Thirteen at Killer Gorge

The Partridge Family #14

by Vic Crume

142 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 1973

Reviews

[Sheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to agree with Bryan Frazier that the solution to the mystery in this book was glaringly obvious from the git go. But I don't really read these books for the mystery so that wasn't a problem.

As is true of the other Vic Crume Partridge Family books I've re-read recently, basically a solid little cosy mystery. Which I also don't generally read for the mystery! The TV show characters are in character, Chris gets more "screen time" than usual, and Danny is uncannily savvy, as was often true on the show. One thing that does set this one apart is that the main guest character and, by the end, the Partridges themselves deal with personal betrayal -- or what feels like personal betrayal, in one case. There've been tragedies in the past in other Vic Crume novels but they were usually firmly in the past; in this one a major character is still grappling with the results, giving the book as a whole a slightly more serious tone.

[Bryan Frazier · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finally finished " The Partridge Family # 14 - Thirteen At Killer Gorge . " ( I had put it aside for a good long while . ( As you can see by the disparity of time between when I started the book until the day that I finally finished the book !! ) It was a good story , but the mystery was FAR too easy to solve !! ( I mean , even easier than in the rest of the books in the series !! ) There was really only one conclusion to make the whole time that I read the book !! The plot deals with a skyjacker ( Skyjacking was a major problem in those days !! ) that may have landed somewhere near Reuben Kincade's Aunt Polly's old boarding house ( Now empty !! ) Then , along comes this guy with a pretty unbelievable story about throwing his bicycle , complete with his money , ID , and other items at a snake . The bike and all of his possessions then went sailing off of a huge embankment !! The ladies of the Partridge Family are offered the chance to appear in a feature film . The catch ?? They will have to take Dulcimer lessons !! Each female Partridge in turn ends up leaving the movie . There is also the mystery of just why Reuben's Aunt Polly despises the gorge so much . All is revealed , cleared up , and finished by the end of the book , as always . There is one fairly dark moment in the end . The skyjacker meets his death at the hands of a Panther that has been prowling around throughout the story . I usually give the Partridge Family books five stars , and I thought about doing the same with this novel as well . But , due to the incredibly easy mystery , I could not . ( Sometimes , I admit tat nostalgia does play a part in my rating of these and other books from the era . But , that is a part of my enjoyment , so it is an honest rating regardless . If you are a fan of the Partridge Family , then by all means , you should read this book !! I have read all of the books in the series up to this one . I will be reading # 15 next . I can recommend these books for fun and light reading . ( Because that is precisely what they are !!