American Girl A Kit Mystery Midnight in Lonesome Hollow

Midnight in Lonesome Hollow is a 1930's mystery starring Kit Kittredge of the American Girl Doll Series.

This book is set in Kentucky in 1934 where Kit is going to visit her Aunt Millie to help her set up a library.

The writer Kathleen Ernst has done a great job in looking at the traditions of the place and time whilst placing an emphasis on learning and reading without it being "thrown in your face". The book teaches you a lot about the 1930's whilst still sucking you into a good mystery. Don't get me wrong it's not a huge mystery but the charm of the book teaching you about The Great Depression with a mystery involvement is wonderful as long as your one who enjoys learning about history.

Kit comes across as quite a lot younger than Julie in the Julie Mystery series although this really isn't the case. I wonder why that is? I'll have to think further on that one as I read more Kit and Julie mysteries. I got more of both whilst in the USA this year.

But I have also found the website www.bookdepository.co.uk has free shipping worldwide and I can pick up more in the American Girl Mystery Series really cheaply.

One negative, being set in Kentucky rather than on home soil Kit doesn't have best friend Ruthie there for the story which is a shame, I'm a huge Ruthie fan.

Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew Mall Madness

Not my usual type of reading. Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew Mall Madness is an early readers book. Out of curiosity for how they are written I thought I would give this a go. The mystery seems to be centred on the idea that if you can do basic addition sums (maths) then you will have the answer to working out this story. Very predictable, though perhaps not for a young child it is aimed at. An okay read for the age group it is aimed at though I'm not convinced the moral of the story is all there. Seems a bit off somehow. If you have read it you will probably understand.

Trixie Belden The Sasquatch Mystery

This is probably the hardest Trixie Belden book I have found to get interested in. In fact for the first 10 chapters I didn't like it. I thought that Trixie's cousins, Cap, Knut and Hallie held too much of the story and Trixie almost came across as a loner, an outside looking on the events rather than being the focal point of them that she usually is. Jim I felt suffered even worse as I can't remember him doing anyhting of use for the first 10 chapters and seemed like a tag along friend of the Belden Boys.

As for Miss Trask tell me what kind a chaperon watches one of the kids in her care disappear after getting in a fight with a Sasquatch in front of her eyes and decides that its okay for the kids to stay there and also doesn't seem too bothered that the police aren't taking the disappearance seriously and just waiting for the kid to show up.

Okay one last vent then I will get up to the good bits I promise. And as for a Sasquatch Mystery anyway who came up with that as a lame theme? Someone who had spent their time watching 70s shows like the Six Million Dollar Man and Bionic Woman who eventually went the Big Foot root when running short of ideas right?

Now if you can hold out for the stupidity of the first 10 chapters to be over then you do get to a good story (funnily when they drop the Sasquatch scenario and concentrate on people villains.)

Though why does poor Di have to suffer so much? The author mustn't like her as poor Di seems to be cast as "dumb" in this book. Which is one better than poor Dan who despite the cast of thousands still can't get a spot on this camping trip even though he is suppose to have a thing for Hallie Belden. Damn the 70's series that doesn't allow for romance in their books.

American Girl Mystery - Julie, The Tangled Web

I loved the character Julie after reading this book. It is not your classic mystery so it did surprise me that I liked it but then again I liked one of the early Trixie Belden books which really wasn't a mystery, so this style mystery book wasn't a shock to me.

Julie lives in San Fransisco in the 1970's with her mother and sister (her parents are divorced).

In this story she likes the new girl in her class Carla Warner but Carla tells Julie a number of stories that don't add up and causes some major confusion and concern for Julie.

I bought more Julie books to read in the American Girl Mystery Series based on the strength of this book.

The premise of the book is great as it comes from the famous quote from Sir Walter Scott:

"Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive."

The treasure in the Tower: The Hardy Boys Series

I listened to the Audio book version as I have taken up listening audio books whilst at the gym.

This is the first book in The Hardy Boys Series and a well developed start to the series. The books are written under a psydonum name of which was a part of the Stratmeyers group. The author of the first Hardy Boys book stated that he made a conscious decision to spend time developing The Hardy Boy characters during writing this book. This was not always done by authors as the writers did not receive royalties for the book sales only a one off payment. This situation often encouraged writers to stick strictly to the outline they were given by Stratemeyser and churn out the book as quickly as possible in order to receive their payment and start on the next book outline they were sent.

Frank and Joe Hardy were developed as popular boys who played baseball and dated girls at their high school (with the boys having favorite dates.) Joe comes across as more impulsive and excitable than Frank. The boys had a sound family life with their father having the exciting work of working as a detective.The story evolves with Frank and Joe working on the same case as their father in order to help a school friend and collect a substantial financial reward. I enjoyed this story, a great start to a great series.

The Mystery of the Castaway Children: Trixie Belden series

This is the 21st book in the series and one of my favorite Trixie stories that I have read so far.

The story centers around two missing children and Trixie finding a baby in her dog Red's dog kennel after a storm. The story is well developed with the story developing layers of possible runaway /vs / kidnapping scenarios.

On the relationship front Di flatters Mart a number of times during this story which would indicate that Di has a romantic interest in Mart. Dan Morgan is a part of the story but takes on a minor role with the author stating early on in the story that Dan has to work a lot which is why he is not always available to be a part of The Bob Whites adventures.

This book was so good that I immediately picked up another Trixie Belden book to read which would have to be the best possible sign for a series book.

Riddle of the Prairie Bride American Girl Mysteries

The main character Ida Kate Deming is a very likable, young, responsible girl who takes over her mothers responsibilities after her mother has died. I loved the era references as poor Ida spent two whole days in the week to get the washing and ironing done for herself and her father.

The story starts 2 years down the track after Ida Kate's mother's death and Ida Kate's father puts a ad in a newspaper for a wife (referred to as a mail order bride) as a number of women reply.

The mystery revolves around the woman that Ida Kate's father chooses arrives and slowly Ida starts to believe she is an impostor and not the woman they have been corresponding with.

The story is heart felt, well paced, educational in its historical context and the mystery unfolds to a pleasant ending. Can't wait now to read another American Girl Mystery. Highly Recommended as a new favourite series.