Stars: 3 out of 5
Pros: Great characters; exciting second half
Cons: Weak ending; why couldn't Dan come?
The Bottom Line:
Race track mystery
Sheds light on Regan's story
Average entry
Trixie Races Through Another Mystery
Some of the books in the Trixie Belden series stand out
vividly in my mind - usually because they are favorites I have reread multiple
times. Then there are the ones I hated
and have rarely revisited. The Mystery at Saratoga falls somewhere
in the middle. In fact, I want to like
it more than I do, and a recent reread reminds me of the flaws in the book.
This is the 24th book in the Trixie Belden mystery series, a
lesser known but usually better mystery series like the Hardy Boys or Nancy
Drew. Trixie is fourteen and lives next
door to her best friend Honey Wheeler.
The two solve all kinds of mysteries and hope to open a detective agency
when they grow up. Along with their
brothers, Brian, Mart, and Jim, and two other friends, they've formed the
Bob-Whites of the Glen, a club that gets involved in service projects (that
lead to even more mysteries). Yes, there
is explanation of all this at the beginning of the book as well, but honestly,
you're better off starting the series earlier for multiple reasons. One of which is that the volume of characters
can overwhelm at times until you really learn who all of them are. But by book 24, loyal fans who have been
reading in order are certainly ready to jump in.
It's August, and with Jim, Brian, and Mart at camp, it's
quiet in Sleeyside. That is until Honey
calls Trixie with horrible news - Regan has vanished. The Wheelers' groom has left a note saying he
hopes to be back soon, but he hasn't explained where he went or why.
However, a trip to the library puts Trixie and Honey on his
trail. It seems seven years ago, before
he went to work for the Wheelers, he was working with race horses in Saratoga . One of them was drugged, and suspicion fell
on the then teenager. Now, Regan has
gone back to clear his name. Trixie and
Honey manage to get a trip to Saratoga
as well. Can they track down Regan and
prove his innocence?
Rereading this book, I was surprised at just how slow the
first half of the book really was. Of
course, some of that is because you have to get Trixie and Honey out of
Sleepyside and into Saratoga . The author does a good job of laying a trail
to get them there, but then the book slows as the next part is set up. Plus we get chapters on racing and the
history of Saratoga ,
some of which comes into play later and some of which is just filler. Although I must admit that the chapter on the
history of Saratoga
does have some pretty funny moments that have stuck with me all these years
later.
Once the mystery really gets going, the pace picks up. However, I must admit I noticed just how much
of the plot hinged on coincidence. Yes,
that happens a time or two elsewhere in the series, but here without
coincidence, nothing would be resolved.
Plus there's the dues ex machina ending. While many of these complaints are things
I've noticed more as an adult than as a kid reading this book, the ending
always bothered me. It comes out of left
field and just makes me roll my eyes.
It's like the author got trapped in a corner and this was the only way
to get out of it and get the story moving forward again.
Plus there's the fact that Dan couldn't make it. He's another member of the Bob-Whites,
however his appearances in books is kept to a minimum. He's actually quite active in the first part
of the book, and with good reasons, Regan is his uncle. So why, then, couldn't he have helped Trixie
and Honey in their search in Saratoga ? Again, that always bothered me as a kid.
This late in the series, the characters can be hit or
miss. Here, they are the best versions
of themselves. They have their flaws,
but they are still likable with strengths that outshine those weaknesses.
Even so, this winds up being just an average book in the
series. Fans will enjoy reading it and
learning a bit more about our favorite groom.
But if you aren't already familiar with the cast, you'll be better
served backing up and starting from the beginning before reading The Mystery at Saratoga.
And if you need to back up, here are the Trixie Belden Mysteries in order.
I agree about Dan-he was severely underused throughout the series, and this book especially should be his book *(as his uncle is the one missing)
ReplyDeleteI still STRONGLY urge you to read the Three Investigators series (if you can find them) It is another junior detective series not as well known as the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. It was written from 1964 thru 1986 with 43 books, and then the Crimebusters series (with the 3 being slightly older (late teens instead of early-mid teens)) from 1987-1990. My brother and I have the whole series!
Hey Mark, this is Sean again. I am rereading my Trixie series again, and am writing "book reports" as I go. What's your email address? I can share with you what I wrote up on this book
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