knew I got it from somewhere, and I was glad to see it in this book.  Do any of you use "violently" in this fashion?

The Bob-Whites, particularly the boys, are disgusted about all of the rubber creatures that Uncle Monty hid for the party in order to scare the guests, saying that the pranks are "dangerous."  I never have seen them as such a big deal as the Bob-Whites do, which shows how times have changed.  Nowadays, this sort of prank would be considered very tame and probably one used just for younger children.

On page 197, Trixie tells the others that if she is wrong that they can "chop off [her] head."  This is followed by some banter about corpses and heads being chopped off.  This never bothered me before, but in the last 20 years many heads have been chopped off by terrorists, so I now find the flippant nature of the passage to be in bad taste.  The passage would not have been considered in bad taste at the time it was written.

This book holds up well, and I enjoyed it as much as ever.  The entire story is excellent.

Trixie Belden #1 Secret of the Mansion and #2 Red Trailer Mystery

In Trixie Belden #1, The Secret of the Mansion, Trixie lives at Crabapple Farm near the town of Sleepyside, New York.  The Wheeler family moves into the neighboring mansion, and Trixie immediately becomes best friends with Honey Wheeler.  The girls explore the nearby Frayne mansion while old Mr. Frayne is sick in the hospital.  They discover Jim Frayne, who is Mr. Frayne's nephew.  Jim is hiding from his mean stepfather.  Old Mr. Frayne is dying, and the young people search for a fortune that is said to be hidden in the old mansion.

Trixie earns a $5 allowance per week for doing chores around the house.  When I read the books in 1983 to 1984, I received $5 per week, so I thought the amount was fine.  I didn't know that the book was first published in 1948.  $5 in 1948 is now worth over $50.  We are expected to believe that the Beldens are poor, yet their daughter is given the equivalent of over $200 per month.  I assume Brian and Mart would have received similar amounts.  The Beldens aren't so poor after all.

I enjoyed this book, but not quite as much as I once did.  The problem is that I practically have the story memorized.  Also, I always have trouble switching from one type of book to another.  I read this book right after reading the last Augusta Seaman book, and the style is quite different.  Trixie is also skewed younger than Seaman's books, so I struggled with that as well, which is what I expected.

In Trixie Belden #2, The Red Trailer Mystery, Trixie, Honey, and Miss Trask set off in the Wheelers' trailer to find Jim, who has run away.  The girls learn about a group of trailer thieves, and they soon suspect that the family living in a red trailer is involved in the thefts.  The girls keep an eye out for the red trailer family as they search for Jim.

The cover art of this edition depicts the scene where Trixie finds Joeann's cut-off pigtails.  This is a bizarre choice for the cover art, although it is interesting.

I enjoyed this book mostly as much as I did when young.  Like the first book, I pretty much have the story memorized, but I still enjoyed it just about as much as ever.