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The Five Find-Outers #13
The Mystery of the Missing Man
A brilliant mystery series from bestselling author Enid Blyton, perfect for fans of The Secret Seven. The Trottevilles have a house guest named Eunice, and Fatty will do anything to avoid her. While hiding from Eunice his disguise leads a mystery right to there's an escaped prisoner in Peterswood who is also a master of disguise. Now Fatty, Larry, Daisy, Pip and Bets have to find the man and avoid Eunice at the same time... First published in 1956, this edition contains the original text and is unillustrated.
230 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1956
65 people are currently reading
673 people want to read
About the author
Enid Blyton
5,132 books6,299 followersSee also:
Ένιντ Μπλάιτον (Greek)
Enida Blaitona (Latvian)
Энид Блайтон (Russian)
Inid Blajton (Serbian)
Інід Блайтон (Ukrainian)
Enid Mary Blyton (1897–1968) was an English author of children's books.
Born in South London, Blyton was the eldest of three children, and showed an early interest in music and reading. She was educated at St. Christopher's School, Beckenham, and - having decided not to pursue her music - at Ipswich High School, where she trained as a kindergarten teacher. She taught for five years before her 1924 marriage to editor Hugh Pollock, with whom she had two daughters. This marriage ended in divorce, and Blyton remarried in 1943, to surgeon Kenneth Fraser Darrell Waters. She died in 1968, one year after her second husband.
Blyton was a prolific author of children's books, who penned an estimated 800 books over about 40 years. Her stories were often either children's adventure and mystery stories, or fantasies involving magic. Notable series include: The Famous Five, The Secret Seven, The Five Find-Outers, Noddy, The Wishing Chair, Mallory Towers, and St. Clare's.
According to the Index Translationum, Blyton was the fifth most popular author in the world in 2007, coming after Lenin but ahead of Shakespeare.
See also her pen name Mary Pollock
Ένιντ Μπλάιτον (Greek)
Enida Blaitona (Latvian)
Энид Блайтон (Russian)
Inid Blajton (Serbian)
Інід Блайтон (Ukrainian)
Enid Mary Blyton (1897–1968) was an English author of children's books.
Born in South London, Blyton was the eldest of three children, and showed an early interest in music and reading. She was educated at St. Christopher's School, Beckenham, and - having decided not to pursue her music - at Ipswich High School, where she trained as a kindergarten teacher. She taught for five years before her 1924 marriage to editor Hugh Pollock, with whom she had two daughters. This marriage ended in divorce, and Blyton remarried in 1943, to surgeon Kenneth Fraser Darrell Waters. She died in 1968, one year after her second husband.
Blyton was a prolific author of children's books, who penned an estimated 800 books over about 40 years. Her stories were often either children's adventure and mystery stories, or fantasies involving magic. Notable series include: The Famous Five, The Secret Seven, The Five Find-Outers, Noddy, The Wishing Chair, Mallory Towers, and St. Clare's.
According to the Index Translationum, Blyton was the fifth most popular author in the world in 2007, coming after Lenin but ahead of Shakespeare.
See also her pen name Mary Pollock
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
March 20, 2018
Findouters challenge: Book 13. The thirteenth of the findouters books begins as usual but also somewhat unusually as well. The children are home again, this time for Easter break, and Fatty to everyone’s surprise is slimming (or attempting to slim, at any rate) for he has been selected for the tennis team at school and while he can hit his shots, running around the court with his current weight isn’t the easiest of things. Meanwhile the Trottevilles have visitors, a friend of Mr Trotteville, Mr Tolling a coleopterist is in Peterswood for a conference and brings along his daughter Eunice who turns out to be the one person Fatty can’t manage to get the better of. Meanwhile his attempts at disguising as a tramp (only for fun and in his shed) lead to his discovering that there is another mystery for the findouters to solve. There is a man the police are looking for, an ace of sorts at disguises and the police are certain he’s in Peterswood. With the fair in the village, and also the conference there are plenty of places to hide. The children are of course trying to solve the mystery before Mr Goon, yet again, but also in a way that Eunice who annoys them doesn’t get wind of what’s going on.
Reading this book, I noticed so many things that were different from the usual findouters books. There are the usual elements of course, school holidays, a mystery, a touch of boasting from Fatty, disguises, Mr Goon and Buster, and food of course. But for one, this book was the first in which I noticed the children drinking coffee―so far (If I haven’t missed it), it was mostly cocoa/chocolate in winter and endless lemonade in summer, so while ages aren’t mentioned in this one, one begins to realise they’re growing older. And then the mention of perms which quite surprised me for while the children weren’t talking of fashion in this case, this wasn’t something that pops up in their vocabularies in general. Then of course, there is Eunice herself, the first time someone who manages to ‘boss’ Fatty around a bit, and who he can’t seem to escape or get the better of. So even he isn’t invincible. Still, while she can be overbearing, no doubt, she’s got some fun in her as well and turns out far better than one would expect from when the book starts off. One sees more of Mrs Trotteville’s lighter side as well in this one. And yes, their equation was Goon is a lot different in this one as well―he still calls Fatty, that ‘toad of a boy’ and doesn’t want his interference, and Fatty still plays a trick or two on him but there isn’t that outright unpleasantness between them that is apparent in many of the books.
Anyway back to the mystery itself, this was again one that I’ve read many times before so though I was reading it after a long-ish gap and had forgotten some of the details, I did remember the solution. While not one of the most interesting, the solution was still fairly so, and one which I as a result enjoyed. This time around though, it was Fatty who worked it all out by himself, literally all of it. The denouement too, come to think of it was very unlike the rest of the series, considering (well that might be a spoiler of sorts)… On the foodmeter, this was certainly much above average. With all that slimming and talk of it, it is only to be expected that Fatty eats a lot more than usual. So yet another enjoyable one, though it seemed very different from the rest of the series.
The original illustrations are available here (but beware, there is a review with spoilers): http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/bo...
(The site mentions the illustrations are by Lilian Bucanan from the first ed, but there are several on this page that I have in my ed and those are by Mary Gernat).
Reading this book, I noticed so many things that were different from the usual findouters books. There are the usual elements of course, school holidays, a mystery, a touch of boasting from Fatty, disguises, Mr Goon and Buster, and food of course. But for one, this book was the first in which I noticed the children drinking coffee―so far (If I haven’t missed it), it was mostly cocoa/chocolate in winter and endless lemonade in summer, so while ages aren’t mentioned in this one, one begins to realise they’re growing older. And then the mention of perms which quite surprised me for while the children weren’t talking of fashion in this case, this wasn’t something that pops up in their vocabularies in general. Then of course, there is Eunice herself, the first time someone who manages to ‘boss’ Fatty around a bit, and who he can’t seem to escape or get the better of. So even he isn’t invincible. Still, while she can be overbearing, no doubt, she’s got some fun in her as well and turns out far better than one would expect from when the book starts off. One sees more of Mrs Trotteville’s lighter side as well in this one. And yes, their equation was Goon is a lot different in this one as well―he still calls Fatty, that ‘toad of a boy’ and doesn’t want his interference, and Fatty still plays a trick or two on him but there isn’t that outright unpleasantness between them that is apparent in many of the books.
Anyway back to the mystery itself, this was again one that I’ve read many times before so though I was reading it after a long-ish gap and had forgotten some of the details, I did remember the solution. While not one of the most interesting, the solution was still fairly so, and one which I as a result enjoyed. This time around though, it was Fatty who worked it all out by himself, literally all of it. The denouement too, come to think of it was very unlike the rest of the series, considering (well that might be a spoiler of sorts)… On the foodmeter, this was certainly much above average. With all that slimming and talk of it, it is only to be expected that Fatty eats a lot more than usual. So yet another enjoyable one, though it seemed very different from the rest of the series.
The original illustrations are available here (but beware, there is a review with spoilers): http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/bo...
(The site mentions the illustrations are by Lilian Bucanan from the first ed, but there are several on this page that I have in my ed and those are by Mary Gernat).
April 23, 2023
I bought this edition to complete my set as I lost my original. I couldn't buy the Dragon edition anywhere so had to settle for this.
Quite a good mystery, even though I think I may have read too many together as I could solve the mystery straight away. Fatty has to entertain Eunice while she and her father are staying at their house. She is one bossy unlikable brat. The mystery leads them to a Fairground and some unusual characters.
One thing puzzled me about this book, it read differently to the others in this series. Firstly Jenks was promoted to Superintendent in the last two books and he was back to a Chief Inspector again. A slip up I'm surprised Blyton made. Also Mr Goon is much politer to Fatty. When speaking to him he calls him Frederick all the time whereas before he never called him anything except 'that toad of a boy' behind his back.
The children have complete freedom to go about anywhere they please everyday and this reminds me of my own childhood when we would be gone all day and only come back for dinner with no need for our parents to worry about us. Happy days!!
Quite a good mystery, even though I think I may have read too many together as I could solve the mystery straight away. Fatty has to entertain Eunice while she and her father are staying at their house. She is one bossy unlikable brat. The mystery leads them to a Fairground and some unusual characters.
One thing puzzled me about this book, it read differently to the others in this series. Firstly Jenks was promoted to Superintendent in the last two books and he was back to a Chief Inspector again. A slip up I'm surprised Blyton made. Also Mr Goon is much politer to Fatty. When speaking to him he calls him Frederick all the time whereas before he never called him anything except 'that toad of a boy' behind his back.
The children have complete freedom to go about anywhere they please everyday and this reminds me of my own childhood when we would be gone all day and only come back for dinner with no need for our parents to worry about us. Happy days!!
August 24, 2022
A childhood favorite.
Would have been 5 stars then, still..4 stars now...
Am going to continue with the adventures of Fatty and Co.
.
Would have been 5 stars then, still..4 stars now...
Am going to continue with the adventures of Fatty and Co.
.
October 6, 2021
I never thought that I would rate one of my beloved series a 3-stars.
I don't know if my mind was very sharp these days (3 mysteries solved in a row! Haha) or these mysteries were a bit simpler than usual. For this one, I could spot the missing man right from the beginning, when Chief Inspector Jenks give the clues to Fatty. I don't know why Fatty was a bit slow in this mystery. He was a master of disguise himself!
Oh, forgot one thing. One of Fatty's most distinguishing characteristics is his good manners. Even more so when he was annoyed. I wonder when he started called Mr Goon as Goon only in his face. I think the last book started this, but during that time, Mr Goon was so cruel that it can be accepted. But no provocation in this one, it makes me wonder why 🤔🤔
Ps - only 2 mysteries to go. Sobs! And as I usually have a withdrawal syndrome for a series, wonder when will I read the last one.
I don't know if my mind was very sharp these days (3 mysteries solved in a row! Haha) or these mysteries were a bit simpler than usual. For this one, I could spot the missing man right from the beginning, when Chief Inspector Jenks give the clues to Fatty. I don't know why Fatty was a bit slow in this mystery. He was a master of disguise himself!
Oh, forgot one thing. One of Fatty's most distinguishing characteristics is his good manners. Even more so when he was annoyed. I wonder when he started called Mr Goon as Goon only in his face. I think the last book started this, but during that time, Mr Goon was so cruel that it can be accepted. But no provocation in this one, it makes me wonder why 🤔🤔
Ps - only 2 mysteries to go. Sobs! And as I usually have a withdrawal syndrome for a series, wonder when will I read the last one.
May 12, 2016
مطابقة لقصص المغامرون الخمسة ...
August 11, 2019
There is a beetle conference in Peterswood and coleopterists from all over the world are in attendance. Fatty's father invites his beetle loving friend and her daughter, the latter of whom Fatty is supposed to entertain. Eunice proves to be a nuisance and when Fatty is saddled with the unwanted guest, he disguises himself to get some peace. And discovers a mystery.
This time, it's an escaped convict who is believed to be hiding out at the local fairgrounds. He is known to be interested in animals and insects, so of course, that ties in with our beetle conference nicely. No Ern in this one, and Eunice is not as good a character. But Fatty's attempts at slimming are fun. The mystery is also interesting, though the powers of disguise are a little far-fetched in this one.
There wasn't enough fun element to this book, and there appeared to be fewer discussions among the children. Not as many confrontations with Goon either, so I enjoyed what I got. Overall, I enjoyed it but it's not superlative.
This time, it's an escaped convict who is believed to be hiding out at the local fairgrounds. He is known to be interested in animals and insects, so of course, that ties in with our beetle conference nicely. No Ern in this one, and Eunice is not as good a character. But Fatty's attempts at slimming are fun. The mystery is also interesting, though the powers of disguise are a little far-fetched in this one.
There wasn't enough fun element to this book, and there appeared to be fewer discussions among the children. Not as many confrontations with Goon either, so I enjoyed what I got. Overall, I enjoyed it but it's not superlative.
April 16, 2019
The thirteenth installment of Enid Blyton's Five Find-Outers and Dog series, in which a group of British schoolchildren spend their holidays playing detective, The Mystery of the Missing Man sees Fatty, Larry, Daisy, Pip, and Bets on the hunt for a dangerous escaped convict, believed to be in the Peterswood area. As the children race to find the man before their nemesis, local police bobby PC Goon, they must also contend with the unexpected and unwelcome guests staying at Fatty's house. How will the Find-Outers ever get anything done, when their leader is expected to entertain the annoying Eunice, and her coleopterist father?
I found this entry in the series mildly amusing, mostly because I thought the character of Eunice was an excellent reflection of Fatty. She is essentially his female counterpart - accomplished in everything she does, very competent, somewhat managing and full of herself. The fact that she is seen as horrid, while Fattty is not, provided a source of unintentional humor, even as it highlighted Blyton's double standards, as it concerns gender roles.
The "mystery" itself held little interest, as I was able to guess the identity of the convict from his very first appearance. I was interested to note, after having had two separate discussions of the nickname "Fatty," that weight actually does enter into the story here. Fatty, an accomplished tennis player, is "slimming" throughout this book, hoping to make the first tennis team at school. Although I stand by my position that Blyton isn't ridiculing heavy children, there is definitely the sense here that the nickname "Fatty" is an in-joke, only really acceptable when used by the Find-Outers.
I found this entry in the series mildly amusing, mostly because I thought the character of Eunice was an excellent reflection of Fatty. She is essentially his female counterpart - accomplished in everything she does, very competent, somewhat managing and full of herself. The fact that she is seen as horrid, while Fattty is not, provided a source of unintentional humor, even as it highlighted Blyton's double standards, as it concerns gender roles.
The "mystery" itself held little interest, as I was able to guess the identity of the convict from his very first appearance. I was interested to note, after having had two separate discussions of the nickname "Fatty," that weight actually does enter into the story here. Fatty, an accomplished tennis player, is "slimming" throughout this book, hoping to make the first tennis team at school. Although I stand by my position that Blyton isn't ridiculing heavy children, there is definitely the sense here that the nickname "Fatty" is an in-joke, only really acceptable when used by the Find-Outers.
June 6, 2020
Listened to in audio format.
The Five Find-Outers and dog were home for the Easter holidays. Their hometown of Peterswood was due to be flooded with visitors to the annual beetle conference.
However the gang were upset because Fatty had to look after a girl called Eunice whose father would be attending the conference. Fatty was pleased when his friend Inspector Jenks, asked the Find-Outers to look out for a missing man with a scar on his face and nobbly fingers!!
Can the Find-Outers and dog find the missing man before PC Goon?
This series has brought back memories of childhood. I highly recommend this charming series.
The Five Find-Outers and dog were home for the Easter holidays. Their hometown of Peterswood was due to be flooded with visitors to the annual beetle conference.
However the gang were upset because Fatty had to look after a girl called Eunice whose father would be attending the conference. Fatty was pleased when his friend Inspector Jenks, asked the Find-Outers to look out for a missing man with a scar on his face and nobbly fingers!!
Can the Find-Outers and dog find the missing man before PC Goon?
This series has brought back memories of childhood. I highly recommend this charming series.
June 19, 2017
unexpected as always.
March 3, 2019
A juvenile mystery featuring the Five Find-outers and a dog. This one has an impossible crime element, which together with “The mystery of the disappearing cat “ makes it the second impossible mystery in this series. “The mystery of the secret room” also has an impossible element, but it is not an impossible crime. We really should not like these children because of the way they treat mr. Goon, a policeman. But he really is such a ridiculous figure that we forgive them. And children are very good at seeing the weaknesses of other people. At least they have respect for Inspector Jenks, another policeman. A fun read.
August 29, 2025
3.5 ⭐ a bit boring. my first all-nighter.
December 15, 2014
Spoilers obviously. I DON'T see how you can write a full book review without revealing anything.
Okay. Do you hear me at the background screaming it's so obvious? The moment the old lady got introduced?
I suppose it is for kids where its lots of suspense for them and stuff and I'm more in the teens category. Nope. Really shouldn't be judging it harshly.
Anyway, what I liked about it, goes for the series, is that although very repetitive throughout the book, for example like waiting for Fatty to come and then thinking he's in disguise or meeting Goon at the start and make a fool of him and that it's nearly always Fatty who goes "Aha got who did it" it's still funny. And although suspense lacks, supposedly not for teens.
So this is not my favourite book from the mystery series because the suspense was just dry unlike other books where there were some sort of suspense and wondering who the culprit is.
Okay. Do you hear me at the background screaming it's so obvious? The moment the old lady got introduced?
I suppose it is for kids where its lots of suspense for them and stuff and I'm more in the teens category. Nope. Really shouldn't be judging it harshly.
Anyway, what I liked about it, goes for the series, is that although very repetitive throughout the book, for example like waiting for Fatty to come and then thinking he's in disguise or meeting Goon at the start and make a fool of him and that it's nearly always Fatty who goes "Aha got who did it" it's still funny. And although suspense lacks, supposedly not for teens.
So this is not my favourite book from the mystery series because the suspense was just dry unlike other books where there were some sort of suspense and wondering who the culprit is.
October 6, 2020
Found my entire Enid Blyton collection tucked away in a neat corner of a cupboard filled with old, unused stuff. Re-reading these has been a major trip down memory lane. My entire childhood revolved around these brilliant mysteries. I've spent many a day curling up with one of these. These books introduced me to reading. They made the voracious reader I am today and I couldn't be more grateful. I haven't felt this nostalgic in a long time.
April 2, 2008
It was a thumbs-up story.
Read
September 30, 2017The usual enjoyable Blyton mystery!
September 12, 2020
Read because it's easy German. If I were 10 or 12, I would probably have liked it as much as I liked most Enid Blyton books at that age.
November 12, 2022
The 13th entry in the Five Find-Outers series, this was an entertaining story. Mostly because the character of Eunice became a great foil for Fatty, and had some great scenes with him, particularly at the beginning. Fatty was not a good host for her, always trying to avoid her when in truth she was not so annoying. Not much more annoying than Fatty himself can be, to be honest. In any case, the dynamic between those two was entertaining. The rest of the Find-Outers have more secondary roles, as usual with this series.
The mystery itself was extremely obvious for an adult reader. The target audience of this series, as children are less experienced in mystery story conventions, would probably be caught by surprise by the resolution.
Also, watching the gang outwitting Mr. Goon is always enjoyable.
I personally enjoy Blyton's adventure stories more than her mysteries, but that's a matter of personal taste. This is a fine entry in the series.
The mystery itself was extremely obvious for an adult reader. The target audience of this series, as children are less experienced in mystery story conventions, would probably be caught by surprise by the resolution.
Also, watching the gang outwitting Mr. Goon is always enjoyable.
I personally enjoy Blyton's adventure stories more than her mysteries, but that's a matter of personal taste. This is a fine entry in the series.
July 23, 2018
I was a voracious reader as a child having entire series of "The Baby Sitter's Club", "Sweet Valley Kids", and "Sweet Valley High School", but nothing sparked my imagination like Enid Blyton. There were a few books of hers in circulation in the 1980's Pakistan, and I was probably the only girl (or maybe there was another) who knew about her. I would recommend her to anyone and everyone who liked reading and asked what I was reading. The way her short stories sparked my imagination impacted me more than I let on. They were parables like Disney animated movies in printed words and I would get lost in them for hours until my mother would call me for dinner. I would put Enid Blyton to the level of Roald Dahl and Dr. Suess. Check her out!!
April 24, 2021
For young minds, these books proved to be so thrilling, the zest, the tumble into adventures, cracking puzzles, finding clues and finally putting criminals and robbers behind bars!
This one where the twins kept reappearing alternately, each having aliases while the other gallivanted around town committing crimes.!
The mystery series were one of the best series in the Enid Blyton collection. The English highlands, and moors, the prolific city life and the extremely enigmatic children finding their way around, made for some of the best reads as a kid.
This one where the twins kept reappearing alternately, each having aliases while the other gallivanted around town committing crimes.!
The mystery series were one of the best series in the Enid Blyton collection. The English highlands, and moors, the prolific city life and the extremely enigmatic children finding their way around, made for some of the best reads as a kid.
May 27, 2022
It's been a while since the last time I read this book. But reading this now, I still get annoyed towards Eunice at the beginning. In my opinion, she's kinda disrespectful as a guest but she redeems herself at the end of the book💕. Then the brother and sister relationship between Fatty and Bets (even tho they are not siblings and the scene is not that many) is just adorable, the mystery gives some clues that are already in front of our faces but can be easily dismissed. For me, this volume is easily ranked as one of the best volumes of this series.
August 9, 2019
I always love Enid Blyton books, and this series, as usual, did not let me down. However, I managed to workout the mystery in about half the time the Find-Outers took, so while I was reading I was just waiting for them to realise. The ending was more abrupt and dramatic than usual, and it seemed none of the other children helped with the mystery. Despite this, I still loved the book, and would recommend to anyone who likes mysteries and Enid Blyton.
October 6, 2021
Poor Fatty is stuck with a houseguest, the irrepressible Eunice, who is determined to fit herself into the children's lives. Her father is attending a nearby insect talk, and the children are once again drawn into a mystery when they learn of an escaped convict. Fatty gets himself captured, and is semi-rescued by a determined but exhausted Eunice, and he's soon able to uncover the whereabouts of the missing man
October 25, 2024
My least favorite of the series. Still funny, but the mystery is the most scooby-doo-obvious from the get-go, and the hijinks are impeded by a visitor at Fatty’s house. And a good bit of time is taken up with recapping action we’ve just seen to other characters—a repetition tic that Blyton usually avoids.
A rare disappointment.
A rare disappointment.
November 13, 2025
The mystery of missing man is one of the letter books in mystery series and it carries many qualities that make mystery enjoy well the presence of a dangerous criminal who is a master of small suspense and giving the children a real challenge overall the book was investing and fun and what for reading.
May 25, 2021
Gosh, what a thrilling end to the mystery! I liked that it was almost like a race between Fatty and Goon to solve it, and (expectedly) it's Fatty and the five who come out trumps! I liked the character of Eunice, the friendly rival to Fatty's brains, so to speak. And I couldn't guess the villain, so that added to my fun as well. I can't believe only two more books are left to read. This series binge has just flown by fast.
June 9, 2021
The Mystery Of The Missing Man by Enid Blyton Genre: Mystery, children’s literature Rating:5/5
When a strange coleopterist conference arrives at Fatty’s town, he and his friends have to figure out if a dangerous criminal is hiding amongst them.
I recommend this book to all!
When a strange coleopterist conference arrives at Fatty’s town, he and his friends have to figure out if a dangerous criminal is hiding amongst them.
I recommend this book to all!
July 22, 2021
Eunice has always been one of my favourite extras in this series. I wish she had played a bigger role, redeeming herself better, towards the end. But like the entire FFO&D series, a rollicking good read!
March 5, 2022
The arrival of Eunice (plus dieting!) deflates Fatty of his pomposity and self-assuredness. The plot is more original than those of the preceding mysteries; at the same time, the other Find-Outers are near absent and the ending comes as a damp squib.
June 5, 2023
Ir's cute, but not nearly as good as the Famous Five or Adventure series.
I enjoyed the fact that Fatty runs along the Thames river and Marlow is mentioned where we stayed in a lovely Bed & Breakfast in 2014.
I enjoyed the fact that Fatty runs along the Thames river and Marlow is mentioned where we stayed in a lovely Bed & Breakfast in 2014.
March 23, 2024
It was a good story. I figured out who the man with the scar though. Nevertheless a good read and yay I finally finished reading the whole series (I didn't follow the order.. hence this is my last one). Off to another series!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews