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Madge Sterling #2
The Missing Formula
Madge Sterling's new friend, Anne Fairaday, has recently lost her father. Anne may also soon lose her home since the house is mortgaged, and she has very little money left. Anne's only hope is to find her father's valuable secret formula for a substance that will keep metal from rusting. Mr. Fairaday hid the formula to prevent theft, only he never told Anne the location of the hiding place. Madge helps Anne search for the formula with no success. Anne does have a few meager clues which lead Madge to suspect that a certain book may hold the secret. However, nothing can be found inside the book. Complicating matters, Mr. Fairaday's former assistant snoops around the Fairaday property in an attempt to locate the formula for himself. Madge and Anne continue their search, hoping to locate the formula before it lands in the wrong hands.
- GenresMysteryYoung Adult
109 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1932
6 people are currently reading
34 people want to read
About the author
Mildred A. Wirt
101 books61 followersMildred Augustine Wirt Benson (aka: Mildred Benson)
Writing under Stratemeyer Syndicate pen name Carolyn Keene from 1929 to 1947, she contributed to 23 of the first 25 originally published Nancy Drew mysteries. She was one of 28 individuals who helped produce the Syndicate's Nancy Drew mystery books from 1929 to 1984.
Edward Stratemeyer hired Benson in 1926. She was paid a flat fee of $125 for the first Nancy Drew book written using an outline provided by the syndicate.
Other pseudonyms: Frank Bell, Joan Clark, Julia K. Duncan, Alice B. Emerson, Frances K. Judd, Don Palmer, Helen Louise Thorndyke, Dorothy West, Ann Wirt
Writing under Stratemeyer Syndicate pen name Carolyn Keene from 1929 to 1947, she contributed to 23 of the first 25 originally published Nancy Drew mysteries. She was one of 28 individuals who helped produce the Syndicate's Nancy Drew mystery books from 1929 to 1984.
Edward Stratemeyer hired Benson in 1926. She was paid a flat fee of $125 for the first Nancy Drew book written using an outline provided by the syndicate.
Other pseudonyms: Frank Bell, Joan Clark, Julia K. Duncan, Alice B. Emerson, Frances K. Judd, Don Palmer, Helen Louise Thorndyke, Dorothy West, Ann Wirt
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 15, 2024
Entertaining mystery relationship listening 🎆🤗✨🤔🎶
This kindle e-book novella is free from Amazon book 2 of 3
They are searching for the formula and everyone else. It all works out in the end.
I would recommend this series and author to readers of family and friends relationships mystery novels. 2024 👒
This kindle e-book novella is free from Amazon book 2 of 3
They are searching for the formula and everyone else. It all works out in the end.
I would recommend this series and author to readers of family and friends relationships mystery novels. 2024 👒
February 16, 2024
Well I got quite a surprise when I started this book. About 4 pages in everything was starting to sound very familiar so I looked up the whole plot online and got a little shock. Turns out this book is the basis for a computer game called Miss Clue - Formula For Danger. I had played the game about a year ago and I thought it was alright, but now after reading the book I think a lot more highly of the game because it's pretty accurate to the book (although there's a few more characters, secret passages, and puzzles involved). It's a free, online game and I really recommend it if you like this book! (It's verrrry similar to the Nancy Drew games if you're familiar with those).
Anyways back to the book; I really enjoyed it. I love how the location was used so much. It's set at a lake in the Canadian wilderness and Madge is always rowing across the lake, trekking through the woods, there's an empty cabin Madge's uncle built that they go into, just lots of atmosphere and I loved it.
Jack French is a great character too, although I couldn't stand his name and since I was reading a digital copy I actually "replace/all" it with something better haha.
The only problems I had with this was the storm on the lake because I've read a good amount of Mildred Wirt books and she used this event a few too many times for my liking. Also didn't like what happened with the culprit in the end.
Overall another lovely book from a lovely author.
Second Reading:
"Orphan Anne Fairaday faces a life of poverty upon the death of her father. The only thing that can prevent it is finding his latest experiment. She enlisted her new found friend, Madge Sterling, an outdoors girl who has a knack for finding missing things. But they must race against time as there are also several people who will stop at nothing to get it first" [x]
- The way Madge's parents are mentioned it seems as tho there could have been plans for her to find her missing father if the series had continued à la the Maxie series.
- Would Anne be legally allowed to remain on Steward Island alone? She is a minor after all.
- When Anne mentions trying to get a loan from the bank Madge remarks that her uncle said banks were reluctant to give loans at the time. That's because it was the great depression. I've remarked before how I love when real life events are worked into these old books.
- It really is great luck Madge just happened to be interested in the Kippling book instead of one of the many books in the Fairaday library.
- After Anne's house gets robbed in the night if her silverware, she thinks someone could be trying to scare her away. She ignores the fact that Clyde had showed up saying she owed him money and then her semi valuable silverware is gone. Also her fathers laboratory is ransacked the same night Clyde says he has Anne's fathers formula. C'mon girls, use your logic.
★You can read the rest of this review on my blog, vintagegirlsbooks.blogspot.com
★ You can see all the art work for this book and many others on my Pinterest.com/nancydrewart
Anyways back to the book; I really enjoyed it. I love how the location was used so much. It's set at a lake in the Canadian wilderness and Madge is always rowing across the lake, trekking through the woods, there's an empty cabin Madge's uncle built that they go into, just lots of atmosphere and I loved it.
Jack French is a great character too, although I couldn't stand his name and since I was reading a digital copy I actually "replace/all" it with something better haha.
The only problems I had with this was the storm on the lake because I've read a good amount of Mildred Wirt books and she used this event a few too many times for my liking. Also didn't like what happened with the culprit in the end.
Overall another lovely book from a lovely author.
Second Reading:
"Orphan Anne Fairaday faces a life of poverty upon the death of her father. The only thing that can prevent it is finding his latest experiment. She enlisted her new found friend, Madge Sterling, an outdoors girl who has a knack for finding missing things. But they must race against time as there are also several people who will stop at nothing to get it first" [x]
- The way Madge's parents are mentioned it seems as tho there could have been plans for her to find her missing father if the series had continued à la the Maxie series.
- Would Anne be legally allowed to remain on Steward Island alone? She is a minor after all.
- When Anne mentions trying to get a loan from the bank Madge remarks that her uncle said banks were reluctant to give loans at the time. That's because it was the great depression. I've remarked before how I love when real life events are worked into these old books.
- It really is great luck Madge just happened to be interested in the Kippling book instead of one of the many books in the Fairaday library.
- After Anne's house gets robbed in the night if her silverware, she thinks someone could be trying to scare her away. She ignores the fact that Clyde had showed up saying she owed him money and then her semi valuable silverware is gone. Also her fathers laboratory is ransacked the same night Clyde says he has Anne's fathers formula. C'mon girls, use your logic.
★You can read the rest of this review on my blog, vintagegirlsbooks.blogspot.com
★ You can see all the art work for this book and many others on my Pinterest.com/nancydrewart
January 30, 2018
This book was terrific, very enjoyable; I'm very much looking forward to reading book 2 in the series.
January 19, 2018
I really enjoyed this book !! It is an oldie ; published in 1932 !! It was / is a fun read from the first page . It is the first book in the Madge Sterling series , and does a great job in setting up the characters . The story refers to Madge and her friend Anne seeking a hidden formula -- one that prevents rusting on metal . There is evidence of another interested party , whom is also searching for the formula . Who is this mysterious person ?? Could it be Anne's late father's ex - lab partner , who left in disgrace ?? The bank man who is trying to buy Anne's land for a fraction of its true value ?? Or is it the company executive , who is waiting impatiently in order to buy the formula ?? The story races to a good and satisfying conclusion . I will certainly be on the lookout for further books in this series !!
November 23, 2022
Where Could it Be?
An interesting read by far. Some of the solutions were easy to figure out, but the overall search and the tense ticking of time kept the pages turning. There were a couple of moments that seemed way too coincidental, but can be easily overlooked as the rest of the story was still strong enough to carry on with them. Overall, a good fun adventure, typical of the time period with quick breaks for fishing, picnics, and the like.
An interesting read by far. Some of the solutions were easy to figure out, but the overall search and the tense ticking of time kept the pages turning. There were a couple of moments that seemed way too coincidental, but can be easily overlooked as the rest of the story was still strong enough to carry on with them. Overall, a good fun adventure, typical of the time period with quick breaks for fishing, picnics, and the like.
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February 5, 2020i love the sound of thise book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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September 17, 2020A fast read
It was great while waiting for my car at the vets. Very simple to follow along. Good book for a short layover
It was great while waiting for my car at the vets. Very simple to follow along. Good book for a short layover
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews