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Barney Mysteries #6
The Ragamuffin Mystery
Three weeks' holiday at Merlin's Cove sounds perfect to the four friends. They plan days full of swimming, ice creams and picnics on the beach. But then Snubby finds a letter written in code and the children soon realise that something sinister is happening. Age 8+
208 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1959
10 people are currently reading
257 people want to read
About the author
Enid Blyton
5,132 books6,299 followersSee also:
Ένιντ Μπλάιτον (Greek)
Enida Blaitona (Latvian)
Энид Блайтон (Russian)
Inid Blajton (Serbian)
Інід Блайтон (Ukrainian)
Enid Mary Blyton (1897–1968) was an English author of children's books.
Born in South London, Blyton was the eldest of three children, and showed an early interest in music and reading. She was educated at St. Christopher's School, Beckenham, and - having decided not to pursue her music - at Ipswich High School, where she trained as a kindergarten teacher. She taught for five years before her 1924 marriage to editor Hugh Pollock, with whom she had two daughters. This marriage ended in divorce, and Blyton remarried in 1943, to surgeon Kenneth Fraser Darrell Waters. She died in 1968, one year after her second husband.
Blyton was a prolific author of children's books, who penned an estimated 800 books over about 40 years. Her stories were often either children's adventure and mystery stories, or fantasies involving magic. Notable series include: The Famous Five, The Secret Seven, The Five Find-Outers, Noddy, The Wishing Chair, Mallory Towers, and St. Clare's.
According to the Index Translationum, Blyton was the fifth most popular author in the world in 2007, coming after Lenin but ahead of Shakespeare.
See also her pen name Mary Pollock
Ένιντ Μπλάιτον (Greek)
Enida Blaitona (Latvian)
Энид Блайтон (Russian)
Inid Blajton (Serbian)
Інід Блайтон (Ukrainian)
Enid Mary Blyton (1897–1968) was an English author of children's books.
Born in South London, Blyton was the eldest of three children, and showed an early interest in music and reading. She was educated at St. Christopher's School, Beckenham, and - having decided not to pursue her music - at Ipswich High School, where she trained as a kindergarten teacher. She taught for five years before her 1924 marriage to editor Hugh Pollock, with whom she had two daughters. This marriage ended in divorce, and Blyton remarried in 1943, to surgeon Kenneth Fraser Darrell Waters. She died in 1968, one year after her second husband.
Blyton was a prolific author of children's books, who penned an estimated 800 books over about 40 years. Her stories were often either children's adventure and mystery stories, or fantasies involving magic. Notable series include: The Famous Five, The Secret Seven, The Five Find-Outers, Noddy, The Wishing Chair, Mallory Towers, and St. Clare's.
According to the Index Translationum, Blyton was the fifth most popular author in the world in 2007, coming after Lenin but ahead of Shakespeare.
See also her pen name Mary Pollock
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
May 20, 2023
... reading with my 10 year old daughter...
We both loved it and while we were hung up on Famous Five, this little group of friends and family have grown on us. We're excited to read more.
We both loved it and while we were hung up on Famous Five, this little group of friends and family have grown on us. We're excited to read more.
May 9, 2023
"FRIENDS, A DOG AND A MONKEY ALWAYS M ANAGE TO FIND A MYSTERY. BUT WILL THEY GET THE BETTER OF IT THIS TIME ...?
"Merlin's cove is the perfect place for a holiday. Its golden sands, towerintg cliffs and mysterious caves promise three weeks of fun.
"But is all as it seems? Who is the sinister birdwatcher> Why is he looking for a ragamuffin?
"What is really happening at night in the cove ..."
~~back cover
Definitely a children's/YA book. I'd never read the author and wanted to find out what all the excitement was about, but I fear I'm too old to be captivated by her style and genre.
"Merlin's cove is the perfect place for a holiday. Its golden sands, towerintg cliffs and mysterious caves promise three weeks of fun.
"But is all as it seems? Who is the sinister birdwatcher> Why is he looking for a ragamuffin?
"What is really happening at night in the cove ..."
~~back cover
Definitely a children's/YA book. I'd never read the author and wanted to find out what all the excitement was about, but I fear I'm too old to be captivated by her style and genre.
June 14, 2017
My favourite from the Barney series, in fact the very first Barney mystery I read as a child. I've never forgotten the little village of Penryndendraith, mischievous Daffid with his hissing goose, the really rich, creamy ice cream sandwiched between two wafers, and the very, very good cooking. The mystery itself was quite exciting with a nice surprise at the end.
March 18, 2021
Very laid back book, a nice and gentle read. The plot fails in a few areas, it's predictable, there's no real sense of danger or urgency, and once again the main characters are given little to no characterisation. But I'm giving this three stars for the delightful atmosphere and setting, plus the warm summery feeling I got reading it.
August 21, 2010
I loved Enid Blyton as a kid. It was always such a treasure to get her books because at the time I remember not being able to find them in the States. I would pick them up on trips abroad or bribe my friends with friendship bracelets or the like to pick them up for me!
February 20, 2019
The last Barney Mystery is a pleasant if rather light tale. It's shorter than the average Blyton novel. We have a typical setup, with Roger and Diane on holidays with their mother and Miss Pepper traveling with a car and caravan. A convenient illness in the family forces their mother to rush away with the car to look after an injured relative. The children and Miss Pepper are stranded, but soon Barney and his dad come to the rescue, and leave all the children and Miss Pepper to complete their holiday in a small seaside Welsh village, with Snubby soon to join them.
The pre-adventure part is nice, although not particularly different from previous Blyton novels. The adventure is fine too, although rather short and lightweight, accounting for the novel's short length. The best part for me was the scene where Snubby gets all his clothes dirty and is forced to buy some second-hand outlandish clothes. Dressed like a ragamuffin, he's confused with a similar-looking local ragamuffin who was supposed to be carrying a message, and there the adventure starts. Other highlights are little Dafydd and his goose, and Mrs. Jones and her constant talking about her husband's "very good cooking". I felt sorry about her.
Snubby is my favorite character in this series and never fails to provide some amusing moments. It's a pity that, unlike Barney, he doesn't find a parent.
Anyway, another entertaining novel in the series, although a bit slight. Blyton's final novels tend to be not very good, since they were written when her faculties were declining, but this one was published a few years earlier than the last novels of other series, so the problem is less noticeable. It's true, however, that it feels less original, as if many recurring elements were being reused.
The pre-adventure part is nice, although not particularly different from previous Blyton novels. The adventure is fine too, although rather short and lightweight, accounting for the novel's short length. The best part for me was the scene where Snubby gets all his clothes dirty and is forced to buy some second-hand outlandish clothes. Dressed like a ragamuffin, he's confused with a similar-looking local ragamuffin who was supposed to be carrying a message, and there the adventure starts. Other highlights are little Dafydd and his goose, and Mrs. Jones and her constant talking about her husband's "very good cooking". I felt sorry about her.
Snubby is my favorite character in this series and never fails to provide some amusing moments. It's a pity that, unlike Barney, he doesn't find a parent.
Anyway, another entertaining novel in the series, although a bit slight. Blyton's final novels tend to be not very good, since they were written when her faculties were declining, but this one was published a few years earlier than the last novels of other series, so the problem is less noticeable. It's true, however, that it feels less original, as if many recurring elements were being reused.
August 25, 2021
The old inn seemed a perfect place for a holiday for Barney & co, but Snubby turned up without any luggage and had to buy some secondhand clothes. ‘You look like a ragamuffin’, Miss Pepper said - and that’s when the adventure began...
The final book in the Barney series ends as it began. Roger and Diana think they’re going to have a quiet country holiday but end up in one of the series’ old buildings hiding a mystery. This time the book is set in Wales; and Blyton just about avoids portraying the Welshness of this remote village as comically strange, in a manner very much of its time. What I like about this book is that in the first book Roger, Diana and Snubby really rescue Barney and adopt him into their found family. In this book, Barney is now securely ensconced in his own family, and therefore able to reach out and help when the Lyntons’ caravan holiday runs aground. The book also shows us how Snubby, parentless, is shunted from pillar to post and misses the kind of care parents would provide, but in effect is treated very much as a younger brother by Barney. It’s a lovely conclusion to a series which is up there with Malory Towers as EBD’s best.
The final book in the Barney series ends as it began. Roger and Diana think they’re going to have a quiet country holiday but end up in one of the series’ old buildings hiding a mystery. This time the book is set in Wales; and Blyton just about avoids portraying the Welshness of this remote village as comically strange, in a manner very much of its time. What I like about this book is that in the first book Roger, Diana and Snubby really rescue Barney and adopt him into their found family. In this book, Barney is now securely ensconced in his own family, and therefore able to reach out and help when the Lyntons’ caravan holiday runs aground. The book also shows us how Snubby, parentless, is shunted from pillar to post and misses the kind of care parents would provide, but in effect is treated very much as a younger brother by Barney. It’s a lovely conclusion to a series which is up there with Malory Towers as EBD’s best.
September 4, 2020
Unexpected tapi expected (?). Kalo diliat2 sebenernya judul dari series komplotan ini mengandung spoiler gasih, soalnya diceritanya ga dikasih tau itu tuh penjahatnya tentang apa baru pas endingnya terungkap oh ternyata ini penjahat perampok bank. Sayang banget surat yg di perebutkan diawal masalah itu ga terlalu berpengaruh sama cerita padahal sangat berpotensi. Pengen tau kalo anak-anak nyoba mecahin kode rahasia kek pasti seru. Makin suka karakter Barney di sini, makin dewasa dan bijak. He reminds me of Julian from Famous Five tbh.
May 13, 2022
Bof… bon je sais que le livre s’adresse aux enfants et qu’il a été écrit dans les années 60/70 mais la petite fille du groupe ne sert strictement à rien dans « l’enquête » à part faire la potiche et détourner l’attention de leur nourrice pendant que les garçons mènent l’enquête et essaient seuls, d’attraper un gang de voleurs adultes (violents et dangereux).
Ils font des déductions très (trop) rapides, avec presque aucunes preuves et la fin est très précipitée.
Ils font des déductions très (trop) rapides, avec presque aucunes preuves et la fin est très précipitée.
December 1, 2019
Probably the weakest book of this series. A lot of running around with nothing much happening. I'm one of the rare few people who can't stand Snubby. I love Barney and Miranda more. Loved the whole series as these were the books I read growing up. Never saw the Famous Five or Secret Seven books.
April 4, 2018
I read Famous Five before the Barney Mysteries and I'm sure I've read the same type of story. So didn't like it very much. But if this is the first time you're reading a story like this I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy it.
June 2, 2020
Shorter, but enjoyable little story. Unfortunately the characterization consistency slips, the most notable change being Mr. Lynton suddenly becoming 'fun on holidays', which is very different from the Mr. Lynton in previous stories.
April 12, 2021
The final ‘Barney’ mystery is a fast, pleasant read, set in Wales and introducing another memorable animal (a goose named Waddle). Although there’s a sense of adventure, the children trip along rather than detect, and have too much access to adult help.
January 13, 2020
2 1/2 stars. Not my favorite of the series. There is all this build up but the end seems rushed. It doesn't have as much action as others.
November 5, 2020
Interesting but a little boring
January 12, 2022
Very good book
January 27, 2023
Hope there is more to these stories.
April 23, 2024
Another very enjoyable Blyton classic
March 21, 2017
Love this old-fashioned mystery.
November 9, 2012
Why are all of Enid Blyton's stories so good? This woman had more imagination that a hundred others put together, to produce the sheer number of stories she did, and here's another fine example. Mystery, mistaken identities, dogs, a goose and a monkey all come together to give another timeless Enid Blyton story. This particular book I have not read before- I always find that the stories of Snubby, Dianne, Barney and Roger (as well as Loony and Miranda of course!) are always slightly harder to track down than say the Famous Five or Secret Seven books. This is a newer, perhaps 1990s, printed version, but it has lost none of it's charm- to the point of being owned by some lucky child before me called "Danecca". Well danecca, you've missed out by donating your book, now it's mine for all eternity and goes into my collection of a couple hundred other Enid Blyton books. Obsessed, much?
June 9, 2020
I don’t remember reading these as a child although I did read a lot of her others. Came across the whole series in a charity shop and have really enjoyed them. This was my least favourite but only because of the way they spoke about poor Snubby. The whole series is a bit down on him and he gets several ‘whackings’ but this was the worst.
April 28, 2016
This was a 1979 edition of one of Enid Blyton's books that I recently acquired. I used to love Enid Blyton as a child so was delighted to be able to read more of her books. I hadn't actually read this one and enjoyed it.
November 19, 2011
All I can remember is that I cried when this series ended... Really I did.. I was 12 years old that time.. I love enid blyton's books...
July 29, 2012
The storyline was fine.... but it wasn't what I had expected it to be.
September 22, 2012
I never read this book as a child so it was fun to read it for the first time as an adult.
February 16, 2021
I come to realise that I enjoyed this series more than the famous five...
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December 10, 2011I really loved this book. It was just so....Enid Blyton! Superb!
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews