Author: Enid Blyton
First edition: 1950
Illustrator: George Brook
Category: Secret Seven
Genre: Mystery/Adventure
Type: Novels/Novelettes
Book No: 2
From this point on, all the successive adventures had at least 120 pages and several more chapters. This second full-length story is a fine whodunnit involving Red Indians, a burglary and a circus. The story starts with another brief antagonistic appearance by Susie, who has stolen Jack's badge and discovered the password because she desperately wants to be a part of the Society. But, at this point, Enid makes no more of this as, once again, Susie's appearance is just to establish Jack's individuality.
The story proper starts when the Seven go off to Little Thicket where six of them don Red Indian attire to stalk the seventh, Colin, who gets greater prominence in this story. Little Thicket is vividly described and I wonder whether it was based on Maidenhead Thicket, only a few miles from Bourne End where the original access to the new M4 Motorway was located.
The story is well plotted and the Seven are very deductive throughout despite encountering a couple of red herrings along the way. There are clues in abundance and some adventurous escapades, and Enid's imagination is working well, but I do wonder if it is as easy to get up on a pair of stilts as she implies it is.
The Seven are still being referred to as the Secret Seven Society, or S.S.S., and the "The" of the title isn't always used. George Brook again does a fine job with dramatic black and brown shading.
-David Cook
Book Download
Link 1
No comments:
Post a Comment