What do you think?
Rate this book
The Mysteries Collection Volume 1
A fantastic bumper volume of classic stories from a much-loved author.
The Mystery series follows the adventures of 'The Five Find Outers'- Pip, Bets, Larry, Daisy and Fatty, as they solve the most mysterious cases with the help of their dog Buster. This first volume collects the first three stories in the series: The Mystery of the Burnt Cottage, The Mystery of the Disappearing Cat and The Mystery of the Secret Room.
Enid Blyton is arguably the most famous children’s author of all time. Thanks to series such as The Wishing-Chair, The Faraway Tree, The Mysteries, The Famous Five and The Secret Seven, she has sold over 400 million books in more than 40 languages worldwide. Her Mysteries stories have charmed generations of children – and they are as popular today as they have ever been.
The Mystery series follows the adventures of 'The Five Find Outers'- Pip, Bets, Larry, Daisy and Fatty, as they solve the most mysterious cases with the help of their dog Buster. This first volume collects the first three stories in the series: The Mystery of the Burnt Cottage, The Mystery of the Disappearing Cat and The Mystery of the Secret Room.
Enid Blyton is arguably the most famous children’s author of all time. Thanks to series such as The Wishing-Chair, The Faraway Tree, The Mysteries, The Famous Five and The Secret Seven, she has sold over 400 million books in more than 40 languages worldwide. Her Mysteries stories have charmed generations of children – and they are as popular today as they have ever been.
- GenresFiction
688 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2013
7 people are currently reading
64 people want to read
About the author
Enid Blyton
5,128 books6,286 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
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 22, 2021
This is a collection of the first three books in The Mysteries series - The Mystery of the Burnt Cottage, The Mystery of the Disappearing Cat and The Mystery of the Secret Room. All three follow the discoveries made and mysteries solved by the Five Find-Outers - Pip, Bets, Larry, Daisy and Fatty.
The Mystery of the Burnt Cottage - 3.5/5 stars
This initial story sees the characters meet for the first time, as they witness a cottage burning to the ground. They join forces and take it upon themselves, despite police protestations, to find the culprit. As they do so many other secrets about those residing in and nearby the cottage are also unearthed.
Some initial scenes were spent introducing the characters but little time was spent on learning more about them. Instead, they were allowed to grow alongside the mysteries. The group bonded as the story continued and it was a joy to witness the Five Five-Outers grow ever closer. I'm looking forward to future instalments where their friendships will be cemented.
Naturally the mystery was straight-forward, from an adult perspective, but I can only imagine the fun I would have had reading this as a child, as I did all of Blyton's other series that I had discovered then.
The Mystery of the Disappearing Cat - 4/5 stars
This second mystery saw the Five Find-Outers reunite. Their summer days were initially spent in peace and play before a mystery next door required their involvement. They worked to gather a list of clues and suspects, as they were convinced of the innocence and wrongful conviction of the sole suspect.
Just as in the last book, I had such fun with these characters. They had their own distinct personalities that made their interactions a joy to read about. They also bickered like real children and were not portrayed as wholly good and innocent angels, which I greatly appreciated.
The villains, from an adult perspective, were less nuanced. They were the clear-cut antagonists of the book, with grumpy natures, distrust of the children, and a penchant for tantrums and minor violence. It became all too obvious where suspicions should be cast but that made my time with this mystery no less enjoyable.
The Mystery of the Secret Room - 4/5 stars
The mystery, presented in the title, did not appear until just over a quarter of the way into the story, but that did not mean this contained an unenjoyable start. The Five Find-Outers spent the first days of their Christmas holidays in relative peace before donning a variety of disguises to annoy and befuddle the local policeman. Their hilarity was catching and it made this an especially fun series instalment.
Another element I loved about this was the sheer amount of Fatty (nicknamed due to his initials F.A.T rather than his physical appearance) adoration that featured. Poor Fatty had previously been the source of, by turns, much amusement and annoyance. His character growth and the other children's acceptance of him have made him a strong and lovable character here. I'm glad he was provided with his chance in the limelight.
The Mystery of the Burnt Cottage - 3.5/5 stars
This initial story sees the characters meet for the first time, as they witness a cottage burning to the ground. They join forces and take it upon themselves, despite police protestations, to find the culprit. As they do so many other secrets about those residing in and nearby the cottage are also unearthed.
Some initial scenes were spent introducing the characters but little time was spent on learning more about them. Instead, they were allowed to grow alongside the mysteries. The group bonded as the story continued and it was a joy to witness the Five Five-Outers grow ever closer. I'm looking forward to future instalments where their friendships will be cemented.
Naturally the mystery was straight-forward, from an adult perspective, but I can only imagine the fun I would have had reading this as a child, as I did all of Blyton's other series that I had discovered then.
The Mystery of the Disappearing Cat - 4/5 stars
This second mystery saw the Five Find-Outers reunite. Their summer days were initially spent in peace and play before a mystery next door required their involvement. They worked to gather a list of clues and suspects, as they were convinced of the innocence and wrongful conviction of the sole suspect.
Just as in the last book, I had such fun with these characters. They had their own distinct personalities that made their interactions a joy to read about. They also bickered like real children and were not portrayed as wholly good and innocent angels, which I greatly appreciated.
The villains, from an adult perspective, were less nuanced. They were the clear-cut antagonists of the book, with grumpy natures, distrust of the children, and a penchant for tantrums and minor violence. It became all too obvious where suspicions should be cast but that made my time with this mystery no less enjoyable.
The Mystery of the Secret Room - 4/5 stars
The mystery, presented in the title, did not appear until just over a quarter of the way into the story, but that did not mean this contained an unenjoyable start. The Five Find-Outers spent the first days of their Christmas holidays in relative peace before donning a variety of disguises to annoy and befuddle the local policeman. Their hilarity was catching and it made this an especially fun series instalment.
Another element I loved about this was the sheer amount of Fatty (nicknamed due to his initials F.A.T rather than his physical appearance) adoration that featured. Poor Fatty had previously been the source of, by turns, much amusement and annoyance. His character growth and the other children's acceptance of him have made him a strong and lovable character here. I'm glad he was provided with his chance in the limelight.
October 24, 2015
Read this book with my 8 year old son. It was a good one we could read together. He spent many evenings jumping up and down in excitement or interrupting me with his latest theories for the current mystery
January 15, 2024
Great to revisit classic Blyton on kindle, just as enjoyable
May 25, 2021
The first book in the series is perhaps one of my favorites because it introduces the characters, and I remember quite falling in love with Fatty and Bets because of the story. It is fun, quick to read and enjoyable to re-read too, especially when the mind wants a break from reality and well, heavy fiction. The lovable nemesis Mr. Goon, and the friendly Inspector Jenks adds to the story too.
The second book I liked because of the character of the kind-hearted Luke as well as the Find-outers. It’s a whodunit of course, and it isn’t difficult to know the culprit, but that doesn’t stop the book from being a fun read. It goes to show how even the smallest anomaly can be a clue to the solution of the mystery.
I loved the third book because it had more “action” than the first two, and it was a mystery that was stumbled upon by chance. The author adds another aspect to Fatty’s character in this book which makes it more fun, and the tangle with PC Goon helps as well. I especially loved the letter to him which was mischievous and so reminiscent of childhood.
The second book I liked because of the character of the kind-hearted Luke as well as the Find-outers. It’s a whodunit of course, and it isn’t difficult to know the culprit, but that doesn’t stop the book from being a fun read. It goes to show how even the smallest anomaly can be a clue to the solution of the mystery.
I loved the third book because it had more “action” than the first two, and it was a mystery that was stumbled upon by chance. The author adds another aspect to Fatty’s character in this book which makes it more fun, and the tangle with PC Goon helps as well. I especially loved the letter to him which was mischievous and so reminiscent of childhood.
Read
March 26, 2023Loved it
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews