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The Secret Seven #5
Go Ahead Secret Seven
When a sinister-looking man gets George in trouble with the police, the Secret Seven are outraged! Spying on him, the gang are certain he's bad news, but what exactly is he up to? They need to investigate, and solve the mystery, once and for all.
138 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1953
About the author
Enid Blyton
5,334 books6,508 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 - 30 of 129 reviews
July 9, 2019
George is forced to resign from the secret seven due to several unfortunate events. When they are struggling with the events that led to George’s resignation, they stumble upon yet another mystery. This time they have to deal with the case of missing dogs.
Will the seven solve this case? What will happen to George’s future in secret seven? Enid Blyton deals with these two topics in this book.
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Will the seven solve this case? What will happen to George’s future in secret seven? Enid Blyton deals with these two topics in this book.
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December 8, 2015
When I was six or seven, and well into my Tinkle phase (for non-Indians and younger people, Tinkle was a children's periodical that used to be absolutely amazing, though it's pretty terrible these days), my mother decided I should read something other than er...comic books, and got me this from the lending library that stood on the next road. Sadly, the lending library closed down sometime back, because who goes to such places anymore?
This was the first Enid Blyton that I er..."read". The first time, I pretended to read it, because all I wanted to do was get back to my Tinkle. But my mother, the clever woman she is, asked me something about the book that I was unable to answer, and made sure I actually read the book this time. For that, I am forever grateful to her. The second time I read it, I was about eight or nine, and my mother, who was a college professor had to go to Mysore for paper valuation. This was the first time that we had stayed without mother ever, and I cried like a baby. She was literally just gone for a day, and all I did that day was read and re-read this book.
Secret Seven is like the first grade of all children's books. It sets the foundation for all that is to come. In this, there's shadowing, forgotten passwords, angry fathers, annoying sisters, and kidnapped dogs. It's a short read, sure. One that I'm not the fondest of, sure. But still, this book is close to my heart.
This was the first Enid Blyton that I er..."read". The first time, I pretended to read it, because all I wanted to do was get back to my Tinkle. But my mother, the clever woman she is, asked me something about the book that I was unable to answer, and made sure I actually read the book this time. For that, I am forever grateful to her. The second time I read it, I was about eight or nine, and my mother, who was a college professor had to go to Mysore for paper valuation. This was the first time that we had stayed without mother ever, and I cried like a baby. She was literally just gone for a day, and all I did that day was read and re-read this book.
Secret Seven is like the first grade of all children's books. It sets the foundation for all that is to come. In this, there's shadowing, forgotten passwords, angry fathers, annoying sisters, and kidnapped dogs. It's a short read, sure. One that I'm not the fondest of, sure. But still, this book is close to my heart.
December 30, 2017
This time the Seven don't have a mystery, so they decide to hone their skills and while doing so uncover a mystery! Pedigree dogs are going missing, and one night while George is practising stalking potential crims he gets caught and made to leave the Secret Seven! Everything works out in the end of course, and the crime ring is busted.
I didn't realize the first five books were all about thieves basically. Usually these series are more varied. Hoping to see a change soon, although the dog angle was a nice touch. Four stars.
I didn't realize the first five books were all about thieves basically. Usually these series are more varied. Hoping to see a change soon, although the dog angle was a nice touch. Four stars.
February 22, 2014
I never did like Peter with all his airs, and in this book I positively hated him. Rest of the kids behave like wimps. The only person I like is Susie, who is unfortunately shunned by the gang, including her brother Jack, who should have been more friendly to her rather than neglecting her for the gang's sake. The mystery too is very limp. All in all, an avoidable book.
January 5, 2020
I go on on my New Year's periple of Youth books... And these are really a lot of fun---
Maria Carmo,
Lisbon 5 January 2020.
Maria Carmo,
Lisbon 5 January 2020.
April 8, 2021
What a wonderful book!
Also I got to know a new dog breed - Bull Terrier.
Also I got to know a new dog breed - Bull Terrier.
August 29, 2013
This time it's dog smuggling
30 August 2013
The Secret Seven certainly have a different feel to them than do the Famous Five. In a way I find that the Secret Seven books are somewhat less serious and more light hearted than the Famous Five books, which appear to be aimed at older children. I guess the other thing is that the Secret Seven are actually younger than the Famous Five, and I suspect that most of them will be around seven or eight, whereas the Famous Five are clearly in their early teens. They also seem to have a lot more fun, and it was somewhat cute that the inspector popped in to see them after they had helped him break apart a dog smuggling ring, yet he still seemed to be an outsider.
Basically the Secret Seven had not met for a while, which suggests that maybe there hasn't been much going on around their town, or simply that they had not been looking for any trouble (which is something we really shouldn't be encouraging our children to do). However, after being goaded by Suzie they decide to call a meeting and have some practice being, well, the Secret Seven. However, when George is given the task of shadowing somebody he gets caught, dragged back to his parent's house, and forced to resign. So that Suzie can't put an argument as to why she should join the Secret Seven, the remaining six vote to make the dog an official, and temporary, member of the club.
However, as it turns out, the people that they were practising on actually turned out to be crooks. Basically they were stealing dogs and then selling them on the black market, however they weren't any old dogs, they were pedigrees, which, mind you, can fetch a really tidy sum. However, I wonder why they had to sell them when simply breeding them can bring in just as much, or even more, money. I guess it has something to do with the fact that most street criminals generally are not intelligent, and generally do not have the foresight to actually be patient and put schemes into place that can generate a lot of income – they simply want the money straight away (usually to fuel some form of addiction).
The Secret Seven books tend to be shorter, and faster paced, than the Famous Five, which is probably because they are aimed at a younger audience. However they also tend to be set in a different setting. The Famous Five always seem to be out in the country, with only a few people around them, and most of them tend to be farmers. The Secret Seven tend to be more urban based, probably because it is set in some town, and they are younger, which means that they do not have as much liberty as do the older children.
30 August 2013
The Secret Seven certainly have a different feel to them than do the Famous Five. In a way I find that the Secret Seven books are somewhat less serious and more light hearted than the Famous Five books, which appear to be aimed at older children. I guess the other thing is that the Secret Seven are actually younger than the Famous Five, and I suspect that most of them will be around seven or eight, whereas the Famous Five are clearly in their early teens. They also seem to have a lot more fun, and it was somewhat cute that the inspector popped in to see them after they had helped him break apart a dog smuggling ring, yet he still seemed to be an outsider.
Basically the Secret Seven had not met for a while, which suggests that maybe there hasn't been much going on around their town, or simply that they had not been looking for any trouble (which is something we really shouldn't be encouraging our children to do). However, after being goaded by Suzie they decide to call a meeting and have some practice being, well, the Secret Seven. However, when George is given the task of shadowing somebody he gets caught, dragged back to his parent's house, and forced to resign. So that Suzie can't put an argument as to why she should join the Secret Seven, the remaining six vote to make the dog an official, and temporary, member of the club.
However, as it turns out, the people that they were practising on actually turned out to be crooks. Basically they were stealing dogs and then selling them on the black market, however they weren't any old dogs, they were pedigrees, which, mind you, can fetch a really tidy sum. However, I wonder why they had to sell them when simply breeding them can bring in just as much, or even more, money. I guess it has something to do with the fact that most street criminals generally are not intelligent, and generally do not have the foresight to actually be patient and put schemes into place that can generate a lot of income – they simply want the money straight away (usually to fuel some form of addiction).
The Secret Seven books tend to be shorter, and faster paced, than the Famous Five, which is probably because they are aimed at a younger audience. However they also tend to be set in a different setting. The Famous Five always seem to be out in the country, with only a few people around them, and most of them tend to be farmers. The Secret Seven tend to be more urban based, probably because it is set in some town, and they are younger, which means that they do not have as much liberty as do the older children.
June 3, 2024
This book was the last S.S. book which I read. I had finished reading the others. They all were good but thos one SUPERB .I enjoyed reading on my Kindle.
February 8, 2024
What a fun read! I recall reading this in my childhood as well. One of the better books in the series. It was of course a bit too ideal considering it is a children's book but it was still fun to read. That said, I feel like the British humor is becoming a bit dry for me so I might get my need for something lighthearted from somewhere else.
January 26, 2023
Harry gives this book 4 stars. He says it’s great but they should really have told the police.
May 26, 2024
I liked everything in this book
December 1, 2025
Een erg nietszeggende cover, net zoals de andere boeken uit de goedkope uitgaven-reeks is het vooral de titel die de potentiële lezer moet aanspreken. "De Club van 7" staat er dan ook groter op dan de toch wereldberoemde naam van de schrijfster.
De Club van 7 houdt een vergadering... uit verveling. Er wordt besloten om te oefenen voor eventuele latere onderzoeken. De meisjes gaan mensen observeren en beschrijven, de jongens gaan oefenen in het schaduwen. Bij Michiel gaat dat de eerste keer al volledig mis. Hij wordt betrapt en opgebracht naar de politie. Gelukkig kennen ze hem daar maar de Club is heel erg kwaad op deze weinig sportieve man die gevolgd werd. Janet doet het fantastisch.
Er gebeuren nog een aantal rare zaken en al gauw trekt de lezer conclusies, het duurt even langer voor dat ook bij de 7 doordringt. Er blijken verbanden te bestaan tussen de man met de honden, de man die mankt en de man die geschaduwd werd, en dat zaakje is heel erg verdacht.
Enid Blyton brent weer een mooi afgewerkt verhaal waarbij Michiel na zijn hachelijke avontuur de Club van 7 moet verlaten en de overige leden een erg mooie "tijdelijke" oplossing zoeken en vinden.
Snuffel wordt officieel erkend als nieuw lid, Annie blijft een vervelende moeial. En dat toont weerom het pijnpunt van deze reeks verhalen. Er zijn gewoon te veel protagonisten om ze allemaal voldoende aan bod te laten komen. Al is begrijpelijk waarom Enid Blyton het verschil met de 4 Find-outers, The Famous 5, en de 5 ... Adventure of... wil maken.
Het begint erg onschuldig, Michiel komt in aktie maar wordt betrapt en dat mondt uit in een club-drama. Langzaam begint toch het balletje van het onderzoek te rollen en wanneer het gevaarlijk wordt komt Snuffel in aktie en brengt redding. Uiteraard loopt het goed af, behalve voor de bandieten.
De Club van 7 houdt een vergadering... uit verveling. Er wordt besloten om te oefenen voor eventuele latere onderzoeken. De meisjes gaan mensen observeren en beschrijven, de jongens gaan oefenen in het schaduwen. Bij Michiel gaat dat de eerste keer al volledig mis. Hij wordt betrapt en opgebracht naar de politie. Gelukkig kennen ze hem daar maar de Club is heel erg kwaad op deze weinig sportieve man die gevolgd werd. Janet doet het fantastisch.
Er gebeuren nog een aantal rare zaken en al gauw trekt de lezer conclusies, het duurt even langer voor dat ook bij de 7 doordringt. Er blijken verbanden te bestaan tussen de man met de honden, de man die mankt en de man die geschaduwd werd, en dat zaakje is heel erg verdacht.
Enid Blyton brent weer een mooi afgewerkt verhaal waarbij Michiel na zijn hachelijke avontuur de Club van 7 moet verlaten en de overige leden een erg mooie "tijdelijke" oplossing zoeken en vinden.
Snuffel wordt officieel erkend als nieuw lid, Annie blijft een vervelende moeial. En dat toont weerom het pijnpunt van deze reeks verhalen. Er zijn gewoon te veel protagonisten om ze allemaal voldoende aan bod te laten komen. Al is begrijpelijk waarom Enid Blyton het verschil met de 4 Find-outers, The Famous 5, en de 5 ... Adventure of... wil maken.
Het begint erg onschuldig, Michiel komt in aktie maar wordt betrapt en dat mondt uit in een club-drama. Langzaam begint toch het balletje van het onderzoek te rollen en wanneer het gevaarlijk wordt komt Snuffel in aktie en brengt redding. Uiteraard loopt het goed af, behalve voor de bandieten.
March 3, 2022
'Go Ahead, Secret Seven' (The Secret Seven #5) by Enid Blyton.
Rating: 4.0/5.
Status: First read most probably. I don't recall reading this particular book during my childhood. [I had first read some of the Secret Seven books about 20 years ago. At present, I'm not sure which of these I had read earlier and which I haven't.]
Review:
I found this book to be better than the earlier ones. Loved how the Secret Seven stumbled on to a mystery out of the blue while practising sleuthing skills. Peter is relatively tolerable as compared to the first four books. The boys, Scamper, and Janet have a more proactive role in this book. Unfortunately, just like the earlier books, Pam and Barbara are reduced to the role of giggling girls. Expected better from Enid Blyton when it comes to female characters (especially considering what I remember from the Famous Five, Five Find-Outers, and the Adventure series).
Disclaimer: Ratings reflect the enjoyability factor of these books considering they are intended mostly for children. Not to be compared with my ratings and reviews for books primarily intended for YA and adults.
Rating: 4.0/5.
Status: First read most probably. I don't recall reading this particular book during my childhood. [I had first read some of the Secret Seven books about 20 years ago. At present, I'm not sure which of these I had read earlier and which I haven't.]
Review:
I found this book to be better than the earlier ones. Loved how the Secret Seven stumbled on to a mystery out of the blue while practising sleuthing skills. Peter is relatively tolerable as compared to the first four books. The boys, Scamper, and Janet have a more proactive role in this book. Unfortunately, just like the earlier books, Pam and Barbara are reduced to the role of giggling girls. Expected better from Enid Blyton when it comes to female characters (especially considering what I remember from the Famous Five, Five Find-Outers, and the Adventure series).
Disclaimer: Ratings reflect the enjoyability factor of these books considering they are intended mostly for children. Not to be compared with my ratings and reviews for books primarily intended for YA and adults.
May 19, 2022
Very sweet story that Ella and me enjoyed reading together.
August 25, 2024
Fantastic
June 27, 2024
A bit of light reading, something fun.
March 22, 2016
Secret Seven Book 5
*Go Ahead Secret Seven*
Amazing! I really liked this one as it stood apart from all the other books and reminded me of the first SS book, as the crime done here is the robbery of animals, particularly the pedigree breed to dogs. A very interesting story with a sense of seriousness in it. Things get really bad when a mysterious stranger deliberately exiles George from the SS Society on the basis of shadowing practice he keeps doing in the night. Its the first time the SS gets divided. Also, Scamper the loyal dog becomes the loyal seventh member of the SS temporarily. The story flows at a fixed pace with many things happening but at the same time, the simplicity in the story is retained. I like the way how Peter, takes the lead and has truly become the chief of the SS Society and finds out clues and shows his bravery and courage and leadership and finding the true villain and demonstrating the wits of the SS. Also, as the end approaches, you can vividly see the lines being joint and the jigsaw puzzle being complete. Many, side quests like observing, memory and shadowing are also involved. Written delicately and with realization. Recommended to younger readers. Nice Reading!!
*Go Ahead Secret Seven*
Amazing! I really liked this one as it stood apart from all the other books and reminded me of the first SS book, as the crime done here is the robbery of animals, particularly the pedigree breed to dogs. A very interesting story with a sense of seriousness in it. Things get really bad when a mysterious stranger deliberately exiles George from the SS Society on the basis of shadowing practice he keeps doing in the night. Its the first time the SS gets divided. Also, Scamper the loyal dog becomes the loyal seventh member of the SS temporarily. The story flows at a fixed pace with many things happening but at the same time, the simplicity in the story is retained. I like the way how Peter, takes the lead and has truly become the chief of the SS Society and finds out clues and shows his bravery and courage and leadership and finding the true villain and demonstrating the wits of the SS. Also, as the end approaches, you can vividly see the lines being joint and the jigsaw puzzle being complete. Many, side quests like observing, memory and shadowing are also involved. Written delicately and with realization. Recommended to younger readers. Nice Reading!!
March 6, 2020
Okay a pretty good book on the whole. The Secret Seven are at a loose end and decide to practice their skills at shadowing... by either hiding in bushes to watch strangers or following said strangers home at night. These days that sort of behaviour is called 'harassment' but I suppose you had to make your own fun in 1953.
Anyway, turns out that all those people the kids had been stalking... they all turned out to be pedigree dog thieves. I swear to you the Secret Seven run on coincidences most of the time.
It was nice to see a bit of characterisation of George here. Barbara sorry but as I have said before, I am SURE we will flesh out your character at some point. Actually speaking of, none of the girls had anything to do in this story, they were left out of the entire third act so that the boys could go on a little jolly by themselves. I don't like that.
The only thing letting this book down was it was too short, I feel like I say that every time! The final act could have been tripled in length for a bit more dramatic effect and it would have been nice to see the villains (once again so much potential for all of them) fleshed out.
Anyway, turns out that all those people the kids had been stalking... they all turned out to be pedigree dog thieves. I swear to you the Secret Seven run on coincidences most of the time.
It was nice to see a bit of characterisation of George here. Barbara sorry but as I have said before, I am SURE we will flesh out your character at some point. Actually speaking of, none of the girls had anything to do in this story, they were left out of the entire third act so that the boys could go on a little jolly by themselves. I don't like that.
The only thing letting this book down was it was too short, I feel like I say that every time! The final act could have been tripled in length for a bit more dramatic effect and it would have been nice to see the villains (once again so much potential for all of them) fleshed out.
January 17, 2015
i started this book yesterday and have finished too....
really an outstanding book......... enid blyton is surely the best writer and all her books keep the reader busy in,imagining the whole scene. I also felt scared sometimes when Peter, Jack, Colin and scamper were going down the coalhole..... well done enid blyton!!!
and i m eagerly waiting to read the next part. ...:-)
really an outstanding book......... enid blyton is surely the best writer and all her books keep the reader busy in,imagining the whole scene. I also felt scared sometimes when Peter, Jack, Colin and scamper were going down the coalhole..... well done enid blyton!!!
and i m eagerly waiting to read the next part. ...:-)
July 20, 2010
I've read several of the Famous Five books, but this is the first Secret Seven I've read. In this fun mystery, the seven young sleuths track down and thwart a dog-theft ring. I'm going to pass this (and others in the series) on to my seven-year-old grandson, who I know will enjoy it.
June 25, 2020
It was alright but it certainly did not age well and Peter is the most obnoxiously domineering character. Honestly not that great as a kid's book because it's definitely not the sort of thing we should be teaching to kids.
October 19, 2010
SPIES....!The kids will love it! Don't blame me if you are kids go for spying. The book is a good read all the same.
October 8, 2022
Made my childhood
October 10, 2022
What can I say most Enid Blyton books are always a thrilling read, well put together like a jigsaw puzzle.
December 3, 2022
The plot is genius and there's also an internal conflict within the gang. The grand reveal ties up both the conflict and the mystery. Very cool NGL.
October 5, 2023
Wow so many adventures and happenings stolen dogs bad men kidnapping
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 21, 2024
Enid Blyton’s eternally youthful sleuths who seem to have a propensity for stumbling into mysteries at a frequency that would make Miss Marple blush return in “Go Ahead Secret Seven”, the sixth instalment in this ostensibly interminable series, and it offers a cocktail of predictability, mild peril, and a dash of the absurd.
The plot kicks off with George, our erstwhile Secret Seven member, embarking on a shadowing mission that goes spectacularly wrong. So wrong, in fact, that his parents, in an act of Victorian melodrama, demand his resignation from the Secret Seven. Yes, you read that correctly. This is not a club that issues gentle reprimands or asks members to sit out a meeting or two. No, George must resign, as if he were a disgraced cabinet minister.
Enter Scamper, the dog, who is unceremoniously promoted to fill the void left by George. One has to wonder about the Secret Seven’s membership criteria when a dog can so seamlessly replace a human. But, perhaps Scamper is the only member showing any real initiative or intelligence in this motley crew. There’s an air of the ridiculous in imagining Scamper contributing to the group’s meetings, presumably through a series of barks and tail wags interpreted as complex investigative insight.
Colin, feeling the need to one-up George’s shadowing disaster, decides to follow a man who, in a twist that will surprise no one familiar with Blyton’s oeuvre, is shoving dogs down a coal hole. The absurdity of this premise is only surpassed by the group's response: rather than contacting any form of law enforcement, they decide that the matter is best handled by a gang of children and their canine deputy.
The narrative ambles on with the Seven—well, Six and a Dog—on the trail of the dog-shoving villain. The plot’s culmination is as foreseeable as it is far-fetched: the mystery of the stolen dogs is solved, and justice is restored to this quaint corner of Blyton’s universe. Of course, George is reinstated to the Secret Seven with all the pomp and circumstance one would expect from a ceremony involving children under the delusion of their own grandeur.
Blyton’s prose, while serviceable, does little to elevate the farcical plot. The dialogue is stilted, the characters one-dimensional, and the resolution unsatisfying. Yet, it’s precisely this blend of predictability and preposterousness that has cemented the Secret Seven as a mainstay in children’s literature. One might argue that the series’ charm lies in its very refusal to evolve, offering a comforting familiarity to its readers.
In the grand tapestry of literary detective fiction, “Go Ahead Secret Seven” is a threadbare patch, charmingly out of step with the complexities and nuances of more modern works. Its value, perhaps, is best appreciated not in its literary merit but in its nostalgic simplicity—a relic of a time when children’s adventures were as innocent and improbable as Blyton’s tales suggest.
“Go Ahead Secret Seven” is a quaint, if somewhat ludicrous, addition to Blyton’s series. It’s a book that is likely to entertain its intended audience while simultaneously bewildering the adult reader with its peculiar blend of earnestness and absurdity.
The plot kicks off with George, our erstwhile Secret Seven member, embarking on a shadowing mission that goes spectacularly wrong. So wrong, in fact, that his parents, in an act of Victorian melodrama, demand his resignation from the Secret Seven. Yes, you read that correctly. This is not a club that issues gentle reprimands or asks members to sit out a meeting or two. No, George must resign, as if he were a disgraced cabinet minister.
Enter Scamper, the dog, who is unceremoniously promoted to fill the void left by George. One has to wonder about the Secret Seven’s membership criteria when a dog can so seamlessly replace a human. But, perhaps Scamper is the only member showing any real initiative or intelligence in this motley crew. There’s an air of the ridiculous in imagining Scamper contributing to the group’s meetings, presumably through a series of barks and tail wags interpreted as complex investigative insight.
Colin, feeling the need to one-up George’s shadowing disaster, decides to follow a man who, in a twist that will surprise no one familiar with Blyton’s oeuvre, is shoving dogs down a coal hole. The absurdity of this premise is only surpassed by the group's response: rather than contacting any form of law enforcement, they decide that the matter is best handled by a gang of children and their canine deputy.
The narrative ambles on with the Seven—well, Six and a Dog—on the trail of the dog-shoving villain. The plot’s culmination is as foreseeable as it is far-fetched: the mystery of the stolen dogs is solved, and justice is restored to this quaint corner of Blyton’s universe. Of course, George is reinstated to the Secret Seven with all the pomp and circumstance one would expect from a ceremony involving children under the delusion of their own grandeur.
Blyton’s prose, while serviceable, does little to elevate the farcical plot. The dialogue is stilted, the characters one-dimensional, and the resolution unsatisfying. Yet, it’s precisely this blend of predictability and preposterousness that has cemented the Secret Seven as a mainstay in children’s literature. One might argue that the series’ charm lies in its very refusal to evolve, offering a comforting familiarity to its readers.
In the grand tapestry of literary detective fiction, “Go Ahead Secret Seven” is a threadbare patch, charmingly out of step with the complexities and nuances of more modern works. Its value, perhaps, is best appreciated not in its literary merit but in its nostalgic simplicity—a relic of a time when children’s adventures were as innocent and improbable as Blyton’s tales suggest.
“Go Ahead Secret Seven” is a quaint, if somewhat ludicrous, addition to Blyton’s series. It’s a book that is likely to entertain its intended audience while simultaneously bewildering the adult reader with its peculiar blend of earnestness and absurdity.
January 24, 2021
1. This time the secret seven does not have a mystery. Peter, Colin, Barbara, George, Pam, Janate, and Jack is really bored. To make things more interesting they decided to sharpen their skills, with Peter the society leader and he was leading from the front. During the Christmas holiday, George decided to go home to his parents. As George went wry, his parents decided that he should leave the society and forced him to resign. Now, someone has to fill in his shoes in the Secret 7 society. So, Sacamper, Janate and Peter’s pet dog was nominated as his temporary replacement.
2. One night when George was practicing to be in the shadows for the Secret 7’s next daring mission, he faced the greatest shock of his life. In the death of the night, while he was walking in the alleyway, dressed up in black trousers and a thick furry overcoat. A man suddenly walked up to him from the back and grabbed his arm. An angry young man gave George no choice but to go back to his parents' house. The following morning, the Secret 7 got a letter from George that he can no longer serve the Secret 7 and opted out.
3. Colin was furious at the young man who had forced George to resign from the secret society. While the boys were walking down the alley was they heard a dog barking down a coal hole. Blimey! another mystery. So, all the boys decided to grab a rope and climb down the whole. Just after a few moments, the boys were trapped by the dangerous dog thieves.
This book is really good, with Famous Five mysteries happens and in Secret Seven mysteries are summoned.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 13, 2022
এনিড ব্লাইটনের সিক্রেট সেভেন থেকেই যে রকিব হাসানের 'গোয়েন্দা রাজু' সিরিজটা এসেছে, সেটা এখন প্রায় সবাই জানে। বাচ্চাকালে সেবা'র প্রায় সবকয়টা সিরিজই পড়েছি, আসলগুলো আর পড়া হয়নি কখনো। ছেলেকে পড়াতে গিয়ে এখন দু'য়েকটা পড়া হচ্ছে; সিক্রেট সেভেনের দুইটা বইও এই সুযোগে পড়া হলো। মূল বইয়ের সাথে নিশ্চয়ই অনুবাদ বা ভাবানুবাদের তুলনা হয় না, কিন্তু বাঙাল মানসের জন্য সেবা'র অ্যাডাপ্টেশনই ভাল ছিল, বুদ্ধিজীবিরা এখন যা-ই বলুক না কেন। সিক্রেট সেভেনের (বা অন্য সিরিজ, যেমন দ্য থ্রি ইনভেস্টিগেটর বা ফেমাস ফাইভ) চরিত্রগুলোর কথাবার্তা-চালচলন সবকিছুর মাঝে যে দেশি ভাবটা নিয়ে এসেছিলেন সেবা'র অনুবাদকরা, সেজন্য ঐ বইগুলোর সাথে আত্মিক সংযোগটা করা গিয়েছিল, যেটা এই খাঁটি 'আংরেজ' বইয়ের সাথে একদমই করতে পারলাম না। এই বইটা থেকে মনে হয় সিরিজের 'দামী কুকুর' বইটা লেখা হয়েছিল। এমনিতেও গোয়েন্দা রাজু সিরিজটা বেশি বাচ্চাদের জন্য লেখা, সিক্রেট সেভেনও তাই। শৈশবের নস্টালজিয়া জাগানোর জন্য ২ দেয়া গেল।
August 28, 2023
All the Secret Seven books have a similar style, so if you like one you should like all. They are like the Five Fibd-Outers, only written for younger children, so the plots are simpler. But the idea is the same, a group of children who investigate mysteries in their own home town.
In this one, Peter, the leader of the club, sets tasks for the other children, so that they can practice investigating for when a real mystery turns up. Of course, the tasks lead them into trouble and into a real mystery.
Nice, relaxing and uncomplicated, but a bit too uncomplicated, even for an Enid Blyton children's book. When Iwas a kid I did not like these ones, because I much preferred the Famous Five, the Adventure series, or all the other Enid Blyton series. For very small kids, though, they are great.
In this one, Peter, the leader of the club, sets tasks for the other children, so that they can practice investigating for when a real mystery turns up. Of course, the tasks lead them into trouble and into a real mystery.
Nice, relaxing and uncomplicated, but a bit too uncomplicated, even for an Enid Blyton children's book. When Iwas a kid I did not like these ones, because I much preferred the Famous Five, the Adventure series, or all the other Enid Blyton series. For very small kids, though, they are great.
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