Melody Lane Series and Other Books by Lilian Garis

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Lilian Garis was the wife of prolific series book writer Howard Garis.  Lilian Garis also wrote many series books both under a variety of pseudonyms and under her own name.  The purpose of this guide is to list the many series books that Lilian Garis wrote under her own name.

Girl Scout Series

1. The Girl Scout Pioneers; or Winning the First B. C., 1920
2. The Girl Scouts at Bellaire; or Maid Mary's Awakening, 1920
3. The Girl Scouts at Sea Crest; or the Wig Wag Rescue, 1920
4. The Girls Scouts at Camp Comalong; or Peg of Tamarack Hills, 1921
5. The Girl Scouts at Rocky Ledge; or Nora's Real Vacation, 1922

Let's Make Believe and Play

1. Let's Make Believe We're Keeping House, 1918
2. Let's Play Circus, 1918
3. Let's Make Believe We're Soldiers, 1918

Lilian Garis Books for Girls

  1. Gloria: A Girl and Her Dad, 1923
  2. Gloria at Boarding School, 1923
  3. Joan: Just Girl, 1924
  4. Joan's Garden of Adventure, 1924
  5. Connie Loring's Ambition, 1925
  6. Connie Loring's Dilemma, 1925
  7. Barbara Hale: A Doctor's Daughter, 1926
  8. Barbara Hale and Cozette, 1926
  9. Cleo's Misty Rainbow, 1927
10. Cleo's Conquest, 1927
11. Nancy Brandon, 1924
12. Nancy Brandon's Mystery, 1924
13. A Girl Called Ted, 1929
14. Ted and Tony: Two Girls of Today, 1929
15. Sally for Short, 1930
16. Sally Found Out, 1930
17. Judy Jordan, 1931
18. Judy Jordan's Discovery, 1931

The Melody Lane Series

  1. The Ghost of Melody Lane, 1933
  2. The Forbidden Trail, 1933
  3. The Tower Secret, 1933
  4. The Wild Warning, 1934
  5. Terror at Moaning Cliff, 1935
  6. The Dragon of the Hills, 1936
  7. The Mystery of Stingyman's Alley, 1938
  8. The Secret of the Kashmir Shawl, 1939
  9. The Hermit of Proud Hill, 1940 

Cupples and Leon Mystery Stories for Girls Series

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The Cupples and Leon Mystery Stories for Girls series was published by Cupples and Leon during the 1930s.  This series brought together various unconnected stand-alone novels into one set of books.  The books were written by Mildred A. Wirt, Pemberton Ginther, Frances Y. Young, Izola L. Forrester, Alice Anson, and Anna Andrews Barris.

These books are of interest to series book collectors in part because two of the books were written by Mildred Wirt, who is best known as the author of the early Nancy Drew books.  The other books are of interest since they are part of the same set as the two Wirt books.  

List of Titles:

  1. The Jade Necklace,  Pemberton Ginther,  1932
  2. The Thirteenth Spoon,  Pemberton Ginther,  1932
  3. The Secret Stair,  Pemberton Ginther,  1932
  4. The Door in the Mountain,  Izola L. Forrester,  1932
  5. Secret of the Dark House,  Frances Y. Young,  1934
  6. The Twin Ring Mystery,  Mildred A. Wirt,  1935
  7. The Dormitory Mystery,  Alice Anson,  1937
  8. Mystery of the Laughing Mask,  Mildred A. Wirt,  1940
  9. Escape by Night,  Alice Anson,  1941
10. Mystery of the Jade Idol,  Anna Andrews Barris,  1943

Availability:

All of these books are somewhat scarce either with or without the original dust jacket, but some of the books are much more scarce than the others.  Two of the more scarce titles are Escape by Night and Mystery of the Jade Idol.

All of the books are very difficult to find with intact dust jackets.

For more information about this series, please visit my website.

The Books of Ruby Lorraine Radford

Last year, I became interested in the books of Ruby Lorraine Radford.  I purchased the following books to read.

The Mystery of the White Knight, 1927
The Mystery of Adventure Island, 1928
The Mystery of the Bradley Pearls, 1930
The Mystery of the Nancy Lee, 1932
The Mystery of Myrtle Grove, 1933
The Mystery of Pelican Cove, 1934
The Mystery of Magnolia Beach, 1942
Secret of Ocean House, 1961
The Secret of Peach Orchard Plantation, 1963

These books are not Radford's only books.  Some of Radford's books are nearly impossible to find, and others, like biographies, are outside of my area of interest.  Partial lists of Radford's books can be found on sites like Goodreads.  I don't know of any site that actually lists all of her books in the same place.

Ruby Radford was born in 1891 and died in Augusta, Georgia, in 1971.  More information can be found here.

Radford's books are set in the south, usually in South Carolina, Georgia, or Florida.  Radford's early books make heavy use of the n-word.  Her books from the 1960s do not use that word, as best I can recall.  Radford's books are a window into southern life of the first part of the 20th century.

The first Radford book that I read was The Mystery of Pelican Cove.  In this book, the children have to go away from home because their sister has scarlet fever.  Since the children are not permitted to go home, they go to their deceased uncle's isolated home where rumors abound that something valuable is hidden there. The young people bring a negro cook.  Meanwhile, a Chinese man who was a former servant to their uncle forces his company on them. Another Chinese man skulks about near the house.  The young people worry that someone else will find the hidden treasure.

This book uses the n-word, and the Chinese are referred to by a racial slur.

The story is excellent, just like series books of the 1930s, and is my very favorite Radford book of the ones I read.  The book classifies as a girls' series book, since the story is told from the girls' point of view primarily.

I did not make any notes about most of the other Radford books when I read them, so I can only write about my general feelings, as best I can remember them.

The Mystery of Myrtle Grove is about a family that is down on their luck.  I can't remember anything specific, but I recall the story as overall good.  I think it has some weak spots, but not so many as some of Radford's other books.

I struggled with The Mystery of Adventure Island.  The story takes place on an island that is said to be owned by a certain family, but then apparently others live on the island, so it isn't really all theirs.  The island is connected to the mainland somehow.  Many details that are important are not included, so I was confused the entire time I was reading the book.  For that reason, I don't have a good impression of the story, even though it is overall good.

In The Mystery of Magnolia Beach, Madge's family has acquired a sea island plantation.  Madge's mother is with her father, who is receiving treatment at the hospital.  Madge and her brothers run the plantation as they keep an eye on strange activities.

As I recall, this book also confused me at times, but I enjoyed the book more than The Mystery of Adventure Island.  I found this book to be overall very good.

The Mystery of the Nancy Lee bored me.  I could never get into it.

Secret of Ocean House and The Secret of Peach Orchard Plantation are later books by Radford.  These books are good, but Radford's earlier books are more interesting to me.

I read The Mystery of the White Knight recently, so I can remember details.  The young people stay at a family member's plantation.  The negroes have fled the plantation, because they believe it is haunted.  The young people look for clues that will prove that the ghostly figure is actually a real person.

This book is full of negative racial stereotypes and uses the n-word heavily.

I had trouble getting into this book, because the author rapidly throws out names on the very first page of the story.  I was sorely tempted to put it away based on the first page.  I persevered and read the story.  I did struggle with visualizing the plantation and surrounding area, which is often a problem in Radford's books.  Aside from that struggle, this is an enjoyable book.

I thought that I was done with my Radford books, then I found another that I forgot I had purchased.

In The Mystery of the Bradley Pearls, Ann learns that she has inherited the old Bradley home.  Ann, two friends, and her stepbrothers travel to the home to see if it can be sold.  The house is rumored to have a hex on it, so nobody will purchase it.  Ann would love to have her family live in the house, but the taxes will be due soon, and she cannot pay them.  The Bradley pearls are missing and were supposedly hidden on the property.  The young people try to find the pearls so that they can save the property.

I was bewildered about the young people considering certain names used by the negroes to be funny.  A negro boy is named Nick, so the young people laugh at his name, thinking he was named after "Old Nick," the devil.  I looked up the popularity of the name, and plenty of people were named Nick in the 1920s and 1930s.  I see nothing amusing about the name.

A young negro girl is named Angeline, which is a very nice name in my opinion.  The protagonists think it absolutely hilarious that the girl is named Angeline.  The name was not very popular in the 1920s and 1930s but is much more popular today.  Even so, I don't see what is so funny about the name. 

Angeline has her hair braided around her head, and sometimes the braids come loose, so the children refer to the braids as "pigtails."  Partway through the story, the children begin calling the girl "Piggle" instead of Angeline and call her that for the rest of the story.  The girl has a nice name, but they poke fun at it and give her an ugly name.  How racist and demeaning.

The Mystery of the Bradley Pearls is a bit slow at times, but it is a very good to excellent story, despite the strong racism.  I consider it about equal to The Mystery of Pelican Cove as one of the two best Radford books.

In conclusion, Ruby Lorraine Radford wrote some very good stories.  However, her books do have weaknesses.

Sara Gay Model Girl Series by Janey Scott

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The Sara Gay Model Girl Series was published exclusively in the United Kingdom by World Distributors during the 1960s.  The books were written by Janey Scott. 

The Sally Baxter Girl Reporter, Shirley Flight Air Hostess, and Kit Hunter Show Jumper series were also published by World Distributors in the United Kingdom.

List of Titles:

  1. Sara Gay, Model Girl
  2. Sara Gay, Model Girl in Monte Carlo
  3. Sara Gay, Model Girl in New York
  4. Sara Gay, Model Girl in Mayfair

The books do not have a year of publication on the copyright page, so it is impossible to determine exactly when these books were published.

Availability

Since this series was published in the United Kingdom, nearly all books that come up for sale originate in the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.  It appears that all of the titles went through about the same number of printings and that multiple titles were issued simultaneously.  It is generally no more difficult to acquire the last titles in the series as it is the earlier titles.

For more detailed information about the Sara Gay Model Girl Series and other World Distributors series, please visit my series book website.

Red Cross Girls Series Books - Titles and Authors

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The purpose of this guide is to list the different vintage series books that feature characters who join the Red Cross.  All of these books were published during or right after World War I when patriotism ran high.

There is just one series that is completely centered around the Red Cross:

The Red Cross Girls by Margaret Vandercook

  1. The Red Cross Girls in the British Trenches, 1916
  2. The Red Cross Girls on the French Firing Line, 1916
  3. The Red Cross Girls in Belgium, 1916
  4. The Red Cross Girls with the Russian Army, 1916
  5. The Red Cross Girls with the Italian Army, 1917
  6. The Red Cross Girls Under the Stars and Stripes, 1917
  7. The Red Cross Girls Afloat with the Flag, 1918
  8. The Red Cross Girls with Pershing to Victory, 1919
  9. The Red Cross Girls with the U. S. Marines, 1919
10. The Red Cross Girls in the National Capitol, 1920

Miscellaneous Books

The following books are single volumes in series in which the main character joins the Red Cross temporarily in order to "do her bit" during the war effort.

Aunt Jane's Nieces Series: #11 Aunt Jane's Nieces in the Red Cross, by Edith Van Dyne, 1915
Betty Books Series: #6 Betty and the Red Cross, by Alice Hale Burnett, 1919
Campfire Girls Series: #7 The Campfire Girls' Red Cross Work, by Helen Hart
Girls of Central High: #7 The Girls of Central High Aiding the Red Cross, by Gertrude Morrison, 1921
Grace Harlowe's Overseas Series: #2 Grace Harlowe with the Red Cross in France, by Jessie Graham Flower, 1920
Mary Lee Series: #2 Mary Lee, the Red Cross Girl, by Helen Hart, 1917
Ruth Fielding Series: #13 Ruth Fielding in the Red Cross, or Doing Her Bit for Uncle Sam, 1918
Ruth Fielding Series: #15 Ruth Fielding Homeward Bound, or a Red Cross Worker's Ocean Perils, 1919 

Perry Pierce Mystery Stories for Boys Clinton W. Locke

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The Perry Pierce Mystery Stories for Boys Series is a four volume series from the 1930s.  The books were written by Leslie McFarlane and Walter Karig under the pseudonym of Clinton W. Locke.  McFarlane wrote volume 1, and Karig wrote the remaining three volumes.  McFarlane is best known as the writer of the early Hardy Boys books, and Karig is best known as the writer of three of the early Nancy Drew books.

List of Titles:

1.  Who Closed the Door, 1931
2.  Who Opened the Safe, 1931
3.  Who Hid the Key, 1932
4.  Who Took the Papers, 1934

Formats:

The first three books were originally published by Altemus in hardcover with dust jacket.  These three books were also later reprinted by Donohue and Goldsmith.  Volume 4 was originally published by Donohue and was later reprinted by Goldsmith.

The Altemus and Donohue editions have good quality paper, decorated endpapers, a glossy frontispiece illustration, and three glossy internal illustrations.  The Goldsmith books have poor quality paper that has usually turned brown, plain endpapers, and no illustrations.

Prices:

The Altemus editions are the most scarce and sell for the highest prices.  The Donohue editions are also quite desirable since they also have the four glossy illustrations.  The Goldsmith books usually sell for low prices.

I am not listing specific prices since prices are constantly changing based on supply and demand.  If I were to give prices, they would soon be outdated and meaningless.  Just keep in mind that the Altemus books are worth the most, followed by the Donohue books, and then the Goldsmith books.

For more information about the Perry Pierce series, please visit my website.

Kay Tracey #3 The Mystery of the Swaying Curtains

In Kay Tracey #3, The Mystery of the Swaying Curtains, Kay's friend, Sissy, is to begin work at Mrs. Barley's home, but Mrs. Barley has disappeared.  Sissy has a very nervous disposition, so Kay stays with Sissy and Mrs. Barley's housekeeper, Eliza.  Mrs. Barley sends directions that her home is to be closed up, so Kay and Sissy help Eliza close the home.

Later, Cousin Bill informs Sissy that an anonymous note has suggested that Sissy is heir to a fortune.  Cousin Bill helps Sissy find proof of her lineage.  Martin Cornwall might be able to help, but he has disappeared.  Kay helps his nephew search for him.  Meanwhile, a strange tramp lurks nearby, and Kay is suspicious.

This book is full of odd events that are seemingly disconnected, but of course, all of them are closely connected and part of the same mystery.  The book does have one event that is completely disconnected to all other events.  Ethel Eaton has a chemistry lab mishap and accidentally burns down an entire wing of Carmont High School!

When Kay helps to close Mrs. Barley's house, she decides to invite her friends over to have a party, so that they can get the food eaten before it spoils.  Boys are invited over as well.  While it's wise to use food that would spoil in Mrs. Barley's absence, it's a bit odd to have a dinner party at someone else's house without their knowledge.  How rude.

On page 149, two maids had been shoved into a closet by a thief.  Kay questions the women, who noticed almost nothing about the man except for his "big black eyes" and his "flashy suit" that was missing a button.  The button turns out to be a very important clue and is found by Kay later.  I question whether the terrified women would have noticed a missing button.

While the story is strange, I thoroughly enjoyed it.  This is one of the three books that is only available in the Cupples and Leon editions.  The story was never reprinted in the later sets.

Sally Baxter Girl Reporter Series by Sylvia Edwards

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The Sally Baxter Girl Reporter Series by Sylvia Edwards was published exclusively in the United Kingdom by World Distributors during the 1960s.  The books are green and white and come with dust jackets.  During the 1970s, the first three titles were reissued in the picture cover format by Redwing Library.

The Shirley Flight Air Hostess, Sara Gay Model Girl, and Kit Hunter Show Jumper series were also published by World Distributors in the United Kingdom.

List of Titles:

  1. The Runaway Princess
  2. The Mystery Heiress
  3. On Location
  4. In Canada
  5. In Australia
  6. African Alibi
  7. Underwater Adventure
  8. The Holiday Family
  9. The Lost Ballerina, 1960
10. Hong Kong Deadline, 1960
11. The Greek Goddess, 1960
12. Festival Holiday, 1960
13. The Shamrock Mystery, 1961
14. Secret Island, 1961
15. Strangers in Fleet Street, 1961
16. The Golden Yacht, 1961

The first eight books in the series have no dates present on the copyright page, so the year of publication is unknown.

Availability

Since this series was published in the United Kingdom, nearly all books that come up for sale originate in the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.  It appears that all of the titles went through about the same number of printings and that multiple titles were issued simultaneously.  It is generally no more difficult to acquire the last titles in the series as it is the earlier titles.

For more detailed information about the Sally Baxter Girl Reporter Series and other World Distributors series, please visit my series book website.