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Posts tagged ‘Trixie Belden’

A Pocketful of Eyes

By: Lili Wilkinson

Bee is very happy at her summer job working in the taxidermy department at the Museum of Natural History, that is until things take a startling turn. Her boss is found dead in the Red Rotunda. It is being written off as a suicide but Bee doesn’t believe he killed himself, there are just too many things that don’t make sense. There is the mysterious museum benefactor, employees of the museum acting mysteriously and a pocketful of glass eyes that were found on the body. Bee is meticulous, methodical and loves a good mystery and this time she has found herself in the middle of one and she just can’t walk away from it. Added to the mix is the boy who just started working with her, he has a weird knowledge of animals and an attraction she hasn’t felt before. Will she ever find out what happened to her boss.

This is a funny and smart read. Bee is a quirky character who is quite simply, very appealing. She is the adult in the relationship with her mother, a methodical and somewhat serious girl. She is by no means the only quirky character, her mother is a geek of a whole other level and Toby has enough odd moments in amongst his spouting of trivia that leaves you wondering just what his agenda really is.

I like Bee in part because she references the girl detectives I grew up with (Trixie Belden and Nancy Drew) as well as other favourite literary detectives. This is a rare read in that it is a YA mystery novel that has an interesting puzzle at it’s core that doesn’t have paranormal or other influences. Wilkinson has created a thoroughly modern girl detective with more than a littl etip of the hat to nostalgia.

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Published: 01 May 2011

Format: Paperback 324 pages

Categories: Crime

ISBN 13: 9781742376196

Purchase: use logo on side of page to go to Booktopia

Category:

Young Adult Fiction

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The Red Trailer Mystery

By: Julie Campbell

Trixie Belden Series bk 2

Jim Frayne has just inherited half a million dollars but he doesn’t know about the money because he has run away again, hoping to avoid his step-father. Trixie and Honey are off on his trail. They want to find him to tell him the good news and offer him a proper family.

No matter that she already has one mystery to solve, Trixie has a way with just attracting more. She knows something isn’t right when they meet up with another family traveling in a luxury trailer like them, she just doesn’t know what. Then the daughter Jo goes missing and they find out the trailer The Robin, has been stolen. Trixie is determined to figure out what is really going on. Now Trixie and Honey are looking for two missing people, but it may not be as difficult as it seems.

These books are, of course, a little dated but values and descriptions like that aside the stories hold up alright. The characters complement each other and balance the story out. Trixie and Honey are both passionate and fun, with Honey being the gentler personality toning Trixie’s wilder impulses. Jim brings a maturity to the group. With so many things to figure out the Trixie Belden books were, and I think still are, fun adventure stories.

Publisher: Random House USA Inc

Published: 06 August 2004

Format: Hardback 272 pages

Categories: Crime

Purchase: here

Category:

Fiction 8-12, Old Favourites

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Trixie Belden and the Secret of the Mansion

By: Julie Campbell

Trixie is frustrated that she is stuck at home for the holidays with only her little brother to keep her company. Then a new family move into the huge manor house just up the road and it looks as though some of Trixie’s wishes will come true. First there is Honey, a girl her own age and then there are the horses, Trixie is desperate to learn to ride. Summer is now looking up. 

Honey though is very timid, scared of almost everything and Trixie is determined to explore the old Frayne Mansion. Trixie’s curiosity has her convincing Honey that they will be doing their neighbourly duty, checking on the house while old Mr Frayne in hospital. This is where they find a young Jim Frayne the 2nd, he has run away from his cruel step-father. If only they can find old Mr Frayne’s will or the hidden money, Jim’s life could be changed forever. But there are too many people around to keep a secret, what will the three new friends do?

Fun, friendship and mystery. A story of trusting, curiosity, stubbornness and filling summer days with something to do. Trixie is, perhaps a little surprisingly, still an enjoyable read even though it is a little dated now. I think it’s the lack of technology that makes it so appealing, it’s of a time when you had to keep yourself from being bored, though it is entirely possible that’s a bit of nostalgia on my part. Trixie was one of my reading phases and as such has a treasured place in my memory and bookshelves. Though if you are looking for a good mystery story for a younger reader you could do much worse than picking one of these up.

Publisher: Random House USA Inc

Published: 06 August 2004

Format: Hardback 263 pages

Categories: Crime

ISBN 13: 9780375824128 

Purchase: here

Category:

Fiction 8-12, Old Favourites

Tagged with:

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