tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782277794223039496.post2217839935936222132..comments2024-03-27T14:12:10.978-07:00Comments on Carstairs Considers....: Book Review: The Mystery at Maypenny's by Kathryn Kenny (Trixie Belden #31)Mark Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11567392254011373198noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782277794223039496.post-48956091761568054492020-03-17T21:07:17.722-07:002020-03-17T21:07:17.722-07:00Oh, a few more things: The "ghostwriter"...Oh, a few more things: The "ghostwriter" this time REALLY doubled down on Honey and Trixie's giggling, along with Honey's sobbing. It actually got a bit annoying-especially the giggling!<br /><br />You said, "The ending was a bit of a cheat in some ways, but it also does show the importance of thinking outside the box." I actually think the abandoned warehouse was a deux ex machina that REALLY was thrown in there! I mean from the descriptions of Sleepyside in the past, it's a small quiet town, not one of those run-down places with abandoned buildings, and especially abandoned warehouses and factories! Maybe it's because I live in such a rural area, and this is supposed to be quite close to NYC, but for me, factories in the town REALLY take away what I think of as a small-town feel!<br /><br />Ok, thanks for listening (reading)!<br /><br /> SeanSeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08582845368766619225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782277794223039496.post-31745680100302102362020-03-17T20:59:37.784-07:002020-03-17T20:59:37.784-07:00I'm going to read your review and all the comm...I'm going to read your review and all the comments, but I thought I would make my review first, so as not to be swayed (I'll reply to yours and the comments too if I feel I have something worthy to add)<br /><br /> First, let me say that I haven't read the latter entries in the series for some decades. Everytime I decide to reread the series, I've stopped around the late 20s (I don't know why). Well, this one I did not remember at all! I liked it, but yes, it isn't exactly a mystery until the end. I must say though that I was fooled. Well, partly. Of course, the two suspects are John Score and David Maypenny. At first I was thinking, well, Mr Maypenny's nephew won't be an actual crook, and they've had SO MANY imposters throughout the series, that the baddie has to be John Score. But then I thought, no usually the hippie/drifter character isn't a bad guy, so it must be David. Then I thought-let me stop playing process of elimination and use logic. Ok, I didn't think a real hippie would kill ducks, so it is probably not John. It has to either be David or somebody from the Pine Company. I don't think the villian will be some random employee introduced 5 pages before the end, so it must be that David is an imposter and is in the pay of the evil Pine company! (This is where I went wrong) I thought David was a crook, and probably not really the nephew, but I was sure he was with the Pine company somehow! It seems kind of random that a con man would kill the ducks without it being to the advantage of the business.<br /><br /> Besides that, I could follow the mystery fairly well, and I thought the flow and pace was spot on. And hey, they even included every character for a change! *I guess Dan and Di are collecting their paycheques this time for being in the story!* I was sad that Di didn't have much to do, but I'd rather that than having her shoehorned in.<br /><br /> That's about all I have to say, so I suppose I'll read the reviews now and comment on them (if I have something I strongly feel needs to be said)...<br /><br /> And I've said it before, Carstairs-thanks for this blog! Many of the books I like I don't have anyone to discuss with, so this is great. I know I've mentioned several book series that I think you might like, and here's another: Diane Mott Davison's Goldy Bear(Schultz) Mysteries. They are adult books (nothing to graphic, but they are murder mysteries, and there is some swearing)<br /><br /> Anyway, I'm going to read #32 now, (and we'll see if I actually finish it)<br /><br /> Sean J HaginsSeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08582845368766619225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782277794223039496.post-9789805037345019292015-09-08T19:37:06.963-07:002015-09-08T19:37:06.963-07:00Happy Valley hasn't held up well as an adult, ...Happy Valley hasn't held up well as an adult, but The Secret of the Mansion still holds up well, and The Gatehouse Mystery is still my favorite in the series despite some flaws. (And yes, I saw the flaws as a kid, too.)Mark Bakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11567392254011373198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782277794223039496.post-80478789344883080482015-09-08T19:36:17.594-07:002015-09-08T19:36:17.594-07:00Thanks definitely a good one for sure.Thanks definitely a good one for sure.Mark Bakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11567392254011373198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782277794223039496.post-72797371955219797412015-09-08T12:50:49.710-07:002015-09-08T12:50:49.710-07:00This one doesn't hold any memories for me--whi...This one doesn't hold any memories for me--which I suppose says something. I'm both tempted to revisit my favorites (The Secret of the Mansion, The Gatehouse Mystery, and The Happy Valley Mystery) and a little fearful to do so. Revisiting childhood favorites has been a bit hit and miss for me--and I don't like it when fond memories get overlaid by adult perceptions (especially if my view as an adult isn't as favorable...).Bev Hankinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01127476456755776574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782277794223039496.post-81601926808560473842015-09-04T20:56:57.571-07:002015-09-04T20:56:57.571-07:00I don't remember this one specifically. My fav...I don't remember this one specifically. My fave was always the camper mystery.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02582583925813368098noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782277794223039496.post-72056328241038472812015-08-31T18:25:12.549-07:002015-08-31T18:25:12.549-07:00I still enjoy revisiting my Trixies (obviously), a...I still enjoy revisiting my Trixies (obviously), and some hold up quite well. Others? I shouldn't have reread them, that's for sure.Mark Bakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11567392254011373198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782277794223039496.post-25165055492895378102015-08-31T15:58:37.261-07:002015-08-31T15:58:37.261-07:00Oh my, this sure made me smile. I have to say, I ...Oh my, this sure made me smile. I have to say, I haven't gone back and read any Trixie books as an adult. But like you, there are certain plot points and scenes that stick out in my head after all this time.holdenjhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04563239351498816805noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782277794223039496.post-24918098943747468572015-08-30T20:57:26.597-07:002015-08-30T20:57:26.597-07:00I read them in random order from all over the seri...I read them in random order from all over the series (they were all in print by the time I found them). While I admit the first 15 were generally better, there are some true gems later in the series. And, honestly, there were some bad books in those first 15 (even the first six) as well.Mark Bakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11567392254011373198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782277794223039496.post-89703367550150708862015-08-30T18:18:49.215-07:002015-08-30T18:18:49.215-07:00I have the first 15 of the series, in the hardcove...I have the first 15 of the series, in the hardcover with b/w and color illustrations inside. After 15, the writing went downhill (IMO) so I didn't read any more than that. My faves were The Mysterious Code, The Mysterious Visitor, and the first one, of course!Meghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10734148270217773194noreply@blogger.com