Mary Louise in the Country

The Bluebird Books #2

by Edith Van Dyne (Pseudonym), L. Frank Baum, Sibella Denton (Narrator)

Mary Louise in the Country
L. Frank BAUM (1856 - 1919)

The Bluebird Books is a series of novels popular with teenage girls in the 1910s and 1920s. The series was begun by L. Frank Baum using his Edith Van Dyne pseudonym, then continued by at least three others, all using the same pseudonym. Baum wrote the first four books in the series, possibly with help from his son, Harry Neal Baum, on the third. The books are concerned with adolescent girl detectives— a concept Baum had experimented with earlier, in The Daring Twins (1911) and Phoebe Daring (1912). The Bluebird series began with Mary Louise, originally written as a tribute to Baum's favorite sister, Mary Louise Baum Brewster. Baum's publisher, Reilly & Britton, rejected that manuscript, apparently judging the heroine too independent. Baum wrote a new version of the book; the original manuscript is lost. The title character is Mary Louise Burrows.In this volume, Mary Louise and Gran'pa Jim take a house for the summer in a quiet place called Cragg's Crossing. There, they meet with any number of peculiar people - and one very peculiar mystery!! (Summary from Wikipedia and Sibella Denton)

Genre(s): General Fiction, Detective Fiction
Language: English

Running Time:4:33:42

Genres: Classics, Fiction, Mystery, Audiobook, Childrens

Audiobook

First published January 1, 1916

About the author

Pen name for L. Frank Baum and Emma Speed Sampson

Reviews

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this World War I era story that was actually written by Wizard of Oz author L. Frank Baum. Mary Louise is a teenage orphan gitl who lives with her gran'pa Jim. The household moves to a house in Craggs Crossing for the summer where Mary Louise befriends young Ingua Sammuel. Ingua lives with her ne're do well grandfather who is indifferent to her needs and even starves her. Mary Louise scents a mystery and calls her friend, Josie O'Gorman, the daughter of the Secret Service director, who is in training to become a detective. A reader of old series books doesn't expect to find mysteries solved by females prior to the Nancy Drew era of 1930. This is a good mystery with a rather surprise ending.

[Abby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've really been enjoying reading the Mary Louise series. The not so subtle sexism makes me giggle, it's so rediculous but of course, it was written during that time when women were considered not very bright. It tickled me to know that the author was forced to re-write his first manuscript of these books because the main character was deemed "too independent for a girl her age". The books are well written and a gem to read, it's like time travel almost, I love the different speech and slang they used back then. The only downside to these books is the racist terms & ideas, which make me cringe! But again, it was written a long time ago.
Overall a cute series, if you can ignore the old fashioned ignorance to human equality, which I can forgive since it was written so long ago.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love your neighbor as yourself. A mystery to the end. This would be a good read-aloud book, one chapter at a time and talk about morals, judging outward appearance versus what;s really happening in the heart. A book that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

[puck · Rating 3 out of 5]

jolly black servants aside (i don't think the noble "so well adjusted you wouldn't remember she uses a wheelchair" girl is in this one), this story was absurd enough to be keep you guessing, just because what the hell.

[Amyem]

http://librivox.org/mary-louise-in-th...

[Denise Kuntz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent story! Sibella Denton is an awesome narrator! I highly recommend!