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Trixie Belden #24
The Mystery at Saratoga
When Regan, the Wheelers' groom, disappears, Trixie Belden and the Bob-Whites set out in search of him and discover the seamy side of horse racing and the dark shadow in Regan's past
210 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1979
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384 people want to read
About the author
Kathryn Kenny
50 books98 followersThe Kathryn Kenny pseudonym was created by Western Publishing House in 1961, three years after Julie Campbell wrote her last book (#6) of the Trixie Belden series. There were several ghost writers who wrote Trixie Belden stories under this pseudonym. Some have been identified and later credited but some are still unknown.
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http://www.trixie-belden.com/books/Ka...
The Kathryn Kenny pseudonym was born in 1961, three years after Campbell wrote her last book of the Trixie Belden series. Did it take Western Publishing several years to find a suitable author? The answer is unknown and the identity of the authors of the 33 Kathryn Kenny books are not known for sure but there is some information about the ghost writers.
Nicolete Meredith Stack
Nicolete Meredith StackStack is thought to be the first author to tackle the Trixie Belden series, although there is much debate about which books were actually written by her. She was born in Des Moines, Iowa in 1896 but lived in Webster Groves in St. Louis, Missouri for most of her adult life. Stack wrote other children's books under her own name and various pen names, including the Robin Kane series by Eileen Hill for Whitman between 1966 and 1971.
Stack is said to have written five books in the Trixie Belden series between 1961 and 1971, but Who's Who in the Midwest claims that she wrote eight titles between 1961 and 1966. There were eight Trixie Belden titles published between 1961 and 1966, but it is doubtful that she wrote them all.
James Keeline in his article, Trixie Belden "Schoolgirl Shamus", believes that books 7, 9 and 16 can be attributed to Stack but there are others that may have been written by her.
Virginia McDonnell
Virginia Bleecher McDonnell was born in 1917 and was a registered nurse who trained at Russell Sage College in Troy, New York. McDonnell wrote the Nurses Three series from 1963 to 1965 using the pen name Jean Kirby, and the Kim Aldrich series as Jinny McDonnell, both for Whitman. She is also wrote volume six of The Waltons.
McDonnell and her husband were avid skiiers and many of her books featured details of nursing or skiing. It seems likely that she wrote three Trixie Belden books, The Mystery of Cobbett's Island (1964), The Mystery of the Emeralds (1965) and The Mystery of Mead's Mountain (1978). Skiing is mentioned early in The Mystery of Cobbett's Island, although this is not the theme of the book.
McDonnell also wrote another book called Country Agent that has a number of similarities with The Mystery at Happy Valley, although her book was published in 1968. Read a review of this book, and see what you think.
There is little biographical information available on McDonnell, but the three books attributed to her are three of the most widely loved books in the Trixie Belden series.
Gladys Baker Bond
Gladys Baker BondGladys Baker Bond was born in Berryville, Arkansas on the 7th of May, 1912. On September 2, 1934, she married Floyd James Bond and had one son, Nicholas Peter. Bond's childhood years were spent in the Ozarks of Arkansas. She lived in Idaho and Washington all her adult life and was an officer of the Idaho Writers League between 1952-54.
Bond's books for children cover a wide range of subjects and are often autobiographical. Mrs. Bond wrote under the pseudonymns, Jo Mendel (The Tucker series) and Holly Beth Walker (the Meg series), as well as her own name. She also wrote volume five of The Waltons.
She is credited with writing The Mystery of the Uninvited Guest (1977), The Mystery of the Castaway Children (1978), and The Sasquatch Mystery (1979). However, with her childhood spent in the Ozarks, she could be the author of The Mystery at Bob-White Cave (1963).
Carl Henry Rathjen
Carl Henry RathjenRathjen was born on the 28th of August 1909 in Jersey City, New Jersey and died in 1984. His ambition was to become a mechanical engineer, but when things didn't go
***
http://www.trixie-belden.com/books/Ka...
The Kathryn Kenny pseudonym was born in 1961, three years after Campbell wrote her last book of the Trixie Belden series. Did it take Western Publishing several years to find a suitable author? The answer is unknown and the identity of the authors of the 33 Kathryn Kenny books are not known for sure but there is some information about the ghost writers.
Nicolete Meredith Stack
Nicolete Meredith StackStack is thought to be the first author to tackle the Trixie Belden series, although there is much debate about which books were actually written by her. She was born in Des Moines, Iowa in 1896 but lived in Webster Groves in St. Louis, Missouri for most of her adult life. Stack wrote other children's books under her own name and various pen names, including the Robin Kane series by Eileen Hill for Whitman between 1966 and 1971.
Stack is said to have written five books in the Trixie Belden series between 1961 and 1971, but Who's Who in the Midwest claims that she wrote eight titles between 1961 and 1966. There were eight Trixie Belden titles published between 1961 and 1966, but it is doubtful that she wrote them all.
James Keeline in his article, Trixie Belden "Schoolgirl Shamus", believes that books 7, 9 and 16 can be attributed to Stack but there are others that may have been written by her.
Virginia McDonnell
Virginia Bleecher McDonnell was born in 1917 and was a registered nurse who trained at Russell Sage College in Troy, New York. McDonnell wrote the Nurses Three series from 1963 to 1965 using the pen name Jean Kirby, and the Kim Aldrich series as Jinny McDonnell, both for Whitman. She is also wrote volume six of The Waltons.
McDonnell and her husband were avid skiiers and many of her books featured details of nursing or skiing. It seems likely that she wrote three Trixie Belden books, The Mystery of Cobbett's Island (1964), The Mystery of the Emeralds (1965) and The Mystery of Mead's Mountain (1978). Skiing is mentioned early in The Mystery of Cobbett's Island, although this is not the theme of the book.
McDonnell also wrote another book called Country Agent that has a number of similarities with The Mystery at Happy Valley, although her book was published in 1968. Read a review of this book, and see what you think.
There is little biographical information available on McDonnell, but the three books attributed to her are three of the most widely loved books in the Trixie Belden series.
Gladys Baker Bond
Gladys Baker BondGladys Baker Bond was born in Berryville, Arkansas on the 7th of May, 1912. On September 2, 1934, she married Floyd James Bond and had one son, Nicholas Peter. Bond's childhood years were spent in the Ozarks of Arkansas. She lived in Idaho and Washington all her adult life and was an officer of the Idaho Writers League between 1952-54.
Bond's books for children cover a wide range of subjects and are often autobiographical. Mrs. Bond wrote under the pseudonymns, Jo Mendel (The Tucker series) and Holly Beth Walker (the Meg series), as well as her own name. She also wrote volume five of The Waltons.
She is credited with writing The Mystery of the Uninvited Guest (1977), The Mystery of the Castaway Children (1978), and The Sasquatch Mystery (1979). However, with her childhood spent in the Ozarks, she could be the author of The Mystery at Bob-White Cave (1963).
Carl Henry Rathjen
Carl Henry RathjenRathjen was born on the 28th of August 1909 in Jersey City, New Jersey and died in 1984. His ambition was to become a mechanical engineer, but when things didn't go
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
May 27, 2017
Reread (research purposes): My review is about the same. I like the atmosphere, even if some of the mystery makes me roll my eyes. Case in point: A horse good enough to be touted as "the next Triple Crown winner", undefeated in his first eight races, would *never* be entered in a claiming race. Please.
I love this one for the horseracing mystery and setting more than anything. It's only Trixie and Honey for the most part, which makes the book less interesting, and the ending where the boys come from out of nowhere to save the day is ridiculous, but I love Saratoga and I love the opening in Sleepyside, esp. where Trixie, Honey, and Dan are all in the library doing research. And I like that Regan gets a chance to shine as well.
I love this one for the horseracing mystery and setting more than anything. It's only Trixie and Honey for the most part, which makes the book less interesting, and the ending where the boys come from out of nowhere to save the day is ridiculous, but I love Saratoga and I love the opening in Sleepyside, esp. where Trixie, Honey, and Dan are all in the library doing research. And I like that Regan gets a chance to shine as well.
June 10, 2018
This is really good. It's a local(ish) Sleepyside story, and it actually involves Dan, and Regan gets some backstory. It's melodramatic, and I might be slightly bitter that Walter Farley never prepared me for this claiming race business, but I love this a lot.
There's this paragraph in its favor, too:
There's this paragraph in its favor, too:
"...The saddest, though, are the gamblers' wives. They come along with their husbands to the track because they think maybe they can stop them from losing their shirts, but they know in their hearts that they can't. So they just sit in the backseat all quiet and tense, chewin' their lips and lookin' half scared to death."Tonally it doesn't quite fit the story, but it's so chilling nevertheless. Alec might have lost his farm at one point, but Farley's storytelling perspective is almost unflinchingly positive. As long as he has his horses, he can still come out on top. This is - the other angle.
July 29, 2022
Vejam a minha opinião em vídeo, AQUI.
November 17, 2016
I loved this book! As soon as I started it I knew I would like it. The writing style felt very much like a Campbell book, Dan actually had a speaking role, and there were plenty of Jim + Trixie moments when Jim wasn't even there!
I thought the ending was quite impossible, but I'm glad the Bob-Whites got a chance to show up in this book. Also I liked that Jim pulled out Trixie's chair for her at the party. ;3
Four stars out of five. An enjoyable Kathryn Kenny book. :D
I thought the ending was quite impossible, but I'm glad the Bob-Whites got a chance to show up in this book. Also I liked that Jim pulled out Trixie's chair for her at the party. ;3
Four stars out of five. An enjoyable Kathryn Kenny book. :D
December 26, 2012
book 24
February 19, 2024
Reread for a rewrite. Trixie and Honey go to Saratoga on the trail of Regan. He suddenly disappeared to take care of some business. I have to laugh at him, because did he not think they’d come after him? Still, I appreciate the serious behind the scenes look at the horse racing industry especially its consequences. It was heartbreaking reading about the gambling and its victims. Trixie is a true teenager. She’s frequently selfish, yet she realizes when she is. She doesn’t necessarily get any better, at least she’s thinking about it. The ending is a bit lame. I kind of wanted to smack Brian for his “try and save your silly necks” comment. The girls and Regan got loose on their own, thank you very much. Still, not a bad entry for a ghost author.
June 29, 2014
Regan has disappeared. Not only is he the Wheelers' groom, but he's a friend to Trixie and the gang. So Trixie and Honey set out to find him, getting involved with a mystery from his past in the bargain.
The first half is slow, but it does pick up in the second half before a very dues ex machina moment late in the book. The characters are good here, although it does seem like Dan, Regan's nephew, should have had a larger role in the story. There are definitely worse books in the series, but there are better ones as well.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
The first half is slow, but it does pick up in the second half before a very dues ex machina moment late in the book. The characters are good here, although it does seem like Dan, Regan's nephew, should have had a larger role in the story. There are definitely worse books in the series, but there are better ones as well.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
February 2, 2013
A childhood favorite re-visited.
Is the story as good as I remember? – Yes
What ages would I recommend it too? – Ten and up.
Length? – Most of a day’s read.
Characters? – Memorable, several characters.
Setting? – Real world, pre - computer pre - air conditioning, pre - cell phone.
Written approximately? – 1979.
Does the story leave questions in the readers mind? – Ready to read more.
Any issues the author (or a more recent publisher) should cover? Yes. A slight mention of the time frame of the story - as the teens are given far more freedom to come and go as they please than would be safe today. Also, the absence of computers, and cell phones.
Short storyline: Trixie Belden and Honey attempt to discover the reason behind Regan's disappearance. While doing so, they must stop the repeat of a crime Regan had been accused f seven years before.
Notes for the reader: A great mystery! No violence (only referred to from the past), no murder.
Is the story as good as I remember? – Yes
What ages would I recommend it too? – Ten and up.
Length? – Most of a day’s read.
Characters? – Memorable, several characters.
Setting? – Real world, pre - computer pre - air conditioning, pre - cell phone.
Written approximately? – 1979.
Does the story leave questions in the readers mind? – Ready to read more.
Any issues the author (or a more recent publisher) should cover? Yes. A slight mention of the time frame of the story - as the teens are given far more freedom to come and go as they please than would be safe today. Also, the absence of computers, and cell phones.
Short storyline: Trixie Belden and Honey attempt to discover the reason behind Regan's disappearance. While doing so, they must stop the repeat of a crime Regan had been accused f seven years before.
Notes for the reader: A great mystery! No violence (only referred to from the past), no murder.
May 14, 2014
For Christmas one year, my parents grabbed me the entire Trixie Belden set and I couldn't put them down. After I finished with them, they continued to purchase them as quickly as I could read them. Even with a learning disability, I devoured the books. I look back now and I find that Trixie Belden was much more age related to young girls, particularly to me, reading the books than Nancy Drew. There was something in these books that I found to be a greater escape than I did ND, too. I found that they weren't so "over the top" or dated. I will be doing the same thing with my granddaughters, if and when I have them, even if I have to stalk every used bookstore to get them.
July 1, 2022
We get a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the racehorse industry, with its hidden corruption. Part of Regan's past comes to light. When a thoroughbred horse breeder named Mr Worthington comes to visit the Wheelers, Regan gets wind of it and takes off, leaving a cryptic note for Dan. A bit of research reveals that he was implicated in a horse doping scandal as a teenager. Trixie and Honey aren't sure whether Regan disappeared to clear his name or avoid justice, but either way they are determined to track him down.
* Whoops, one of the things the Bob Whites have dreaded has finally happened. Regan has disappeared, for no apparent reason. It's some mysterious catalyst known only to himself. Trixie's reasons for wanting him to always stick around are not entirely unselfish. Mr Wheeler has hinted that he may sell all the horses if Regan ever gives notice, because he's an employee in a million. What's more, Regan is always willing to babysit Bobby any time. Yet nevertheless, she and the other Bob Whites genuinely value him as the great friend and treasure that he is.
* Regan leaves Dan a note telling him that he has to take care of unfinished business for an undisclosed length of time. Even Trixie notices that he signs it, 'Your Uncle' instead of 'Love.' It seems Regan and Dan are both adept at dodging talk about their pasts. Although there's genuine commitment on both sides, this uncle and nephew definitely keep each other at arm's length. I'd like to see them grow closer, but wonder if it's possible or likely.
* Of course, the age gap between them is far less than most uncles and nephews, making things more complex. Figuring that Regan is 24 in this story, and Dan is about 16, it's really only a matter of eight years or so, which makes Regan more of a floundering older brother figure, in my opinion. I guess it's a big ask to expect Regan to supply the secure and grounded adult influence which Dan needs from his only living family member. It's easy to forget just how young Regan really is.
* (Okay, I just had a terribly corny thought. Although Regan may be a 'stable' influence in the horsey sense, he's not necessarily a 'stable' influence in the sense of reliability. If you're groaning, do forgive me.)
* Trixie blows up at Dan, when he wonders if the ugly rumour about Regan is true. She says, 'He showed a lot more faith in you, and hardly knew you at all.' Although Dan nods and apologises at that point, I beg to disagree. At the time of Dan's arrival in Sleepyside, Regan barely showed any trust in him at all, and basically disowned him, leaving him with Mr Maypenny from the outset. (I discussed this more in my review of The Black Jacket Mystery.)
* Poor Trixie is going through a phase of being gloomy about her looks (although we know she's considered very pretty by many). How about this logic. She pulls a face at her own reflection, then tells Honey, 'See, no wonder how funny I look ordinarily, it's nice to know that I can look even funnier if I really try.' It's extremely sad really, that she deems Honey (and of course Diana, when she's around) closer to society's ideal of beauty than herself, then beats herself up over it.
* A sneaky, cloak and dagger vibe pervades the racecourse, which the two girls discover is merely part of the industry. Owners and trainers do their best to keep a horse's vital statistics as close to their chests as possible, which takes some trickery and subterfuge, considering everything is ostensibly done in broad daylight. But it's all in a day's work.
* Mr Worthington is the gregarious owner of Worthington Farms, the prestigious thoroughbred outfit where Regan worked from the age of 16 to 17. Carl Stinson is the taciturn but highly relied-upon head trainer who is foul at Regan, because he believes his most promising young employee did the dirty on him, accepted a bribe and doped the prize horse in the stables.
* Oh, and although horse-lovers no doubt know this, as Trixie and Honey already did, it was news to me. 'Thoroughbred' is actually a specific breed of horse. Many novices mistake it for 'purebred'. I was one of those naive readers.
* Ooh la la, Regan's past included budding romance, young as he was. Carl Stinson's daughter Joan, also a teenager at the time, had a major crush on the young redhead. This author (Laura French, I believe) left it way open for other Kathryn Kennys to continue developing Regan's relationship with Joan. Nobody ever does though. I doubt her name is ever mentioned again.
* The scene when Trixie and Honey eventually find Regan is heartwarming. It shows the fond, easy rapport they all share with him, and is also the one and only scene in which Regan ever falls off a horse with shock.
* Even though part of Regan's personal history has come to light, it turns out to be just a small chunk of his working life as a teenager. Nothing at all is divulged about his dysfunctional family background, including his relationship with his sister and whatever happened to their parents. Why was a sixteen-year-old lad out by himself, looking for jobs with horses anyway?
* Hmm, we had Carl Stevenson in Mead's Mountain and now Carl Stinson two books later. Hopefully that's enough Carls for a while, lest we get them mixed up.
* Yay, although Jim, Brian and Mart aren't in this story for the most part (since they're working as camp counselors), I love their role toward the end.
* Quote of the book comes from Trixie. 'We'll think. Our brothers aren't the only Bob Whites who have mastered that skill, in spite of what they try to tell us.'
* Whoops, one of the things the Bob Whites have dreaded has finally happened. Regan has disappeared, for no apparent reason. It's some mysterious catalyst known only to himself. Trixie's reasons for wanting him to always stick around are not entirely unselfish. Mr Wheeler has hinted that he may sell all the horses if Regan ever gives notice, because he's an employee in a million. What's more, Regan is always willing to babysit Bobby any time. Yet nevertheless, she and the other Bob Whites genuinely value him as the great friend and treasure that he is.
* Regan leaves Dan a note telling him that he has to take care of unfinished business for an undisclosed length of time. Even Trixie notices that he signs it, 'Your Uncle' instead of 'Love.' It seems Regan and Dan are both adept at dodging talk about their pasts. Although there's genuine commitment on both sides, this uncle and nephew definitely keep each other at arm's length. I'd like to see them grow closer, but wonder if it's possible or likely.
* Of course, the age gap between them is far less than most uncles and nephews, making things more complex. Figuring that Regan is 24 in this story, and Dan is about 16, it's really only a matter of eight years or so, which makes Regan more of a floundering older brother figure, in my opinion. I guess it's a big ask to expect Regan to supply the secure and grounded adult influence which Dan needs from his only living family member. It's easy to forget just how young Regan really is.
* (Okay, I just had a terribly corny thought. Although Regan may be a 'stable' influence in the horsey sense, he's not necessarily a 'stable' influence in the sense of reliability. If you're groaning, do forgive me.)
* Trixie blows up at Dan, when he wonders if the ugly rumour about Regan is true. She says, 'He showed a lot more faith in you, and hardly knew you at all.' Although Dan nods and apologises at that point, I beg to disagree. At the time of Dan's arrival in Sleepyside, Regan barely showed any trust in him at all, and basically disowned him, leaving him with Mr Maypenny from the outset. (I discussed this more in my review of The Black Jacket Mystery.)
* Poor Trixie is going through a phase of being gloomy about her looks (although we know she's considered very pretty by many). How about this logic. She pulls a face at her own reflection, then tells Honey, 'See, no wonder how funny I look ordinarily, it's nice to know that I can look even funnier if I really try.' It's extremely sad really, that she deems Honey (and of course Diana, when she's around) closer to society's ideal of beauty than herself, then beats herself up over it.
* A sneaky, cloak and dagger vibe pervades the racecourse, which the two girls discover is merely part of the industry. Owners and trainers do their best to keep a horse's vital statistics as close to their chests as possible, which takes some trickery and subterfuge, considering everything is ostensibly done in broad daylight. But it's all in a day's work.
* Mr Worthington is the gregarious owner of Worthington Farms, the prestigious thoroughbred outfit where Regan worked from the age of 16 to 17. Carl Stinson is the taciturn but highly relied-upon head trainer who is foul at Regan, because he believes his most promising young employee did the dirty on him, accepted a bribe and doped the prize horse in the stables.
* Oh, and although horse-lovers no doubt know this, as Trixie and Honey already did, it was news to me. 'Thoroughbred' is actually a specific breed of horse. Many novices mistake it for 'purebred'. I was one of those naive readers.
* Ooh la la, Regan's past included budding romance, young as he was. Carl Stinson's daughter Joan, also a teenager at the time, had a major crush on the young redhead. This author (Laura French, I believe) left it way open for other Kathryn Kennys to continue developing Regan's relationship with Joan. Nobody ever does though. I doubt her name is ever mentioned again.
* The scene when Trixie and Honey eventually find Regan is heartwarming. It shows the fond, easy rapport they all share with him, and is also the one and only scene in which Regan ever falls off a horse with shock.
* Even though part of Regan's personal history has come to light, it turns out to be just a small chunk of his working life as a teenager. Nothing at all is divulged about his dysfunctional family background, including his relationship with his sister and whatever happened to their parents. Why was a sixteen-year-old lad out by himself, looking for jobs with horses anyway?
* Hmm, we had Carl Stevenson in Mead's Mountain and now Carl Stinson two books later. Hopefully that's enough Carls for a while, lest we get them mixed up.
* Yay, although Jim, Brian and Mart aren't in this story for the most part (since they're working as camp counselors), I love their role toward the end.
* Quote of the book comes from Trixie. 'We'll think. Our brothers aren't the only Bob Whites who have mastered that skill, in spite of what they try to tell us.'
May 19, 2009
I love the Trixie Belden series. This one was really good, and this one is especially interesting when Reagan disappears the kids go on a quest to find him. Which of course Trixie and Honey have to snoop and you know where that leads to. :)
August 12, 2013
This isn't really a destination story, per se, like Bob-White Cave or Mystery in Arizona; Trixie and Honey must go to Saratoga to find their beloved Regan. This is another suspenseful one, where they are saved at the last minute. Terrific re-read!
December 10, 2014
This is one of the more nuanced/character-driven books, and is still one of my favourites. Accidentally hilarious to be rereading this while watching the Leverage ep with a horse-racing plotline, too.
December 22, 2013
Reagan disappears and what the girls uncover about his past have them scared about his future.
They follow him down to Saratoga in the hopes that they can help clear his name and bring him home.
They follow him down to Saratoga in the hopes that they can help clear his name and bring him home.
October 28, 2013
A little information about race horses ... and once again Trixie takes off on her own ... why that kid isn't grounded for the rest of her life I'll never know.
December 31, 2022
pretty good, though the arrival of the rest of the BWG's at the crucial moment smacks of Deux Ex Machina... more so than usual.
January 3, 2018
This one was fun -- almost like a Dick Francis/Trixie Belden crossover! Set in Saratoga (not that far from Sleepyside) at the racetrack with all sorts of shenanigans :)
March 26, 2018
I loved the Trixie Belden books as a kid (nice to see they got republished). I'm still unsure how they ended up in my corner of the world. I slowly amassed the whole series as first editions (it seemed so glamourous as a kid owning precious books that were older than me!) by saving all my pocket money to buy them from the local secondhand store. I can only guess that some adult (probably having moved to our sleepy town from overseas) had sold them off in bulk. They sat in a back corner of the store, thankfully ignored by everyone else, as I slowly acquired them through pocket money and then in a mass swoop for Christmas. It helped that back then secondhand books sold for anywhere from 10 cents to 50 cents rather than $7-10 as they do these days!
They were wonderful mystery books for children of a similar ilk to Famous Five, Secret Seven, Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, The Three Investigators etc.; set in a time long before cellphones when sleuthing into mysterious mansions, smugglers, and strange sounds in the night wouldn't cause any real harm to befall our child investigators.
They were wonderful mystery books for children of a similar ilk to Famous Five, Secret Seven, Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, The Three Investigators etc.; set in a time long before cellphones when sleuthing into mysterious mansions, smugglers, and strange sounds in the night wouldn't cause any real harm to befall our child investigators.
October 5, 2022
The 24th book in the Trixie Belden series is “The Mystery of Saratoga.” It is authored by Western Publishing Company’s writing team under the pseudonym “Kathryn Kenny.” The book is about the mysterious disappearance of Bob Regan who is the horse groomsman for a very wealthy Sleepyside, New York family. Regan at a young age was accused of drugging a race horse owned by J.T. Worthington. However, the racing association was not able to prove that Regan or the horse owner were guilty of putting drugs in the horse’s feed bag. Seven years later, Regan suspects that two criminals were involved in an unusual chain of events related to “fixing” horse races. Trixie and Honey are able to find Regan and help him learn how the criminals rigged the horse races. Regan’s reputation is restored, the criminals are arrested, and in a court of law they are found guilty. I enjoyed reading the highly unusual chain of events that lead to the resolution of the Saratoga racetrack betting fraud scheme. (P)
May 17, 2020
I can't not like this, since it's Trixie and Honey following a horse mystery, this time without the rest of the Bob-Whites. But I would like it a lot more if there weren't so many inconsistencies, particularly with timeline and character. That comes from having ghostwriters and obviously trying to pump out a large number of books in probably a short time, but it wouldn't hurt to have an editor who actually read the previous books and made sure it all flowed!
October 4, 2020
The 24th adventure in the Trixie Belden series, and I don’t think I’ve read this one before. This was not one of my favourite Trixie books, even though it was great to finally unravel a bit more of Reagan’s history. Much like the Arizona adventure, this one spent a lot of time on “facts” about the area – which a lot of the books do, this just more than its fair share and I just didn’t think the mystery had a lot to it. An okay read.
November 19, 2022
The most boring Trixie I've read, maybe because she and Honey were the only two Bob-Whites in the book, or because unlike on their previous trips, they didn't meet any kids their age or interesting adults in Saratoga, or at least not any that weren't also main characters.
June 20, 2024
I loved it so much. I also love that the setting was not in their hometown. I really like how it was about horses and about a person that all the characters love and respect. One thing that really stood out to me is that Trixie and honey figured out the mystery, without all the Bob- whites
September 29, 2024
Loved it so much. I also loved that the setting was not in their hometown. I really liked how it was about horses and about a person hat all the characters love and respect. One thing that really stood out to me is that Trixie and Honey figures out the mystery without all of the Bob-whites .
October 19, 2018
Horses are boring and the insane footwork it took to get the boys from summer camp to Saratoga in the nick of time ruined this for me
December 28, 2020
Big tea.
January 20, 2022
Saratoga is an Indian word that actually means “swift running water”! 😂😂😂 Old family joke ;)
April 13, 2022
You find out more about Regan and his past. I just think the Bob Whites should have had more faith in Regan! He would never doubt them.
February 25, 2024
It makes me want to go to the racetrack.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews