Ginnie and the Mystery Light

Ginnie and Geneva #10

by Catherine Woolley

While spending the Christmas holidays with a friend in South Carolina, Ginnie determines to discover the source of a mysterious light in the neighborhood.

Genres: Childrens

191 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1973

About the author

A prolific writer of over eighty books, Catherine Woolley published so many children's books that her publisher recommended using a pen name for some of her works. Ms. Woolley's Ginnie Fellows series was and continues to be a reader favorite across generations.

Pen name: Jane Thayer.

Reviews

[Luisa Knight]

Well I know these older mysteries are never as sinister as they seem at first (for the most part they’re incredibly mild), but this one is hinting at Voodoo, and while it might not end up being that, Ginnie and Geneva are getting into it, learning about it and its practices. I just don’t care to pass that on to my kiddos so won’t be finishing.

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love Catherine Woolley, but this was just....blah. And very dated...would likely be rather insulting now. She lost her way with this one.

[Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ginnie goes to visit her BFF Geneva in South Carolina for Christmas, and stumbles onto a bizarre mystery with creepy floating lights. Maud-L read the first, Ginnie and Geneva, for the group read, but this was the only book in the series my consortium had. It wasn't terrible, but it was chock full of overt and implied racism, with root doctors and voodoo. The author was clearly trying to be respectful, 70s style, and I was fascinated by her choice in villain, but some bits were hard going.

I think I'd like the original series, written and set in the 40s without any mysteries, better.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a kid in the 1960s, I enjoyed the earlier Ginnie books, written in the 40s and 50s. This last one, written in 1973--not so much. Of course I'm not a kid anymore, but I still like the old ones. In this one, Ginnie visits Geneva in South Carolina and wastes an entire week solving a pretty lame mystery. Moving on to the Cathy Leonard books next. :)

[CLM · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Ginnie is invited to spend Christmas with a friend in Charleston, South Carolina, she finds mysterious lights on Lonesome Bay Road and must investigate. Is it a Civil War ghost? Is it black magic or voodoo?