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Trixie Belden #7
The Mysterious Code
Principal Stratton wants to get rid of all clubs in Sleepyside High School, including the Bob-Whites! The only way they can save their club is to prove that they help out other people, too. Trixie quickly comes up with a plan to host a benefit antique show and sale. But are the precious antiques in danger from thieves?
240 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1961
47 people are currently reading
606 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 102 reviews
August 23, 2025
Trixie Belden and her friends have a club, The Bob Whites of the Glen. They fixed up a clubhouse and work on projects to help their community, Sleepyside, NY. Imagine their surprise when the high school principal tells them that the school board is considering disbanding all clubs. The board thinks that the clubs don't serve a purpose and form cliques, leaving some kids out. The Bob Whites quickly come up with a project they all believe in so that they can prove their club is productive. The teens are going to hold an antique show and sale to benefit UNICEF. While gathering items for the show at Honey Wheeler's home, Trixie finds a magazine with the key to a secret code inside. The code leads the club to a cool discovery! Unfortunately, publicity for the antique show leads local thieves to the antiques. There is a break in at a local home and at the clubhouse. The teen sleuths are back on the case to discover the identity of the thieves before they ruin the fundraiser.
The Mysterious Code is the 7th book in the Trixie Belden series. The first six books were written by Julie Campbell. Books 7 - 39 were written by various authors using the pen name Kathryn Kenny. Plot wise The Mysterious Code is one of the weaker books in the series. It's still an enjoyable read, but not as well-written as the others. The code portion of the plot is clever, but plays only a small part in the story. There is a bit of character development, but not much really happens in this book. All in all, another enjoyable visit to Sleepyside, but there are much better books in the series.
The Trixie Belden series was my favorite series when I was in middle school. I preferred Trixie over Nancy Drew. I had the whole set with the 80's paperback covers. I babysat my bratty nephew to earn money to buy the paperbacks at Waldenbook s. :) The brat is now 37 years old. ha ha I still love Trixie but read them with an adult perspective now. Still enjoyable! But I cringe every time the kids decide to chase criminals and thieves themselves rather than calling the police, or when they hide events or evidence from their parents.
Great series! I am enjoying re-reading the books even though I have an adult perspective now. The books are a bit dated (just like Nancy Drew), but fun, quick reads. I like reading a Trixie book in-between thriller or suspense novels to clear my mind a bit. There is no cursing, nothing graphic.....just teens solving simple mysteries while going horseback riding, etc in the woods around their homes. Nice relaxing reading. :)
The last Trixie Belden book came out in the late 80's, and some of the books can be hard to find. I'm reading scanned ebooks on openlibrary.org. Most of the series is available on that site. Openlibrary is a free site that offers scanned ebooks of many books for checkout, just like a library. It's all legal and does not violate copyright laws.
The Mysterious Code is the 7th book in the Trixie Belden series. The first six books were written by Julie Campbell. Books 7 - 39 were written by various authors using the pen name Kathryn Kenny. Plot wise The Mysterious Code is one of the weaker books in the series. It's still an enjoyable read, but not as well-written as the others. The code portion of the plot is clever, but plays only a small part in the story. There is a bit of character development, but not much really happens in this book. All in all, another enjoyable visit to Sleepyside, but there are much better books in the series.
The Trixie Belden series was my favorite series when I was in middle school. I preferred Trixie over Nancy Drew. I had the whole set with the 80's paperback covers. I babysat my bratty nephew to earn money to buy the paperbacks at Waldenbook s. :) The brat is now 37 years old. ha ha I still love Trixie but read them with an adult perspective now. Still enjoyable! But I cringe every time the kids decide to chase criminals and thieves themselves rather than calling the police, or when they hide events or evidence from their parents.
Great series! I am enjoying re-reading the books even though I have an adult perspective now. The books are a bit dated (just like Nancy Drew), but fun, quick reads. I like reading a Trixie book in-between thriller or suspense novels to clear my mind a bit. There is no cursing, nothing graphic.....just teens solving simple mysteries while going horseback riding, etc in the woods around their homes. Nice relaxing reading. :)
The last Trixie Belden book came out in the late 80's, and some of the books can be hard to find. I'm reading scanned ebooks on openlibrary.org. Most of the series is available on that site. Openlibrary is a free site that offers scanned ebooks of many books for checkout, just like a library. It's all legal and does not violate copyright laws.
December 3, 2023
Trixie and the other Bob-Whites need to work hard to save their beloved club but their best intentions might be thwarted by thieves. Non-stop action along with a budding romance is the perfect ingredient to relaxing after a busy work day.
Goodreads review published 29/11/23
Goodreads review published 29/11/23
May 14, 2020
When the Bob Whites of the Glen want to raise some money for UNICEF, they decide to hold a combination exhibit/sale of antiques owned or donated by their families and neighbors. Digging around in an attic, they find a key with a message in a stick figure code, and decide to adopt the code for themselves as well. But some antiques are very valuable -- and some of Trixie’s neighbors want some of that money for themselves, by any means necessary.This is an older Trixie Belden book than the previous one I read. My copy is an original 1961 Cello Book, which I’m sure I got at a library sale but which is clearly not ex-library itself (it never would have lasted this long! These books were not designed with longevity in mind. And weirdly, my copy is not listed as an edition here on Goodreads -- my cover is different from the one I had to choose). This book definitely felt more dated than the later one, which was published in the 1970's (ugh, the treatment of the two Japanese-American brothers is just cringe, cringe, cringe).
The story was a little less than in the later book, as well. There’s some mystery, but the code plays a fairly small part, and most of the story is about Trixie’s family and friends and day-to-day life (dress shopping, housework …). I enjoyed it, but it also felt a little long.
I was also put off by the beginning, when the school principal tells the Bob Whites that they might not be able to be a club any longer. Granted that this is taking place in 1960, but were schools allowed to tell students what they could and couldn’t do at home, in their own free time? It’s not like the club was associated with the school in any way. But the antiques sale for UNICEF is driven by the Bob Whites having to prove that they’re a “good” club and not a gang. That seemed incredibly out of line to me.
Now I’ve run out of Trixie Belden books that I own, so I’ll see if I feel inspired to read any others once the libraries reopen. I’m sort of curious to read the first one in the series, but I’m not sure how committed I feel to any others.
October 14, 2025
5+ stars (6/10 hearts). Um... wow. I really liked this book!! For once Trixie didn't get herself into any dumb messes (okay, so she kinda did, as usual, butttt… It’s Trixie. And I still love her). Mart, Honey, Brian, and Jim were all as awesome as usual; and I ended up liking Tad a lot, along with Spider. Also, I really liked how kind Mrs. Wheeler was (we already know how awesome the Beldens & Mr. Wheeler are, so it’s nice to see Mrs. Wheeler at last). Oh, and I loved the Japanese brothers!! So sweet.
As for the mystery, it was pretty cool, though not what I expected. And was the climax ever tense?! Um, YES! I loved that the kids were doing so much to help with the UNICEF and really meant it, not just doing it for show. And did I mention the humour?? Because it’s really good. Per the usual. Overall, one of my favourite Trixie books!
Content: euphemisms
A Favourite Humorous Quote: "'Moms will be even more worried[.] Why couldn't Mr. Maypenny have a telephone in this [old shack]?'
"'So he could talk to the animals?' Jim inquired. "Be yourself, Trixie. Let's play Twenty Questions.'"
As for the mystery, it was pretty cool, though not what I expected. And was the climax ever tense?! Um, YES! I loved that the kids were doing so much to help with the UNICEF and really meant it, not just doing it for show. And did I mention the humour?? Because it’s really good. Per the usual. Overall, one of my favourite Trixie books!
Content: euphemisms
A Favourite Humorous Quote: "'Moms will be even more worried[.] Why couldn't Mr. Maypenny have a telephone in this [old shack]?'
"'So he could talk to the animals?' Jim inquired. "Be yourself, Trixie. Let's play Twenty Questions.'"
October 7, 2013
Oh man, it's the first ghost-written book and things start getting crazy!
- Even as a little kid, it was never clear to me what, exactly, the Sleepyside school board could stop the Bob-Whites of the Glen from doing, aside from maybe wearing their jackets to school. No more hanging out in the refurbished gatehouse on the Wheeler's property for you! Pooling your earnings is strictly forbidden! Don't even think about making bird calls!
- Seriously everyone needs to stop reciting paragraphs of facts about UNICEF.
- New characters everywhere. Mrs. Vanderpoel is okay. Brom is weird. Tad Robinson is just no. Token Japanese characters are tokens.
- Dress-shopping. Orchids. Why.
- Even as a little kid, it was never clear to me what, exactly, the Sleepyside school board could stop the Bob-Whites of the Glen from doing, aside from maybe wearing their jackets to school. No more hanging out in the refurbished gatehouse on the Wheeler's property for you! Pooling your earnings is strictly forbidden! Don't even think about making bird calls!
- Seriously everyone needs to stop reciting paragraphs of facts about UNICEF.
- New characters everywhere. Mrs. Vanderpoel is okay. Brom is weird. Tad Robinson is just no. Token Japanese characters are tokens.
- Dress-shopping. Orchids. Why.
August 8, 2015
so many of my favorite Trixie moments happen in this book: the planning of the antique show, the crafting and refinishing of furniture, the discovery in the attic, the white dress with green trim (and matching green shoes!) (hey, I'm a fashion person. Of course I liked that part), the snowstorm,...I could go on, but I won't. I think this is one of the best in the series.
October 23, 2018
Some actual kid-worthy mystery this time, what with rooting around in an attic and yes, a mysterious code. Some startling behavior on the part of a school board which tries to outlaw outside-of-school clubs and a weak unfair but accepted criticism of the BWG as exclusionary. Smaller amounts of racism that had to be excised but plenty of sexism (at one point, I said “I’m just going to skip this part” and if one kid can create a chorus of groans, mine did. I could hear her thinking “why can’t my mom just be like everyone else’s sexist mom” lol). Trixie’s mom buys her a GIRDLE to give her some curves but at least Trixie offers some opposition to the Girlification by choosing her own dress. I’d have loved the budding boy-girl romance stuff as a kid but now it just seems in the way of the mystery. Infodump centers on UNICEF but is less informative and less annoying than in previous books.
June 14, 2018
It's been nearly a month since I read this one and very little of it has stuck with me, possibly because I kept waiting for things to happen--the exciting part comes almost in the last five pages of the book. I do remember, from my childhood reading, being extremely frustrated with Jim's stupidity when Trixie tries to convey certain very urgent information secretly, and I was frustrated again this time. I did love the descriptions of all the antiques the Bob-Whites collect, either for sale or display, though the two Japanese gentlemen come across as a little stereotyped to a modern reader.
This is the first book in the series written by "Kathryn Kenny" (actually a Nancy-Drew style syndicate of writers) and I wondered if it would come across as very different from the Julie Campbell books. It didn't.
This is the first book in the series written by "Kathryn Kenny" (actually a Nancy-Drew style syndicate of writers) and I wondered if it would come across as very different from the Julie Campbell books. It didn't.
March 11, 2016
Part of the reason I just don't like this book as much as the rest of the ones in the series is because it's so evident that it's by a different author. Maybe if they had done something to improve the transition from author-to-author it would have been better, but nope.
*Since when did Trixie do cha-cha steps?
*Since when did Bobby speak in full sentences?!
*AND WHY ON EARTH IS EVERYONE'S EYES SHINING?!?!
But I did like the parts about Jim and Trixie. (Surprise.) :)
Anyway, once you get used to the different author(s) they are okay. The first six books will always be the best, though.
*Since when did Trixie do cha-cha steps?
*Since when did Bobby speak in full sentences?!
*AND WHY ON EARTH IS EVERYONE'S EYES SHINING?!?!
But I did like the parts about Jim and Trixie. (Surprise.) :)
Anyway, once you get used to the different author(s) they are okay. The first six books will always be the best, though.
May 2, 2022
These were my favorite books in childhood. Today I can only rate it 5 stars for nostalgia and it is impossible to review fairly.
September 6, 2015
Even as a kid, I thought the whole, “my life is over!” opening chapter was a bunch of nonsense. How was anyone at school going to keep the kids from hanging out together? Why would their respective parents honor a request from the school that they not be friends any more? What difference did it make that they couldn’t be an official club at school? So right off the bat, I was grumbling about this book and wishing JC had continued the series herself.
I think a lot of Trixie fans forgave a lot with this story because this KK cranked the romance aspects up a few notches; I, OTOH, felt betrayed. Trixie was special because she did NOT get all sappy and gooey and start thinking romantic thoughts around a good-looking guy, and I felt like she was going gooey on me. However, I loved Mrs. Vanderpoel and Brom, appreciated Spider, and the more formulaic mystery plot was familiar and I liked those, so despite the romance, and despite the fact that the characters no longer bantered as brilliantly as they did under JC’s hand, I decided I’d stick with Trixie a while longer.
Reading it as an adult, I really notice a drop in the overall quality of the writing. JC’s writing was smooth, her characters witty, the whole effect of an expert effortlessly doing a brilliant job. I griped when I read Arizona about the info dumps, but in Mysterious Code we have smaller bits of info much more awkwardly introduced. Since when is Mart an expert on old swords, and why is Mart an expert on them? Regan shows just long enough to haul Bobby off stage, and never so much as greets the other kids, let alone banter with them as he usually does.
Julie Campbell could tell a story with no real mystery at the heart and still hold my interest; this Kathryn Kenny could spiel out a neatly plotted mystery with the best of them, but I missed the deeper characterization and the feel of the environment. This KK does a lot of “description by listing” and other tricks common to the Stratemeyer Syndicate and those who copied that style. Gets the job done, I suppose, but can’t compare to JC’s much more integrated writing style.
But, there’s the supper at the Belden’s, and the original characters (Mrs. Vanderpoel, Brom) get some attention and are interesting concepts, and I do have a weakness for plain ol’ mysteries. So even as an adult, I’m going to keep reading the series. I do wish that, after Julie Campbell quit, the publishers would have given the other authors their own individual pseudonyms, so the reader would have a better idea going in what the book was going to be.
I think a lot of Trixie fans forgave a lot with this story because this KK cranked the romance aspects up a few notches; I, OTOH, felt betrayed. Trixie was special because she did NOT get all sappy and gooey and start thinking romantic thoughts around a good-looking guy, and I felt like she was going gooey on me. However, I loved Mrs. Vanderpoel and Brom, appreciated Spider, and the more formulaic mystery plot was familiar and I liked those, so despite the romance, and despite the fact that the characters no longer bantered as brilliantly as they did under JC’s hand, I decided I’d stick with Trixie a while longer.
Reading it as an adult, I really notice a drop in the overall quality of the writing. JC’s writing was smooth, her characters witty, the whole effect of an expert effortlessly doing a brilliant job. I griped when I read Arizona about the info dumps, but in Mysterious Code we have smaller bits of info much more awkwardly introduced. Since when is Mart an expert on old swords, and why is Mart an expert on them? Regan shows just long enough to haul Bobby off stage, and never so much as greets the other kids, let alone banter with them as he usually does.
Julie Campbell could tell a story with no real mystery at the heart and still hold my interest; this Kathryn Kenny could spiel out a neatly plotted mystery with the best of them, but I missed the deeper characterization and the feel of the environment. This KK does a lot of “description by listing” and other tricks common to the Stratemeyer Syndicate and those who copied that style. Gets the job done, I suppose, but can’t compare to JC’s much more integrated writing style.
But, there’s the supper at the Belden’s, and the original characters (Mrs. Vanderpoel, Brom) get some attention and are interesting concepts, and I do have a weakness for plain ol’ mysteries. So even as an adult, I’m going to keep reading the series. I do wish that, after Julie Campbell quit, the publishers would have given the other authors their own individual pseudonyms, so the reader would have a better idea going in what the book was going to be.
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
January 11, 2013
While gathering items for the upcoming antique show, Trixie and her friends stagger upon an old code on a slip of paper that's attached to a key. What Trixie doesn't know is that the coded puzzle is going to land her right in a huge heap of trouble. In addition to all this, the school board doesn't want the B.W.G.'s to stay together as a club--but that can't stop Trixie and her friends from doing what they love.
Can Trixie solve all their problems?
This was a great read--Really interesting!
Can Trixie solve all their problems?
This was a great read--Really interesting!
February 24, 2017
In this Trixie Belden Book, the school board is threatening to shut down all clubs and "secret organizations" and the Bob-White's must do something to prove they are a worthwhile organization so their club won't be forbidden. (Obviously the school couldn't really keep them from having a club outside of school, but this is the whole premise of the story, aside from this ridiculous idea for the plot, the rest of the story is interesting.)
To prove they are a worthwhile club Trixie comes up with the idea of hosting an antique show and selling donated antiques to raise money for UNICEF. The trouble starts when someone takes off with one of the donated antiques, the Bob-White's are certain someone is going to try and steal the rest of the valuable antiques, but of course the adults and local police generally dismiss their fears.
Follow Trixie and the Bob-White's as they track down the vandals and thieves!
To prove they are a worthwhile club Trixie comes up with the idea of hosting an antique show and selling donated antiques to raise money for UNICEF. The trouble starts when someone takes off with one of the donated antiques, the Bob-White's are certain someone is going to try and steal the rest of the valuable antiques, but of course the adults and local police generally dismiss their fears.
Follow Trixie and the Bob-White's as they track down the vandals and thieves!
June 14, 2017
This is the first book with the new writer, so I was curious to see how the series transitioned and approached this read with that in mind. It had solid threat and good pacing, which was good to see making a return. However, the Bob Whites seem to have taken an odd turn deep into the Uncanny portion of being really damn nice. There’s a lot of turning the other cheek in this one that challenged verisimilitude. The strongest example is when the extra-curricular clubs had to register with the school board. The club with a number of the jocks was approved without discussion, but the Bob Whites were placed on probation and had to conduct a fund-raiser event for UNICEF to prove their worth in the eyes of the school board. The unfairness in the disparity of treatment was never even commented on by any of the young teenagers. However, the writing was enough of a turn in the right direction that I’ll continue sticking with it for a while longer and see if the new writer hits her stride.
November 5, 2022
Modifying my former opinion on this former favorite from the series.
It was still good, nostalgia and all - I still loved the blizzard and the night trapped in the schoolhouse and the cozy little party and the Belden's farmhouse. Unfortunately I really could see the difference here between the Julie Campbell books and the others. Tons of info-dump sentences where characters explain things to each other for the benefit of the reader. "Why, you know as well as I do how much your adopted brother, Jim, and your groom, Regan, love those horses" or whatever. I made that up but there were no shortage of examples and the change from Julie Campbell and this now struck me as glaringly obvious. Sigh.
I guess this means that next I should read another non-favorite and perhaps be pleasantly surprised.
It was still good, nostalgia and all - I still loved the blizzard and the night trapped in the schoolhouse and the cozy little party and the Belden's farmhouse. Unfortunately I really could see the difference here between the Julie Campbell books and the others. Tons of info-dump sentences where characters explain things to each other for the benefit of the reader. "Why, you know as well as I do how much your adopted brother, Jim, and your groom, Regan, love those horses" or whatever. I made that up but there were no shortage of examples and the change from Julie Campbell and this now struck me as glaringly obvious. Sigh.
I guess this means that next I should read another non-favorite and perhaps be pleasantly surprised.
April 19, 2015
Loved the secret code aspect of the book as a kid. It seemed very Gold Bug like, after seeing a TV movie of the EAPoe short story.
April 25, 2019
A great Trixie Belden book.
10 out 0f 10 would recommend switching between this book and Captain Marvel. That is what I did for both of their endings and it was great.
10 out 0f 10 would recommend switching between this book and Captain Marvel. That is what I did for both of their endings and it was great.
October 24, 2018
Only just barely better than Saratoga. The mysterious Code part was solved by page 73 and didn't come back into it until one part at the very end. I hate trixie being matched up with Jim, and I hate hate hate Diana Lynch! She is so catty.
March 2, 2025
Book number 7 in The Great Trixie Belden Re-Read of 2025 was had a much better mystery than the last one. Lots of nice found family moments and Trixie and Jim is soooo on its way. Straight people do deserve rights sometimes! My only qualm with this book was another dash of 1950s racism. Fingers crossed we grow out of that soon.
June 3, 2022
Vejam a minha opinião em vídeo, AQUI.
June 7, 2022
Love my Trixie Belden ... and this re-read is no exception!
October 10, 2023
Libro de esta colección que me ha encantado. Desde luego recomendable como todos aunque sea poco conocido
February 3, 2019
I think that anyone would enjoy reading this Trixie Belden series.
May 18, 2021
I like this book! I have read it about 2-3 times already. It's kind of that one book that you read because you have nothing else to read; the emergency book :)
August 2, 2012
The Bob-Whites are holding an antique show and auction to raise money for UNICEF. While returning from a neighbour with a wooden laptop desk for the show, Trixie and Bobby are attacked by three masked men and the desk is taken. Trixie discovers a key in the Wheeler attic with a code on the attached tag, and finds the code in an old magazine. This leads her to find a beautiful jewelry and music box hidden in the bricks by the chimney. The group is actively collecting and restoring furniture and valuable collectables, and strangers keep appearing in a menacing way - Trixie is so afraid they will be robbed again that she insists on going into town the night before the auction with Brian and Jim. While they play cards in the neighbouring viewing point, Trixie goes to the venue to finish pricing some items - there she learns that her suspicions are correct as robbers are stealing the valuables out the back door. She hastily marks SOS in code on some price tags and when Jim comes to find out where she is, she tucks them into his pocket. This brings the police - the robbers are arrested and the show is saved.
This is the first in the series by a different author. Trixie has become a much more polite girl, less of a tomboy.
This is the first in the series by a different author. Trixie has become a much more polite girl, less of a tomboy.
April 16, 2010
After a string of vandalism in the community, the Sleepyside school board targets "gangs" for extinction including the Bob-Whites of the Glen (B.W.G.) - and you thought gangs in the 21st century were a new phase.
To prove the B.W.G.s are a group of peace and not vandalism, Trixie comes up with the idea of having an antique show to benefit UNICEF (how appropriate the date of this review is 2 days before Halloween - I still remember trick-or-treating for UNICEF!) While trying to find antiques to sell, Trixie discovers a key in the Wheelers' attic, leading her straight into another mystery. Attached to the key is a tag with a coded message.
While babysitting her little brother, Trixie and Bobby are robbed by three masked men as the men are stealing antiques from a neighbor. When the B.W.G.s report the robbery to policeman Spider Webster, Spider seems unconcerned. Trixie becomes convinced someone has targeted people with antiques and she is afraid the antique show collection will be the next target. Do the robberies and the mysterious code have anything to do with each other? Leave it to Trixie and the Bob-Whites to solve this mystery.
To prove the B.W.G.s are a group of peace and not vandalism, Trixie comes up with the idea of having an antique show to benefit UNICEF (how appropriate the date of this review is 2 days before Halloween - I still remember trick-or-treating for UNICEF!) While trying to find antiques to sell, Trixie discovers a key in the Wheelers' attic, leading her straight into another mystery. Attached to the key is a tag with a coded message.
While babysitting her little brother, Trixie and Bobby are robbed by three masked men as the men are stealing antiques from a neighbor. When the B.W.G.s report the robbery to policeman Spider Webster, Spider seems unconcerned. Trixie becomes convinced someone has targeted people with antiques and she is afraid the antique show collection will be the next target. Do the robberies and the mysterious code have anything to do with each other? Leave it to Trixie and the Bob-Whites to solve this mystery.
December 26, 2012
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? – 1961.
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, cell phones, and air conditioning in homes, especially the mansion.
Short storyline: Trixie Belden, Honey, Jim, and her brothers struggle to save their club from the schoolboard who has decided to crack down on all clubs as gangs. Their antique show, brings criminals out of the woodwork as usual.
Notes for the reader: A great mystery! No violence (only referred to from the past), 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? – 1961.
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, cell phones, and air conditioning in homes, especially the mansion.
Short storyline: Trixie Belden, Honey, Jim, and her brothers struggle to save their club from the schoolboard who has decided to crack down on all clubs as gangs. Their antique show, brings criminals out of the woodwork as usual.
Notes for the reader: A great mystery! No violence (only referred to from the past), no murder.
June 10, 2017
Bear in mind that the 4-star rating is relative to the Trixie Belden series. A guilty pleasure, re-discovering books I last read 50 years ago. It's a shame that the series creator and original author, Julie Campbell, stopped writing the series after book 5. Various authors penned the remaining books under the pseudonym Kathryn Kenny.
This one was too overtly educational (Trixie, whose school grades suffer because of her extracurricular activities, is a walking authority on UNICEF?) but not nearly so as the previous installment. And even in 1961 at publication, no teenager anywhere walked into a diner and ordered "french-fried potatoes." So the dialog is a bit stilted.
But the plot is engaging, the setting (Catskill mountain communities in the winter) irresistible and the characters are fun. Throw in hidden treasures in an attic, a secret code, and settle onto the sofa for a few hours of nostaligia.
This one was too overtly educational (Trixie, whose school grades suffer because of her extracurricular activities, is a walking authority on UNICEF?) but not nearly so as the previous installment. And even in 1961 at publication, no teenager anywhere walked into a diner and ordered "french-fried potatoes." So the dialog is a bit stilted.
But the plot is engaging, the setting (Catskill mountain communities in the winter) irresistible and the characters are fun. Throw in hidden treasures in an attic, a secret code, and settle onto the sofa for a few hours of nostaligia.
August 18, 2014
This was my first experience with a Trixie Belden book. I wanted to read something different, and while I thought it was a decent and quick read it lacked a bit of substance for me (yes, I know this book is geared towards a younger audience) The mystery wasn't quite as intriguing as I had hoped, and while I wasn't bored by the story I wasn't compelled to read it either. I found it interesting to read a book from a "simpler" time (this book being written in the early 60's) It was fun to see the different between phrases used back then, that would never be used today. I do think that I would read some more Trixie Belden novels if I come across them (got this one at a library book sale), but at the same time I'm not running out to get more. I do want to reread some Nancy Drew (haven't read any since childhood) but would love to see how they compare!
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