The Prairie Dog Conspiracy

Tom and Liz Austen #14

by Eric Wilson

During a long, cold winter in his home town, young Tom Austen stumbles across some strange activity in an abandoned house. Through the snowy streets of Winnipeg, aboard the historic Prairie Dog Central and during a Ski-Doo chase beneath the Northern Lights, Tom unravels the secret of The Golden Child and in the process realizes that the safety of one of his friends depends on him.

Genres: Mystery, Young Adult, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Canada, Childrens

144 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 1, 1993

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Eric Wilson is a Canadian children's author and now living in Victoria, British Columbia.

Reviews

[C. (Comment, never msg). · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciate Eric Wilson, devoting his long series to showing readers each province of Canada. He attended school on my turf at a significant enough age to make Winnipeg the home city of his sleuths, Liz & Tom Austen. “The Prairie Dog Conspiracy” is one set in southern Manitoba, where it can be as warm as it can be icy. The Prairie Dog is a beloved historic attraction; a momentous treat frequently promised by my parents. So it was, when I boarded this decommissioned steam train as a grown-up. The best part of this novel’s mystery unrolls aboard it, outside it, and culminates in a small neighbouring town via snow mobiles.

It appears Eric later moulded his novels to this series, because their assigned numbers don’t match all release dates. This was laid out as a retelling to Liz & Tom’s cousin in Prince Edward Island, following their previous mystery. Tom is there relating his first mystery: about a kidnapped friend. Either it is identical to another, or was refurbished entirely because hatching plans in a derelict house, crooked school staff, and a sick boy’s Father with a criminal past, were all familiar. It is among the more exciting mysteries and more accurate portrayals of our province’s cultural and special environmental flavour.

I am doling out modest grades because the kidnapping a few paces from home was nonsense. The parents had her under watch, over their political involvements. No creep who knew that, would act near her street. Security guards, if not escorting her, would have her in sight by then. I groan over some dialogue, plot devices, and this crime’s cheesy motive! These are designed for young kids. Nevertheless: Eric’s heart and morals are always in the right place. This mystery was particularly successful at generating an apprehensive mood.

[Trevor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another Canadian adventure. This time in Manitoba. Moves quicker than some of Wilson's other mysteries.