The Silver Ring Mystery

Vicki Barr Flight Stewardess #13

by Helen Wells

Vicki Barr is a popular mystery series for girls published from 1947 to 1964. Helen Wells wrote volumes #1-4 and 9-16, and Julie Campbell Tatham, the creator of Trixie Belden, wrote volumes #5-8. Wells returned to write the series, but the last volume, The Brass Idol Mystery, though credited to Wells, is believed to have been written by Walter B. Gibson, the creator and writer of "The Shadow" and sometime author of the Biff Brewster series for boys.

"The Silver Ring Mystery" is the 13th book in the series.

Genres: Mystery

180 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1960

About the author

Original name: Helen Weinstock. Social worker turned full-time young adult writer, born in Illinois but moved with family to New York City when she was seven. In 1934 Wells graduated from New York University [where she'd been the first female editor of the literary quarterly], with a major in philosophy and a minor in sociology and psychology.

During World War II, she served as a volunteer with the State Department's Office of the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs, escorting Latin American visitors in the United States.

Author of Cherry Ames, Nurse books, a series for young teens.

She was also the author of the Vicki Barr books, about a young mystery-solving flight attendant. And, as Francine Lewis, she penned the short-lived Polly French series (1950s), aimed at a younger readership.

After writing the first eight books of the Cherry Ames series and the first three Vicki Barr books, Wells decided to abandon both series to write for television and radio, and Julie Tatham took over (however, both the ninth Cherry Ames book and the fourth Vicki Barr book were published under Wells's name). Tatham later returned the Vicki Barr books to Wells in 1953 and the Cherry Ames books in 1955.

Reviews

[Leslie Goddard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can see why Vicki Barr was so popular. This was a fun detective story, with a good adventure plot line. Vicki definitely resembles Nancy Drew (well-mannered, poised, energetic, fearless). It’s a bit dated — the most obvious being that Vicki is a stewardess rather than a pilot — but captures how a career as a stewardess must have felt wildly glamorous and adventurous.

[Reading with Cats · Rating 4 out of 5]

The lame mystery is easily solved so the reader is in the rather boring position of waiting for Vicki to catch up. Also, I would have left limp noodle Lucy to her fate. What carries this book for me is the old-timey details like characters “powdering their noses” and putting on gloves and hats before venturing outside.

[Jane Irish Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vicki helps an older couple find the orphaned granddaughter they never met — but not without some difficulties along the way.

[Dina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Vicki comes to the aid of Mr. & Mrs. Bryant who are searching for their long lost granddaughter. Their crooked lawyer has "found" their heir and tries to deceive them with a fraudulent granddaughter. Vicki shows her bravery in this book and I enjoyed it very much.
The final few chapters where Vicki and the real Lucy are racing back to her grandparents and trying to arrive before the crooked lawyer arrives had me on the edge of my seat.

[JenniferFour · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfectly charming book. The mystery was light but the look into flying before I was born was great.