Mystery of the Silent Friends

by Robin Gottlieb

The "Friends" are antique dolls. And they're in danger!

When two customers appear in her father's antique shop, each trying to buy Henri and Henriette, a pair of Swiss mechanical dolls, Nina Martin scents a mystery. Then the hint of hidden treasure and a secret message send Nina and her friend Muffin off on a treasure hunt in New York City.

Genres: Mystery, Childrens, Fiction

First published January 1, 1964

Reviews

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mystery in an antique store! Dolls! Plucky heroines! So glad I re-found this book in my parent's attic, randomly shoved into a box of anthropology papers from college. Definitely a comfort reread every decade or so, perfect way to spend an hour on Saturday morning with coffee. (Did not bother rereading the anthro papers. Maybe better for a Saturday night with insomnia. What a snooze.)

[Woff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Man, automatons are creepy.

[JalapenoSoup · Rating 5 out of 5]

How delightful to achieve my 100th book of the year with this favorite childhood story. Nina and Muffin are so likable and real, and I am still jealous of the wonderland playground that is the Martin family antique shop. (Not quite as magical as the Three Investigators' secret junkyard HQ, but it's close). I also like that the "villain" in here is more nuanced than most bad guys are in 60's-era children's mysteries. And the automatons! The automatons! I was FASCINATED as a kid.

Solid story. Fun characters. Imaginative backdrop. Good memories.

[Jane Irish Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably 3.5 stars. Nina loves the two automatons in her father's antique store, so when a customer expresses interest in purchasing them she afraid her father will agree. But luckily he says he wants to think about it. Then another man also wants the buy them! What is going on? Could these dolls contain some sort of clue to a mystery? Nina and Muffin are determined to solve it, no matter what. Enjoyable.

[Carole · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this in jr High as a Scholastic book and still have it. I enjoyed it greatly, mainly for the first time I had heard the expletive, 'Good gravy!"
I tried it out at my best friend's house in front of her Mother. She snorted with laughter, and probably trying to be polite, turned away. There after, whenever I visited, the whole family would greet me with a chorus of 'Good gravy's!"

[Gabrielle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mystery solved by automatons - sign me up. gleeps!

[Danielle Routh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Between this and the Three Investigators, I seem to be on a vintage fiction kick (and it's not even July!). I'm not sure if my mom read this as a young girl or just happened to have a copy, but it's one of several '60s paperbacks I grew up with and loved. It actually inspired me, at the age of twelve or so, to write a very similar story (young girl with a father who owns an antique store)... maybe I should get on that. Anyway, it's a fun little romp that, for a mystery novel, actually isn't too farfetched and includes a nice focus on the friendship of Nina and Muffin. Automatons, away!

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nina and her friend Muffin try to figure out where a secret treasure is hidden based on clues from two automatons.

I remember reading this when I was a kid and liking it and it was still fun as an adult. It took me back to days of reading just this kind of book - gentle and simplistic with kids that poke around and never get called on it and always end up 'investigating' their way to a solution.

[Sharon Buxton · Rating 3 out of 5]

B. children's fiction, dolls automatons, antiques, mystery, grade 4, Mom's stash, keep

[Elizabeth Hummel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this as a pre-teen in the late 70’s and loved it! I tracked it down as an adult and read it again. Still loved the mystery and adventure!

[Renae Rude · Rating 5 out of 5]

A favorite from my childhood.