The Mystery of the Scowling Boy

by Phyllis A. Whitney

While visiting with her grandparents during Christmas vacation, a teen-ager who wants to become an actress meets her favorite movie celebrity and her unfriendly son

Genres: Mystery, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Childrens

189 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1973

About the author

Phyllis Ayame Whitney (1903 – 2008) was an American mystery writer. Rare for her genre, she wrote mysteries for both the juvenile and the adult markets, many of which feature exotic locations. A review in The New York Times once dubbed her "The Queen of the American Gothics".

She was born in Japan to American parents and spent her early years in Asia. Whitney wrote more than seventy novels. In 1961, her book The Mystery of the Haunted Pool won an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for Best Juvenile novel, and she duplicated the honor in 1964, for The Mystery of the Hidden Hand. In 1988, the MWA gave her a Grand Master Award for lifetime achievement. Whitney died of pneumonia on February 8, 2008, aged 104.

Reviews

[Robert Fontenot · Rating 3 out of 5]

It a lot of ways this could be one of Whitney’s gothic romance, the main difference being the age of the protagonist. Many of the familiar tropes are there including a large mansion, hidden secrets, a brooding, attractive boy, a mysterious death, vacation trappings, vague threats, ect.

The best thing about it though is how single minded the MC is for most of the book. She wants to be an actress and everything she does for the bulk of the narrative is only to further that goal. It’s pretty funny.

[Eileen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Older book and written for young adults, which means it starts a little slow and is a little dated. The characters are good and interesting, and the plot is interesting, though the "mystery" isn't as serious as it could be, and the resolution is quick and fairly easily achieved.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars -- This Edgar Award Honor book of 1974 just didn't do it for me. At 12, Jan Sutton, the main character, is too old and perceptive for her age. I do not think her character is very realistic and really should have been age 15 or 16. Also, the mystery of the novel is too conveniently solved. Furthermore, when the 'solution' is revealed, several characters go from being the scared & upset people they had been the entire book, to happy & perfectly content in the span of a typewritten page. That is not realistic either. I am disappointed in this one.