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Trixie Belden #26
O Mistério do Cavaleiro sem Cabeça
With a headless, ghostly figure on horseback as her enemy, Trixie tries to determine whether the Lynches' missing butler is an innocent victim or the diabolically clever leader of a gang of art-treasure thieves
194 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1979
3 people are currently reading
420 people want to read
About the author
Kathryn Kenny
50 books98 followersThe Kathryn Kenny pseudonym was created by Western Publishing House in 1961, three years after Julie Campbell wrote her last book (#6) of the Trixie Belden series. There were several ghost writers who wrote Trixie Belden stories under this pseudonym. Some have been identified and later credited but some are still unknown.
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http://www.trixie-belden.com/books/Ka...
The Kathryn Kenny pseudonym was born in 1961, three years after Campbell wrote her last book of the Trixie Belden series. Did it take Western Publishing several years to find a suitable author? The answer is unknown and the identity of the authors of the 33 Kathryn Kenny books are not known for sure but there is some information about the ghost writers.
Nicolete Meredith Stack
Nicolete Meredith StackStack is thought to be the first author to tackle the Trixie Belden series, although there is much debate about which books were actually written by her. She was born in Des Moines, Iowa in 1896 but lived in Webster Groves in St. Louis, Missouri for most of her adult life. Stack wrote other children's books under her own name and various pen names, including the Robin Kane series by Eileen Hill for Whitman between 1966 and 1971.
Stack is said to have written five books in the Trixie Belden series between 1961 and 1971, but Who's Who in the Midwest claims that she wrote eight titles between 1961 and 1966. There were eight Trixie Belden titles published between 1961 and 1966, but it is doubtful that she wrote them all.
James Keeline in his article, Trixie Belden "Schoolgirl Shamus", believes that books 7, 9 and 16 can be attributed to Stack but there are others that may have been written by her.
Virginia McDonnell
Virginia Bleecher McDonnell was born in 1917 and was a registered nurse who trained at Russell Sage College in Troy, New York. McDonnell wrote the Nurses Three series from 1963 to 1965 using the pen name Jean Kirby, and the Kim Aldrich series as Jinny McDonnell, both for Whitman. She is also wrote volume six of The Waltons.
McDonnell and her husband were avid skiiers and many of her books featured details of nursing or skiing. It seems likely that she wrote three Trixie Belden books, The Mystery of Cobbett's Island (1964), The Mystery of the Emeralds (1965) and The Mystery of Mead's Mountain (1978). Skiing is mentioned early in The Mystery of Cobbett's Island, although this is not the theme of the book.
McDonnell also wrote another book called Country Agent that has a number of similarities with The Mystery at Happy Valley, although her book was published in 1968. Read a review of this book, and see what you think.
There is little biographical information available on McDonnell, but the three books attributed to her are three of the most widely loved books in the Trixie Belden series.
Gladys Baker Bond
Gladys Baker BondGladys Baker Bond was born in Berryville, Arkansas on the 7th of May, 1912. On September 2, 1934, she married Floyd James Bond and had one son, Nicholas Peter. Bond's childhood years were spent in the Ozarks of Arkansas. She lived in Idaho and Washington all her adult life and was an officer of the Idaho Writers League between 1952-54.
Bond's books for children cover a wide range of subjects and are often autobiographical. Mrs. Bond wrote under the pseudonymns, Jo Mendel (The Tucker series) and Holly Beth Walker (the Meg series), as well as her own name. She also wrote volume five of The Waltons.
She is credited with writing The Mystery of the Uninvited Guest (1977), The Mystery of the Castaway Children (1978), and The Sasquatch Mystery (1979). However, with her childhood spent in the Ozarks, she could be the author of The Mystery at Bob-White Cave (1963).
Carl Henry Rathjen
Carl Henry RathjenRathjen was born on the 28th of August 1909 in Jersey City, New Jersey and died in 1984. His ambition was to become a mechanical engineer, but when things didn't go
***
http://www.trixie-belden.com/books/Ka...
The Kathryn Kenny pseudonym was born in 1961, three years after Campbell wrote her last book of the Trixie Belden series. Did it take Western Publishing several years to find a suitable author? The answer is unknown and the identity of the authors of the 33 Kathryn Kenny books are not known for sure but there is some information about the ghost writers.
Nicolete Meredith Stack
Nicolete Meredith StackStack is thought to be the first author to tackle the Trixie Belden series, although there is much debate about which books were actually written by her. She was born in Des Moines, Iowa in 1896 but lived in Webster Groves in St. Louis, Missouri for most of her adult life. Stack wrote other children's books under her own name and various pen names, including the Robin Kane series by Eileen Hill for Whitman between 1966 and 1971.
Stack is said to have written five books in the Trixie Belden series between 1961 and 1971, but Who's Who in the Midwest claims that she wrote eight titles between 1961 and 1966. There were eight Trixie Belden titles published between 1961 and 1966, but it is doubtful that she wrote them all.
James Keeline in his article, Trixie Belden "Schoolgirl Shamus", believes that books 7, 9 and 16 can be attributed to Stack but there are others that may have been written by her.
Virginia McDonnell
Virginia Bleecher McDonnell was born in 1917 and was a registered nurse who trained at Russell Sage College in Troy, New York. McDonnell wrote the Nurses Three series from 1963 to 1965 using the pen name Jean Kirby, and the Kim Aldrich series as Jinny McDonnell, both for Whitman. She is also wrote volume six of The Waltons.
McDonnell and her husband were avid skiiers and many of her books featured details of nursing or skiing. It seems likely that she wrote three Trixie Belden books, The Mystery of Cobbett's Island (1964), The Mystery of the Emeralds (1965) and The Mystery of Mead's Mountain (1978). Skiing is mentioned early in The Mystery of Cobbett's Island, although this is not the theme of the book.
McDonnell also wrote another book called Country Agent that has a number of similarities with The Mystery at Happy Valley, although her book was published in 1968. Read a review of this book, and see what you think.
There is little biographical information available on McDonnell, but the three books attributed to her are three of the most widely loved books in the Trixie Belden series.
Gladys Baker Bond
Gladys Baker BondGladys Baker Bond was born in Berryville, Arkansas on the 7th of May, 1912. On September 2, 1934, she married Floyd James Bond and had one son, Nicholas Peter. Bond's childhood years were spent in the Ozarks of Arkansas. She lived in Idaho and Washington all her adult life and was an officer of the Idaho Writers League between 1952-54.
Bond's books for children cover a wide range of subjects and are often autobiographical. Mrs. Bond wrote under the pseudonymns, Jo Mendel (The Tucker series) and Holly Beth Walker (the Meg series), as well as her own name. She also wrote volume five of The Waltons.
She is credited with writing The Mystery of the Uninvited Guest (1977), The Mystery of the Castaway Children (1978), and The Sasquatch Mystery (1979). However, with her childhood spent in the Ozarks, she could be the author of The Mystery at Bob-White Cave (1963).
Carl Henry Rathjen
Carl Henry RathjenRathjen was born on the 28th of August 1909 in Jersey City, New Jersey and died in 1984. His ambition was to become a mechanical engineer, but when things didn't go
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
October 28, 2022
I guess that over the course of my lifetime I've probably read most of the Trixie Belden series a minimum of three times each, some of them probably closer to ten times. I haven't re-read any of them (until now) for many years, likely twenty or more. I do recall though which ones were my favorites, and which were among the second-tier favorites, and which (there were only a few) that I just did not love.
All of this to say that this one was firmly among the second-tier favorites, and there it remains upon re-reading in the year 2022.
All of this to say that this one was firmly among the second-tier favorites, and there it remains upon re-reading in the year 2022.
December 30, 2021
3.5 stars. Not my favorite Trixie Belden book in the series, but I liked it a whole lot more once I got past the first half. The last half of the book was pretty great for me!
June 17, 2018
This is a Sleepyside mystery which involves a butler and a treasure hunt. It's not all bad. But while the friendship drama might be necessary - they don't always need to get along perfectly! - it's also a little overwritten. Much like most of the book, actually.
August 1, 2017
(3.8)
Yes there's an actual mystery but it hidden behind that STUPID FAKE PLOT BETWEEN DI AND TRIXIE. THAT WAS NOT NECESSARY GHOST WRITER. NOT NECESSARY. But my bby Dan is great in this one, so I'm not too mad.
Recommended 10+ for scary situations
Yes there's an actual mystery but it hidden behind that STUPID FAKE PLOT BETWEEN DI AND TRIXIE. THAT WAS NOT NECESSARY GHOST WRITER. NOT NECESSARY. But my bby Dan is great in this one, so I'm not too mad.
Recommended 10+ for scary situations
March 13, 2018
I am enjoying re-reading this favorite series from my childhood. One thing that I wonder (and I remember wondering when I originally read them) is how it happens that none of the teens ever seem to get any older or at least not appreciably. I guess Trixie will be forever 14. :)
July 29, 2022
Vejam a minha opinião em vídeo, AQUI.
August 1, 2022
Washington Irving's legend of the Headless Horseman happened not all that far from Sleepyside. It appears the creepy phantom has migrated closer to home. Trixie and Honey spot him twice in the dead of night! Meanwhile, there's friction between Trixie and Di. Harrison the butler is acting strangely, and Trixie suspects him of theft. Nice Mr Jonathan Crandall, the former curator of the Sleepyside Art Museum, died recently under suspicion for stealing a prize Ming vase. Trixie wishes to clear his name, even if it means implicating Harrison and shaming the Lynch family. But how does the creepy headless rider fit into all this?
* Whoops, Bob White family staff have a habit of disappearing lately. Two book ago it was Regan who went AWOL from the Manor House. This time, Harrison the butler has done a bunk from the Lynch estate. The Bob Whites probably wouldn't care that much, except that he was meant to have held the fort for the Charity Bazaar on the Lynch lawns, in the absence of Mr and Mrs Lynch. Now that he's gone, it looks like it's all off.
* Luckily, not only is Harrison tracked down but Miss Trask steps up too.
* Sadly, the Bob Whites' Charity Bazaar is upstaged by the sudden arrival of a circus. Personally, I'd choose their bazaar over the 'lions, tigers and elephants' on the big roadside advert. These days, not only have traditional performing animals fallen out of favour at circuses, for their own sake, but there is generally much more lead-up to the starting day.
* To put it into a modern context, if this story was set during the twenty-twenties, Di would be blocking Trixie from all of her social media accounts. She's fed-up with Trixie's nosiness, and it's all because Trixie suspects that Harrison might be a crook. My initial reaction is, 'Huh, why the touchy protectiveness?' Surely there's no love lost between Harrison and Diana. In fact at one time, Di was eager to get rid of him because his prim and pompous presence mortifies her simple, unassuming values. So why is she taking Trixie's suspicion personally, as if Harrison is one of her nearest and dearest relatives?
* Down the track, I start to get where Di is coming from. Her loyalty to Harrison turns out to be extended loyalty to her own beloved Dad. Exposure of Harrison would mean loss of face for Mr Lynch, who trusts him implicitly. So it is a family matter after all. Fair enough, I guess.
* Mr Lynch is a serious art collector. He owns a priceless little jade statue named Tien Ling which he's lent to the Sleepyside Art Museum as an exhibit.
* Harrison's first name is never divulged. Okay, my guess is John. It would surely be something short, traditional, and totally straightforward. He's just the same as Stephens from The Remains of the Day; as proud and stately off the job as on, and even when he's seen riding a yellow pushbike. Sometimes we almost get flashes of humour from him. But not quite.
* There's a chapter entitled, 'Bob White Breakup?' The dreadful possibility of disbanding is all because of this rift between Trixie and Di. It translates to simmering discord within the Belden family too. Trixie doesn't want Mart to tell Di anything that might implicate Harrison because of this awkward tension, yet he's all, 'Hey, why should I keep any secrets from my girl?' (Not in those words of course, but that's the gist of it.)
* There are some great Reddy moments in this book. Mart acquires a dog training book and bets Trixie that he'll be able to train Reddy within a week. Naturally, Trixie is quick to take advantage of his tremendous optimism. And Reddy is such a good natured scatterbrain. How's this? 'For a moment, Reddy looked sorrowful, then remembering how much he loved them all, he sat back on his haunches and grinned.' Awww! And how about this? 'Reddy's tail, with its interesting accumulation of forest souvenirs, waved in triumph as he padded along beside them.' Such sparse sentences, yet he's right there in front of us.
* It's refreshing to get a cat character in this book too. It's fluffy, black Henry the Eighth, who belongs to Mrs Crandall. What a purring legend, who even has some impact on this story.
* Trixie refers to a Bob White adventure that was never published. As she and Honey descend into Sleepyside Hollow and see Mrs Crandall's house, she remarks, 'Don't you remember we were here once before, tracking down the lead on another mystery.' It seems Brian's jalopy broke down and Mrs Crandall let them use her phone. But that never takes place in any of the twenty-five books which proceed this one. I know, because I'm reading them all back to back. So don't scratch your heads trying to remember. That can't have been much of a mystery.
* Mr Jonathan Crandall was a keen gardener whose hobby was grafting different buds onto single fruit trees. He'd also enjoyed inventing cryptic riddles for his loved ones to solve. He was so good at it, that's part of the problem. The Bob Whites suspect a precious treasure might be hidden for safety with his wife's birthday present. But his clues have proven far too enigmatic and mystifying for discovery.
* Trixie's nose seems to be out of joint because Di is showing some initiative. When she mentions Di's unprecedented pushiness to Jim, he gently points out that it might simply seem that way because Trixie is used to running every show herself. She's miffed, to say the least, that he'd dare to insinuate any such thing.
* This exchange is good enough to be the quote of the book. Trixie: But I'm not bossy! Jim: Oh, sometimes you are. Just a little bit, maybe. But then, I guess someone's got to be the boss. Trixie: I thought we were all bosses. Jim: (wisely decides to change the subject). But she doesn't let him forget it.
* It also tickles my funny bone when Trixie reproaches him with, 'Jim, don't you ever notice anything?' I think the answer is that other than her cute curls and freckles, no, not much.
* Whoops, Bob White family staff have a habit of disappearing lately. Two book ago it was Regan who went AWOL from the Manor House. This time, Harrison the butler has done a bunk from the Lynch estate. The Bob Whites probably wouldn't care that much, except that he was meant to have held the fort for the Charity Bazaar on the Lynch lawns, in the absence of Mr and Mrs Lynch. Now that he's gone, it looks like it's all off.
* Luckily, not only is Harrison tracked down but Miss Trask steps up too.
* Sadly, the Bob Whites' Charity Bazaar is upstaged by the sudden arrival of a circus. Personally, I'd choose their bazaar over the 'lions, tigers and elephants' on the big roadside advert. These days, not only have traditional performing animals fallen out of favour at circuses, for their own sake, but there is generally much more lead-up to the starting day.
* To put it into a modern context, if this story was set during the twenty-twenties, Di would be blocking Trixie from all of her social media accounts. She's fed-up with Trixie's nosiness, and it's all because Trixie suspects that Harrison might be a crook. My initial reaction is, 'Huh, why the touchy protectiveness?' Surely there's no love lost between Harrison and Diana. In fact at one time, Di was eager to get rid of him because his prim and pompous presence mortifies her simple, unassuming values. So why is she taking Trixie's suspicion personally, as if Harrison is one of her nearest and dearest relatives?
* Down the track, I start to get where Di is coming from. Her loyalty to Harrison turns out to be extended loyalty to her own beloved Dad. Exposure of Harrison would mean loss of face for Mr Lynch, who trusts him implicitly. So it is a family matter after all. Fair enough, I guess.
* Mr Lynch is a serious art collector. He owns a priceless little jade statue named Tien Ling which he's lent to the Sleepyside Art Museum as an exhibit.
* Harrison's first name is never divulged. Okay, my guess is John. It would surely be something short, traditional, and totally straightforward. He's just the same as Stephens from The Remains of the Day; as proud and stately off the job as on, and even when he's seen riding a yellow pushbike. Sometimes we almost get flashes of humour from him. But not quite.
* There's a chapter entitled, 'Bob White Breakup?' The dreadful possibility of disbanding is all because of this rift between Trixie and Di. It translates to simmering discord within the Belden family too. Trixie doesn't want Mart to tell Di anything that might implicate Harrison because of this awkward tension, yet he's all, 'Hey, why should I keep any secrets from my girl?' (Not in those words of course, but that's the gist of it.)
* There are some great Reddy moments in this book. Mart acquires a dog training book and bets Trixie that he'll be able to train Reddy within a week. Naturally, Trixie is quick to take advantage of his tremendous optimism. And Reddy is such a good natured scatterbrain. How's this? 'For a moment, Reddy looked sorrowful, then remembering how much he loved them all, he sat back on his haunches and grinned.' Awww! And how about this? 'Reddy's tail, with its interesting accumulation of forest souvenirs, waved in triumph as he padded along beside them.' Such sparse sentences, yet he's right there in front of us.
* It's refreshing to get a cat character in this book too. It's fluffy, black Henry the Eighth, who belongs to Mrs Crandall. What a purring legend, who even has some impact on this story.
* Trixie refers to a Bob White adventure that was never published. As she and Honey descend into Sleepyside Hollow and see Mrs Crandall's house, she remarks, 'Don't you remember we were here once before, tracking down the lead on another mystery.' It seems Brian's jalopy broke down and Mrs Crandall let them use her phone. But that never takes place in any of the twenty-five books which proceed this one. I know, because I'm reading them all back to back. So don't scratch your heads trying to remember. That can't have been much of a mystery.
* Mr Jonathan Crandall was a keen gardener whose hobby was grafting different buds onto single fruit trees. He'd also enjoyed inventing cryptic riddles for his loved ones to solve. He was so good at it, that's part of the problem. The Bob Whites suspect a precious treasure might be hidden for safety with his wife's birthday present. But his clues have proven far too enigmatic and mystifying for discovery.
* Trixie's nose seems to be out of joint because Di is showing some initiative. When she mentions Di's unprecedented pushiness to Jim, he gently points out that it might simply seem that way because Trixie is used to running every show herself. She's miffed, to say the least, that he'd dare to insinuate any such thing.
* This exchange is good enough to be the quote of the book. Trixie: But I'm not bossy! Jim: Oh, sometimes you are. Just a little bit, maybe. But then, I guess someone's got to be the boss. Trixie: I thought we were all bosses. Jim: (wisely decides to change the subject). But she doesn't let him forget it.
* It also tickles my funny bone when Trixie reproaches him with, 'Jim, don't you ever notice anything?' I think the answer is that other than her cute curls and freckles, no, not much.
March 26, 2018
I loved the Trixie Belden books as a kid (nice to see they got republished). I'm still unsure how they ended up in my corner of the world. I slowly amassed the whole series as first editions (it seemed so glamourous as a kid owning precious books that were older than me!) by saving all my pocket money to buy them from the local secondhand store. I can only guess that some adult (probably having moved to our sleepy town from overseas) had sold them off in bulk. They sat in a back corner of the store, thankfully ignored by everyone else, as I slowly acquired them through pocket money and then in a mass swoop for Christmas. It helped that back then secondhand books sold for anywhere from 10 cents to 50 cents rather than $7-10 as they do these days!
They were wonderful mystery books for children of a similar ilk to Famous Five, Secret Seven, Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, The Three Investigators etc.; set in a time long before cellphones when sleuthing into mysterious mansions, smugglers, and strange sounds in the night wouldn't cause any real harm to befall our child investigators.
They were wonderful mystery books for children of a similar ilk to Famous Five, Secret Seven, Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, The Three Investigators etc.; set in a time long before cellphones when sleuthing into mysterious mansions, smugglers, and strange sounds in the night wouldn't cause any real harm to befall our child investigators.
September 7, 2020
5+ stars & 7/10 hearts. Wooooooo! This was a fun ride!! It was very exciting and started out right away instead of waiting some 80 pages or so. XD I was so perplexed and worried!! Poor Di and Trixie. I just can’t get over how awesome these books are. The characters are always so humorous and awesome and sweet... the family relationships & friendships are the best... I loved how Trixie plunged into this mystery for a good cause and didn’t do much anything stupid or thoughtless—though it bugs me that everyone keeps disbelieving her! Also the affair with Reddy’s training was hilarious and awesome. XD I’m not even sure what else to say... besides the euphemisms, I loved this book and it was an awesome addition to the series. <33
A Favourite Humorous Quote: “Trixie and Reddy looked at each other. ‘Whatever you do,’ Trixie told him firmly, ‘DON’T take us back to Crabapple Farm.’
“So, of course, Reddy led them straight to it.”
A Favourite Humorous Quote: “Trixie and Reddy looked at each other. ‘Whatever you do,’ Trixie told him firmly, ‘DON’T take us back to Crabapple Farm.’
“So, of course, Reddy led them straight to it.”
June 2, 2020
3.5 stars for this Trixie adventure. And I'm not even going to mention the one inconsistency I noticed...
It was interesting in this one to see the dynamic between Trixie and Di when they weren't getting along - because usually we find that Honey and Trixie might have a small argument but it's quickly resolved or all the Bob-Whites are exasperated with Trixie, but not usually a tiff like this! And even if Trixie was on the wrong track to start with, it did look a bit suspicious - as things usually do when Trixie is around!
I always enjoy a Sleepyside mystery. The 'Sleepyside Hollow' reference was not lost on me!
It was interesting in this one to see the dynamic between Trixie and Di when they weren't getting along - because usually we find that Honey and Trixie might have a small argument but it's quickly resolved or all the Bob-Whites are exasperated with Trixie, but not usually a tiff like this! And even if Trixie was on the wrong track to start with, it did look a bit suspicious - as things usually do when Trixie is around!
I always enjoy a Sleepyside mystery. The 'Sleepyside Hollow' reference was not lost on me!
January 5, 2018
I expected the infamous Headless Horseman from *The Legend of Sleepy Hollow*, particularly when I saw that a lot of action took place in "Sleepyside Hollow", but it's a different one! (The story does come up and is briefly told though.) Two things -- I love the way characters from the area we meet in earlier stories keep getting brought back, even if only for a brief cameo appearance :D -- and I love the way there is always a bit of something to learn from the books that you might not know (especially if you are a young person).
October 4, 2020
The 26th book in the Trixie Belden series, and another one that I had never read before. I enjoyed this one, it had a good mystery to it with layers, conflict between Di and Trixie (although I didn’t love that so much) and an interesting outcome. We got to know more about Harrison, which was nice, and I liked the idea of the Headless Horseman running around. Fun read!
August 18, 2023
This one was in my collection of Trixie Belden books, but I don’t remember ever reading it. I haven’t read every book in the series, but my favorites are 1-5, 9 and 12. This one was decent and had the added benefit of a mysterious headless horseman.
It’s nothing earth shattering as far as the mystery goes, but for a young adult mystery series book it was good.
It’s nothing earth shattering as far as the mystery goes, but for a young adult mystery series book it was good.
February 14, 2023
Probably my second favorite book in the whole series (the first being #13 The Mystery on Cobbetts Island). I read this in bed. At night. Alone. HUGE MISTAKE. I stayed up till 3am to finish it and then was too terrified to fall asleep for the longest time😅.
February 25, 2019
Di is the WORST
April 4, 2020
one of the top books in the series I think. It had me wondering who the culprit was until the very end.
January 30, 2022
Poor Trixie and Di! I’m so glad they quickly and easily got things sorted. That’s a painful place to be.
April 16, 2022
Great book. Find out more about the Lynches butler Harrison. I love Henry the eighth. He's the best part of the book.
March 5, 2023
Libro con muchas cosas secretas y misterios, pero que todo encaja. Entretiene e ideal para introducirnos en el suspense
June 20, 2024
It was all right. To me, it was not really about the headlessHorsemen, only at the end it was about it. I did like that there was lots of mystery to the book.
September 29, 2024
It was all right .
October 3, 2024
It was pretty good. Not my fav though.
October 20, 2025
Soooo much better than the last Sasquatch book. This was fun and interesting and suspenseful. It’s fun to see the club work together.
February 19, 2017
After book number 25 this book is wonderful, back to the funny sibling banter between Mart and Trixie, Sleepyside-on-Hudson and Trixie lowkey noticing how handsome Jim is (and they hold hands :D) 4 stars out of 5.
May 3, 2015
a HUGE and most dedicated fan of Trixie and her crew. This is odd, of course, because they were MEANT for teen and pre-teen girls, but I was a young boy that read everything he could get his hands on and when I first stumbled on my first TRIXIE BELDON book I was instantly hooked!
I immediately sat about reading them all, as quickly as I could get my greedy little paws on them. Trixie is the star, or "lead" character, followed by Jim and Honey (who quickly became the love of my young life, I had a total crush on a fictional character that only existed in ink) and this brave trio was constantly getting into trouble, solving mysteries and murders; that sort of thing.
It falls along the line of the Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew and other similar series, but the Trixie series carries more of the teenage angst and a subtle love triangle of conflicted who likes whom mystery that battles back and forth throughout the series. All of the while though, the same cheerful, effervescent and energetic positive attitude and domineering never quit/never let them see you down philosophy is the major subtext all through the books.
It is simply impossible to read these and NOT feel good about yourself and about LIFE, to have a sense of "all is well" in the world and a cheerful demeanor just naturally permeate your soul. I know, it SOUNDS crazy, but it is true.
I lost all of my Trixie books years ago, lending them to friends and that sort of thing. Since then, I have been on a quest to rebuild my collection of hardbacks. I find most of them at "Friends of the Library Sales" and things like that, but I am ever watchful at garage sales and places, for I do not have even a third of them built back
I immediately sat about reading them all, as quickly as I could get my greedy little paws on them. Trixie is the star, or "lead" character, followed by Jim and Honey (who quickly became the love of my young life, I had a total crush on a fictional character that only existed in ink) and this brave trio was constantly getting into trouble, solving mysteries and murders; that sort of thing.
It falls along the line of the Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew and other similar series, but the Trixie series carries more of the teenage angst and a subtle love triangle of conflicted who likes whom mystery that battles back and forth throughout the series. All of the while though, the same cheerful, effervescent and energetic positive attitude and domineering never quit/never let them see you down philosophy is the major subtext all through the books.
It is simply impossible to read these and NOT feel good about yourself and about LIFE, to have a sense of "all is well" in the world and a cheerful demeanor just naturally permeate your soul. I know, it SOUNDS crazy, but it is true.
I lost all of my Trixie books years ago, lending them to friends and that sort of thing. Since then, I have been on a quest to rebuild my collection of hardbacks. I find most of them at "Friends of the Library Sales" and things like that, but I am ever watchful at garage sales and places, for I do not have even a third of them built back
November 20, 2014
Kathryn Kenny certainly thought this one through! I only remember reading maybe the first Trixie Belden, but this was really good. I'm not a huge fan of mysteries because they always bore me, but this had humor and the typical middle school drama between friends. If I could describe Trixie Belden in one word, it would be persistent, which makes her an even greater detective! If it weren't for Trixie's curiosity, the gang never would have solved the mystery. However, Trixie's stubbornness sometimes gets on my nerves. But Honey always puts me back in balance. She is the sweetest character in this book and is the only one that wasn't aggravating. I also love the part in chapter 15 when Honey just totally goes ballistic on Trixie and Di. I don't blame her, though. They were both being unbearable. As for the rest of the Bob-Whites, well, they all had some unique chracter trait. This story is mostly for entertainment(I'd say), but you also learn that if you neglect a friend for something, it will affect both you and your peers. Trixie learned this when she accused Harrison of being the thief of the Ming vase. I strongly recommend this book, let alone series, to readers of all age who are looking for a book with action, suspense, and humor.
February 3, 2013
A childhood favorite re-visited.
Is the story as good as I remember? – Yes
What ages would I recommend it too? – Ten and up.
Length? – Most of a day’s read.
Characters? – Memorable, several characters.
Setting? – Real world, pre - computer, pre - air conditioning, pre - cell phone.
Written approximately? – 1979.
Does the story leave questions in the readers mind? – Ready to read more.
Any issues the author (or a more recent publisher) should cover? Yes. A slight mention of the time frame of the story - as the teens are given far more freedom to come and go as they please than would be safe today. Also, the absence of computers and cell phones.
Short storyline: Trixie Belden, Honey, Jim, Brian, Mart, and Diana run an benefit for a charity, and along the way discover another longtime resident whose husband died accused of the theft of a Ming vase. Solving this mystery puts Diana's butler, stern Harrison, as the potential villain. Only at the very end is it discovered who the real villain is.
Notes for the reader: A great mystery! No violence and no murder.
Is the story as good as I remember? – Yes
What ages would I recommend it too? – Ten and up.
Length? – Most of a day’s read.
Characters? – Memorable, several characters.
Setting? – Real world, pre - computer, pre - air conditioning, pre - cell phone.
Written approximately? – 1979.
Does the story leave questions in the readers mind? – Ready to read more.
Any issues the author (or a more recent publisher) should cover? Yes. A slight mention of the time frame of the story - as the teens are given far more freedom to come and go as they please than would be safe today. Also, the absence of computers and cell phones.
Short storyline: Trixie Belden, Honey, Jim, Brian, Mart, and Diana run an benefit for a charity, and along the way discover another longtime resident whose husband died accused of the theft of a Ming vase. Solving this mystery puts Diana's butler, stern Harrison, as the potential villain. Only at the very end is it discovered who the real villain is.
Notes for the reader: A great mystery! No violence and no murder.
October 26, 2014
When Di’s butler goes missing, all the Bob-Whites try to find him. Only when he does turn up, his explanations don’t make any sense. What is he hiding? Does it have anything to do with a missing Ming vase? And what about the apparition that Trixie and Honey spot?
This is definitely a fun entry in the series with a plot that holds up to rereading as an adult and characters who are mostly in character. Di isn’t for much of the book, but it is explained as part of the plot. Not explained is why the villain was dressing up as the Headless Horseman, although you can infer it from the book. Oh, and the subplot with Mart trying to train Reddy is a complete delight.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
This is definitely a fun entry in the series with a plot that holds up to rereading as an adult and characters who are mostly in character. Di isn’t for much of the book, but it is explained as part of the plot. Not explained is why the villain was dressing up as the Headless Horseman, although you can infer it from the book. Oh, and the subplot with Mart trying to train Reddy is a complete delight.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
September 1, 2016
For Christmas one year, my parents grabbed me the entire Trixie Belden set and I couldn't put them down. After I finished with them, they continued to purchase them as quickly as I could read them. Even with a learning disability, I devoured the books. I look back now and I find that Trixie Belden was much more age related to young girls, particularly to me, reading the books than Nancy Drew. There was something in these books that I found to be a greater escape than I did ND, too. I found that they weren't so "over the top" or dated. I will be doing the same thing with my granddaughters, if and when I have them, even if I have to stalk every used bookstore to get them
January 27, 2014
This one is kind of fun ... although a bit nuts. It's hard to think of teen-agers jumping to so many awful conclusions, and not bothering to check with any grown ups about them. But the squabbles, and the friendships are kind of fun to follow, and the mystery is fun.
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