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Trixie Belden #36
The Mystery of the Antique Doll
Delivering a doll to a mysterious antique dealer leads fourteen-year-old Trixie Belden to investigate a case of counterfeiting.
192 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1984
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405 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 - 22 of 22 reviews
June 8, 2018
The Mystery of the Antique Doll by Kathryn Kenny is the thirty-sixth book in the Trixie Belden series.
This was not a good Trixie. The characters felt totally off throughout the book (Mart apparently isn't good at spelling, while Trixie and Honey are and are finalists in a spelling bee? Trixie knits? What?) None of the Bob-Whites aside from Trixie and Honey really had a prominent role in this book, either, which irked me. I don't even think Dan spoke one line.
I wish the whole book had taken place in Paris, too. They spend two chapters there and that's just to move the plot along. Everything in Paris was breezed over. I don't like info-dumping, but some description would have been nice. Speaking of plots, this one was awful and extremely predictable. There were also so many coincidences and events that happened that it wasn't even plausible.
I also noticed on page 49:
No, Trixie, people don't start businesses to make money! That is a ridiculous notion. They do it because they're bored and have nothing else to do. (Minor thing, I know, but it just annoyed me for some reason.)
Obviously, I didn't like this book. 2 stars out of 5.
This was not a good Trixie. The characters felt totally off throughout the book (Mart apparently isn't good at spelling, while Trixie and Honey are and are finalists in a spelling bee? Trixie knits? What?) None of the Bob-Whites aside from Trixie and Honey really had a prominent role in this book, either, which irked me. I don't even think Dan spoke one line.
I wish the whole book had taken place in Paris, too. They spend two chapters there and that's just to move the plot along. Everything in Paris was breezed over. I don't like info-dumping, but some description would have been nice. Speaking of plots, this one was awful and extremely predictable. There were also so many coincidences and events that happened that it wasn't even plausible.
I also noticed on page 49:
"Well, I know how you feel, Trixie," Mr. Belden said. He had been listening with interest. "But nowadays, there are a lot of people who know nothing about what they're trying to make or sell. Many people believe that any business can be reduced to numbers, and columns of figures. It's what is called 'the bottom line.'"
"You mean, daddy, that some people go into businesses just for the money?" Trixie asked.
No, Trixie, people don't start businesses to make money! That is a ridiculous notion. They do it because they're bored and have nothing else to do. (Minor thing, I know, but it just annoyed me for some reason.)
Obviously, I didn't like this book. 2 stars out of 5.
September 25, 2022
When Dr Ferris asks Trixie and Honey to do some light housework for Mrs De Keyser, they jump at the chance. She lives next door to a mysterious Antique Barn they've been anxious to check out. Its proprietor, Mr Carl Reid, seems impatient and preoccupied. But when he discovers the girls are off on a long-weekend to Paris, he asks them to pick up a special antique doll for him. The beautiful treasure causes loads of strife, especially when they return to Sleepyside. The doll disappears and Mr Reid accuses the girls of stealing her. What really happened, and are there more secrets to the doll than he is letting on?
* We're told that Dan is the only Bob White who doesn't attend Sleepyside Junior Senior High School. Huh, since when? He has always been there with them before, and we never heard he'd stopped. In fact, I'd assume he'd have to be there still, if he aims to be a New York City cop. Surely you need to graduate from school to get into police academy. Kathryn Kenny, more information please.
* Dr Ferris asks Trixie and Honey if they'd mind doing some light housework after school some nights for Mrs De Keyser, who has fallen over and broken her arm. They're happy to, since she lives next door to the new antique barn they've been anxious to check out. In fact it's her property, and she's Mr Reid's landlord.
* Mrs De Keyser teaches the girls to make a terrific stew which sounds like it could rival Mr Maypenny's legendary stew, the way they rave on about it. I'd like both recipes in my dream series cookbook, of course.
* She has a mischievous dog named Willy who seems to be even more of a handful than Reddy. For at least Reddy doesn't attempt to bolt from the door the moment he sees an opening.
* Trixie originally thinks Mr Reid, the proprietor of the antique barn, seems a bit fishy because he obviously knows zilch about the antique business. Her father tells her that in his line of work, he sees people who know nothing about their products go into business all the time. But come on Pete, do they really know absolutely nothing, as this guy seems to?
* This story takes place the week after Halloween. If we are splitting hairs then, Brian should have just turned nineteen by now. Just saying. (Of course he's no doubt still seventeen in Bob White time.)
* Trixie and Honey are finalists in the regional spelling bee. It gives them quite a bit of stress.
* The narrator tells us that although Mart is the smartest of all the Belden children, he has a lot of trouble with spelling. Hmm, that's a bit of a blanket statement for something that's highly relative. How about Brian? While Mart is clearly our most creative humanities and literary guy, Brian always takes first place in mathematics and science. And arguably their sister may surpass them both with sixth sense and intuition. ('I don't think up things that are fishy, Honey Wheeler. I only notice them.')
* Jim, Brian and Mart will be taking over cooking for Mrs De Keyser while Trixie and Honey are in Paris, and the two girls wonder if they can even cook. Honey says (sort of disparagingly, I think) 'Jim is actually a pretty good cook. There's no reason why Brian and Mart can't learn something useful too.' Then Trixie agrees, 'You're absolutely right. This will be a broadening experience for them.' That's a bit of a continuity glitch, since the boys are actually excellent cooks. Way back in Mystery in Arizona, they were the only ones Maria the chef would trust to take over her kitchen when she got ready to go AWOL. In fact at the time, she groomed Brian, Mart and Jim to roll out top quality cuisine on demand.
* Trixie's not above a bit of boasting to Mr Reid, who rubs her up the wrong way. 'We happen to be flying to Paris in Mr Wheeler's private jet, Mr Reid,' as she holds her nose at a lofty angle. Well, la-di-da, Miss Belden. I doubt her parents would approve of her boastful behaviour. Oh well, it comes back to bite her, when he asks them to do him a special favour.
* This story introduces a stereotypical bumbling detective, Marcel Patou from Paris. With his awkward, fumbling fingers, I don't know how he ever made it as far as he did.
* (Slight spoiler alert) Bobby's role in the disappearance of you-know-what is unbelievably far-fetched to me. We're expected to believe that little Willy, a dog he's never seen before, carries it all the way from his own house to Crabapple Farm, where he's never been! What are the odds?
* Quote of the book goes to Mrs De Keyser. 'When you get to be my age, an antique is just something that used to be brand new when you were young.' (Her comment is ironic since my set of Trixie Beldens were brand new books when I bought them in my teens, and now I've seen some appear on the shelves of antique shops themselves.)
* We're told that Dan is the only Bob White who doesn't attend Sleepyside Junior Senior High School. Huh, since when? He has always been there with them before, and we never heard he'd stopped. In fact, I'd assume he'd have to be there still, if he aims to be a New York City cop. Surely you need to graduate from school to get into police academy. Kathryn Kenny, more information please.
* Dr Ferris asks Trixie and Honey if they'd mind doing some light housework after school some nights for Mrs De Keyser, who has fallen over and broken her arm. They're happy to, since she lives next door to the new antique barn they've been anxious to check out. In fact it's her property, and she's Mr Reid's landlord.
* Mrs De Keyser teaches the girls to make a terrific stew which sounds like it could rival Mr Maypenny's legendary stew, the way they rave on about it. I'd like both recipes in my dream series cookbook, of course.
* She has a mischievous dog named Willy who seems to be even more of a handful than Reddy. For at least Reddy doesn't attempt to bolt from the door the moment he sees an opening.
* Trixie originally thinks Mr Reid, the proprietor of the antique barn, seems a bit fishy because he obviously knows zilch about the antique business. Her father tells her that in his line of work, he sees people who know nothing about their products go into business all the time. But come on Pete, do they really know absolutely nothing, as this guy seems to?
* This story takes place the week after Halloween. If we are splitting hairs then, Brian should have just turned nineteen by now. Just saying. (Of course he's no doubt still seventeen in Bob White time.)
* Trixie and Honey are finalists in the regional spelling bee. It gives them quite a bit of stress.
* The narrator tells us that although Mart is the smartest of all the Belden children, he has a lot of trouble with spelling. Hmm, that's a bit of a blanket statement for something that's highly relative. How about Brian? While Mart is clearly our most creative humanities and literary guy, Brian always takes first place in mathematics and science. And arguably their sister may surpass them both with sixth sense and intuition. ('I don't think up things that are fishy, Honey Wheeler. I only notice them.')
* Jim, Brian and Mart will be taking over cooking for Mrs De Keyser while Trixie and Honey are in Paris, and the two girls wonder if they can even cook. Honey says (sort of disparagingly, I think) 'Jim is actually a pretty good cook. There's no reason why Brian and Mart can't learn something useful too.' Then Trixie agrees, 'You're absolutely right. This will be a broadening experience for them.' That's a bit of a continuity glitch, since the boys are actually excellent cooks. Way back in Mystery in Arizona, they were the only ones Maria the chef would trust to take over her kitchen when she got ready to go AWOL. In fact at the time, she groomed Brian, Mart and Jim to roll out top quality cuisine on demand.
* Trixie's not above a bit of boasting to Mr Reid, who rubs her up the wrong way. 'We happen to be flying to Paris in Mr Wheeler's private jet, Mr Reid,' as she holds her nose at a lofty angle. Well, la-di-da, Miss Belden. I doubt her parents would approve of her boastful behaviour. Oh well, it comes back to bite her, when he asks them to do him a special favour.
* This story introduces a stereotypical bumbling detective, Marcel Patou from Paris. With his awkward, fumbling fingers, I don't know how he ever made it as far as he did.
* (Slight spoiler alert) Bobby's role in the disappearance of you-know-what is unbelievably far-fetched to me. We're expected to believe that little Willy, a dog he's never seen before, carries it all the way from his own house to Crabapple Farm, where he's never been! What are the odds?
* Quote of the book goes to Mrs De Keyser. 'When you get to be my age, an antique is just something that used to be brand new when you were young.' (Her comment is ironic since my set of Trixie Beldens were brand new books when I bought them in my teens, and now I've seen some appear on the shelves of antique shops themselves.)
March 31, 2020
This one was all over the place. I remember really enjoying the first half of it, but once Inspector Clouseau came into play, the entire story took a nosedive!
Ok, so this book started with an oddity right away: when they introduce the Bob-Whites, they mention that Dan is the only one of them that doesn't go to Sleepyside Junior-Senior High School! Since when? In previous books he was even mentioned as sharing classes with some of the boys! That was always odd to me-it was randomly thrown in with no explanation!
But that's not really germane to the story. In this story, an older widow broke her arm and Trixie and Honey offered to do housework for her every other day (such nice girls) Next door is a brand new antique store owned by a mysterious person who drives a hot new Mercedes! It is odd though because there are never customers in the store, and it is so off the beaten path that no one knows about it. Also, he is a selfish mean man, as can be seen because in the early part of the book, he cut off Mrs Belden when she was driving on errands with Bobby, Trixie and Honey! (This opening scene lets us know that there is something off about him as he doesn't apologise or anything. To make matters worse, he cuts in front of Mrs Belden on line at the grocers! **Why don't bad guys keep a low profile in these stories? They always seem to have to kick a puppy or something early on to just ooze badness, eh!**
Trix and Honey decide to visit the antique store after helping the older injured lady one day, and they find Mr Reid (the owner) to be as rude and "mysterious" as anything!
A few days later when they were helping Mrs DeKeister (the old lady's REAL name is Mrs De Keyser-I just wanted to have a little joke), they were talking about a quick weekend trip to Paris they were going to take (as a reward for being finalists in a spelling bee, the Wheelers decided to reward Trix and Honey with this), Mr Reid arrives and asks them for a favour-can they pick up an antique doll for him from a dealer while they are in Paris? Naturally, the girls agree (even though Trixie is quite miffed at the way she was treated earlier, Honey is always nice and she graciously agrees)
So the girls have a neat weekend getaway complete with a flight in the Wheelers Leer Jet! They pick up the doll (in a sketchy neighbourhood) and go back to the States, and give the doll to Mr Reid (who doesn't even bother to appear all that grateful)
One thing I forgot to mention about Mrs De Keyser-she has a cute and mischievous little dog that likes to steal things when no one is looking and since he likes children, he will give the item to the child.
Well not long after a furious Mr Reid accuses the girls of stealing his doll. Trixie and Honey laugh evilly and tell Mr Reid that the doll was really valuable and they sold it on the black market and there's nothing he can do about it! The end.
Haha-of course that didn't happen-I just wanted to see if you were paying attention. No, the doggie stole it and gave it to Bobby (this is actually kind of odd-it was mentioned that the shop (and Mrs De Keyser's house) are a half hour walk from the Beldens. What are the chances he would go to their house (he's never been there) and deliver the doll to Bobby (who was playing in the yard) and opposed to some random child along the way? That really is a GAPING gap in the plot!
Trix and Honey find out that Bobby has the doll when they get home. It is rather a poignant scene: Trix and Honey were really worried over being called thieves, and when Trix is at the dinner table with her family, she is so worried that her mother is very concerned about her. When she asks her daughter what's the matter, Trixie breaks into heartbreaking sobs! She is so worried that she won't be believed that she didn't steal the doll and be sent to jail. Then Bobby *(who is a lot less annoying in this book) starts crying and says that he didn't steal the doll-a dog gave it to him but it is in his room
Trix and Honey think that if they clean up the doll (it got pretty beat up from the dog dragging it all over creation), Mr Reid will be less mad at them when they return it, so they undress the doll to do so. Guess what falls out of the dress! Counterfeiting plates! It seems Mr Reid is a crook! (Gasp!)
Oh, I also forgot to mention that Trixie has been spotting a redhead man following the girls ever since Paris (now if this was made today, he would surely have been arrested as a pedophile-but of course that was not the intention of the redhead, or even mentioned as a concern). When the girls are bicycling together, he follows VERY closely in a car, and when Trix and Honey crash into each other trying to run away, he approaches them. He is none other than a police officer with the Sûreté! I forget the name of the character, but even as a child way back in the '80s, I knew that he was supposed to be a caricature of Inspector Clouseau from the Pink Panther movies (a series my mom thought was hilarious, but I really didn't-I only liked how his chief always went mad and tried to kill him), so I will just call him Clouseau.
This Gendarmerie thinks Trix and Honey are international crooks (he even says it is obvious as they jet set around in a Leer!), but still after Trixie tells her story (which sounds unbelievable even to her and she knows it to be true), he agrees to check out the antique store and lets them go (but says he will be watching them)
Brian and the boys say that Trixie has REALLY bit off more than she can chew this time (so true!), so she should just sew up the plates into the doll and return it (wait...what! How about calling the police? I mean Trixie may not be Sgt Molinson's favourite young lady, but do they really think that after all this time he will really believe that Trixie moonlights on the side as an international crook? See what I mean about the book taking a turn into the goofy? Brian is supposed to be the sensible one!)
The 7 all decide to sneak in the bushes at night, drop off the doll, knock on the door and run! Maybe this will lead to them hearing something incriminating (I'm not joking-that's the plan) When they are doing this, Clouseau pops up in the bushes too and says he will help them.
Well, it works! When Reid goes out to investigate the noise, he stumbles over the doll and reveals his scheme. Then the Inspector busts in to arrest the gang (no gun shown, no backup, just "I've caught you bad guys! Now, you have to give up!") I REALLY should post the pictures from this book, because this goes over as well as you can imagine (it's a pic of the 3 crooks (2 henchmen were there to help print the funny money) with guns drawn!) Trix and the gang can't leave well enough alone, so they decide to join the Inspector at the cornered bad guys lair too (I mean what could go wrong?)
The 8 are all tied up and the crooks say they will "take care of them on the way to Philadelphia". The deux ex machina is that Sgt Molinson burst in with backup and arrests them! Did the Inspector actually call them for help? NO! I have no idea how they found the counterfeiters!
Yes, this book really is a jumble of confusion in the last half! And I'm not even one of those people who says that the latter 5 books are so bad, but this one really dropped the ball!
Ok, so this book started with an oddity right away: when they introduce the Bob-Whites, they mention that Dan is the only one of them that doesn't go to Sleepyside Junior-Senior High School! Since when? In previous books he was even mentioned as sharing classes with some of the boys! That was always odd to me-it was randomly thrown in with no explanation!
But that's not really germane to the story. In this story, an older widow broke her arm and Trixie and Honey offered to do housework for her every other day (such nice girls) Next door is a brand new antique store owned by a mysterious person who drives a hot new Mercedes! It is odd though because there are never customers in the store, and it is so off the beaten path that no one knows about it. Also, he is a selfish mean man, as can be seen because in the early part of the book, he cut off Mrs Belden when she was driving on errands with Bobby, Trixie and Honey! (This opening scene lets us know that there is something off about him as he doesn't apologise or anything. To make matters worse, he cuts in front of Mrs Belden on line at the grocers! **Why don't bad guys keep a low profile in these stories? They always seem to have to kick a puppy or something early on to just ooze badness, eh!**
Trix and Honey decide to visit the antique store after helping the older injured lady one day, and they find Mr Reid (the owner) to be as rude and "mysterious" as anything!
A few days later when they were helping Mrs DeKeister (the old lady's REAL name is Mrs De Keyser-I just wanted to have a little joke), they were talking about a quick weekend trip to Paris they were going to take (as a reward for being finalists in a spelling bee, the Wheelers decided to reward Trix and Honey with this), Mr Reid arrives and asks them for a favour-can they pick up an antique doll for him from a dealer while they are in Paris? Naturally, the girls agree (even though Trixie is quite miffed at the way she was treated earlier, Honey is always nice and she graciously agrees)
So the girls have a neat weekend getaway complete with a flight in the Wheelers Leer Jet! They pick up the doll (in a sketchy neighbourhood) and go back to the States, and give the doll to Mr Reid (who doesn't even bother to appear all that grateful)
One thing I forgot to mention about Mrs De Keyser-she has a cute and mischievous little dog that likes to steal things when no one is looking and since he likes children, he will give the item to the child.
Well not long after a furious Mr Reid accuses the girls of stealing his doll. Trixie and Honey laugh evilly and tell Mr Reid that the doll was really valuable and they sold it on the black market and there's nothing he can do about it! The end.
Haha-of course that didn't happen-I just wanted to see if you were paying attention. No, the doggie stole it and gave it to Bobby (this is actually kind of odd-it was mentioned that the shop (and Mrs De Keyser's house) are a half hour walk from the Beldens. What are the chances he would go to their house (he's never been there) and deliver the doll to Bobby (who was playing in the yard) and opposed to some random child along the way? That really is a GAPING gap in the plot!
Trix and Honey find out that Bobby has the doll when they get home. It is rather a poignant scene: Trix and Honey were really worried over being called thieves, and when Trix is at the dinner table with her family, she is so worried that her mother is very concerned about her. When she asks her daughter what's the matter, Trixie breaks into heartbreaking sobs! She is so worried that she won't be believed that she didn't steal the doll and be sent to jail. Then Bobby *(who is a lot less annoying in this book) starts crying and says that he didn't steal the doll-a dog gave it to him but it is in his room
Trix and Honey think that if they clean up the doll (it got pretty beat up from the dog dragging it all over creation), Mr Reid will be less mad at them when they return it, so they undress the doll to do so. Guess what falls out of the dress! Counterfeiting plates! It seems Mr Reid is a crook! (Gasp!)
Oh, I also forgot to mention that Trixie has been spotting a redhead man following the girls ever since Paris (now if this was made today, he would surely have been arrested as a pedophile-but of course that was not the intention of the redhead, or even mentioned as a concern). When the girls are bicycling together, he follows VERY closely in a car, and when Trix and Honey crash into each other trying to run away, he approaches them. He is none other than a police officer with the Sûreté! I forget the name of the character, but even as a child way back in the '80s, I knew that he was supposed to be a caricature of Inspector Clouseau from the Pink Panther movies (a series my mom thought was hilarious, but I really didn't-I only liked how his chief always went mad and tried to kill him), so I will just call him Clouseau.
This Gendarmerie thinks Trix and Honey are international crooks (he even says it is obvious as they jet set around in a Leer!), but still after Trixie tells her story (which sounds unbelievable even to her and she knows it to be true), he agrees to check out the antique store and lets them go (but says he will be watching them)
Brian and the boys say that Trixie has REALLY bit off more than she can chew this time (so true!), so she should just sew up the plates into the doll and return it (wait...what! How about calling the police? I mean Trixie may not be Sgt Molinson's favourite young lady, but do they really think that after all this time he will really believe that Trixie moonlights on the side as an international crook? See what I mean about the book taking a turn into the goofy? Brian is supposed to be the sensible one!)
The 7 all decide to sneak in the bushes at night, drop off the doll, knock on the door and run! Maybe this will lead to them hearing something incriminating (I'm not joking-that's the plan) When they are doing this, Clouseau pops up in the bushes too and says he will help them.
Well, it works! When Reid goes out to investigate the noise, he stumbles over the doll and reveals his scheme. Then the Inspector busts in to arrest the gang (no gun shown, no backup, just "I've caught you bad guys! Now, you have to give up!") I REALLY should post the pictures from this book, because this goes over as well as you can imagine (it's a pic of the 3 crooks (2 henchmen were there to help print the funny money) with guns drawn!) Trix and the gang can't leave well enough alone, so they decide to join the Inspector at the cornered bad guys lair too (I mean what could go wrong?)
The 8 are all tied up and the crooks say they will "take care of them on the way to Philadelphia". The deux ex machina is that Sgt Molinson burst in with backup and arrests them! Did the Inspector actually call them for help? NO! I have no idea how they found the counterfeiters!
Yes, this book really is a jumble of confusion in the last half! And I'm not even one of those people who says that the latter 5 books are so bad, but this one really dropped the ball!
September 4, 2022
Vejam a minha opinião em vídeo, AQUI.
May 3, 2015
a HUGE and most dedicated fan of Trixie and her crew. This is odd, of course, because they were MEANT for teen and pre-teen girls, but I was a young boy that read everything he could get his hands on and when I first stumbled on my first TRIXIE BELDON book I was instantly hooked!
I immediately sat about reading them all, as quickly as I could get my greedy little paws on them. Trixie is the star, or "lead" character, followed by Jim and Honey (who quickly became the love of my young life, I had a total crush on a fictional character that only existed in ink) and this brave trio was constantly getting into trouble, solving mysteries and murders; that sort of thing.
It falls along the line of the Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew and other similar series, but the Trixie series carries more of the teenage angst and a subtle love triangle of conflicted who likes whom mystery that battles back and forth throughout the series. All of the while though, the same cheerful, effervescent and energetic positive attitude and domineering never quit/never let them see you down philosophy is the major subtext all through the books.
It is simply impossible to read these and NOT feel good about yourself and about LIFE, to have a sense of "all is well" in the world and a cheerful demeanor just naturally permeate your soul. I know, it SOUNDS crazy, but it is true.
I lost all of my Trixie books years ago, lending them to friends and that sort of thing. Since then, I have been on a quest to rebuild my collection of hardbacks. I find most of them at "Friends of the Library Sales" and things like that, but I am ever watchful at garage sales and places, for I do not have even a third of them built back
I immediately sat about reading them all, as quickly as I could get my greedy little paws on them. Trixie is the star, or "lead" character, followed by Jim and Honey (who quickly became the love of my young life, I had a total crush on a fictional character that only existed in ink) and this brave trio was constantly getting into trouble, solving mysteries and murders; that sort of thing.
It falls along the line of the Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew and other similar series, but the Trixie series carries more of the teenage angst and a subtle love triangle of conflicted who likes whom mystery that battles back and forth throughout the series. All of the while though, the same cheerful, effervescent and energetic positive attitude and domineering never quit/never let them see you down philosophy is the major subtext all through the books.
It is simply impossible to read these and NOT feel good about yourself and about LIFE, to have a sense of "all is well" in the world and a cheerful demeanor just naturally permeate your soul. I know, it SOUNDS crazy, but it is true.
I lost all of my Trixie books years ago, lending them to friends and that sort of thing. Since then, I have been on a quest to rebuild my collection of hardbacks. I find most of them at "Friends of the Library Sales" and things like that, but I am ever watchful at garage sales and places, for I do not have even a third of them built back
July 10, 2016
A new antique shop has opened in Sleepyside, and when Trixie and Honey visit the shop, they find Carl, the owner, rude. But Trixie really gets suspicious when he asks them to do him a favor on a weekend trip to Paris, and they find themselves being followed after doing it. What have they stumbled into?
While not among my least favorites in the series, I certainly do see the flaws. The plot drives the book more than logic and the author has to twist things around in pretty painful ways to get to the climax. Having said that, I do enjoy the climax, and I think the idea behind the mystery was good. Some of the series regulars are reduced to cameos, and this is the infamous books where Trixie knits.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
While not among my least favorites in the series, I certainly do see the flaws. The plot drives the book more than logic and the author has to twist things around in pretty painful ways to get to the climax. Having said that, I do enjoy the climax, and I think the idea behind the mystery was good. Some of the series regulars are reduced to cameos, and this is the infamous books where Trixie knits.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
April 28, 2020
Oh heck no! I love Trixie Belden books but there are a few things wrong with this one. Trixie a finalist in a spelling bee are you kidding me! Mart is bad at spelling? Yeah right he's the one who always uses fancy words. Trixie is smart enough she would know not to pick up a random package from Paris for a stranger. Right at the end, Trixie knitting and not forced too. This book just kind of lacked the good old mystery I love about this series and messed up how I think the characters should be.
August 28, 2017
Trixie and Honey go to Paris and get involved with a counterfeiting ring. It's a strong plot, considering we're nearing the end and the apathy of the writer is growing.
Recommended 9/10+ for scary situations
Recommended 9/10+ for scary situations
October 6, 2022
The 36th book in the Trixie Belden series is “The Mystery of the Antique Doll.” The novel is authored by Western Publishing Company’s writing team under the pseudonym “Kathryn Kenny.” The book is about an antique store that was recently opened by Carl Reid. Reid knows nothing about antiques; he is very cranky, and he is also very wealthy. The store is located next door to an elderly women who injured herself in a fall and needs help in her home. Trixie and her friend Honey commit to helping her. One evening on their way home after caring for her, they meet Carl Reid. When they are talking to him, they discover he knows very little about the antiques in his shop. In the conversation Trixie tells Reid about a trip she and Honey are taking to Paris, France. Carl then asks her and Honey to stop at a Paris antique store to pick up a special antique doll he wanted. Trixie and Honey picked up the doll and they gave it to Reid upon their return to Sleepyside, New York. When they gave the doll to Reid, Trixie and Honey see a man following them. The man was the same person who followed them in Paris when they acquired the doll. Through a surprising happenstance, the doll is removed from Reid’s antique shop by Willy who is Trixie’s pet dog! Trixie finds metal plates which are sewn in pockets inside the doll’s dress. She also discovers that Reid’s wealth is associated with using metal plates to counterfeit U.S. and international currencies. The man who was following Trixie and Honey is a French law enforcement inspector. The antique doll mystery is resolved when the French inspector and Sleepyside police witness the counterfeiting activities and capture Reid with his accomplices. (P)
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.
August 26, 2020
Unless a miracle occurs and I find the last three Trixie books, this is it. We're done. Not the best one to go out on I'm afraid, but I sensed that would happen.
It's a shame that books with such high potential were handed off to ghost writers who couldn't even keep a straight timeline.
It's a shame that books with such high potential were handed off to ghost writers who couldn't even keep a straight timeline.
February 17, 2021
Started Trixie as a kid and had fond memories - decided to re-read the series in quarantine, including the last #10 which I had never read before. This one was definitely my least favorite out of the whole series with many large missing holes in the plot.
July 1, 2018
Loved this series when I was a kid and I can see why. This was so much better than Nancy Drew. I love the characters. Feels so nostalgic to read a Trixie Belden book
August 24, 2019
Ever wonder why ghostwriters don't read the series they are fixing to contribute to? This is probably the worst book so far in this series. Mart can spout words like a champ but he can't spell worth a flip. Okay, I'll give you that one. Trixie AND Honey, neither one can pronounce most of Mart's two-cent words, are BOTH in the big spelling bee. Uh, no. Then, you have all the conversations between Mart and Trixie with Mart being caring and loving. I think affectionate is used more times in this book to describe his gaze toward her than I have ever heard in any other book when talking about Miss Trask! Jim and Brian are always the seat of wisdom, not in this book! Jim is pretty much not in the book. Brian counsels Trixie and Honey not to go to the police. AND, what happened to his jalopy?? He drives the Bob Wite station wagon. Then there's the whole issue of ALL the members of the club using a bald-faced lie when the climax is coming. They have NEVER done that in a book. Don't even get me started on the scene where Trixie is knitting. Horrible book all the way around.
July 27, 2011
Okay, even if they weren't my favorites, I give 37 of the 39 books in the series at least 4 stars (really liked it). But this book (and #38) get 3 stars. I can never decide which one I dislike more. Trixie and Honey go to Paris and somehow get conned into taking a mysterious package back home with them? Are they really that gullible (read: stupid)? Trixie knitting? And liking it? Trixie and Honey serious contenders in a spelling bee? What did we ever do before the mall? Ugh, ugh, ugh! This book is awful!
January 16, 2011
Definitely not the best of Trixie & the Bob-Whites, but I needed a mood lifter after the last book I read. The kids of Sleepyside never fail to provide comfort and a few chuckles. Everytime I read a TB book, I feel young again.
August 25, 2013
Afraid I must agree with some other negative reviews of this TB installment; it certainly isn't one of the series bests. In fact, it reads almost like a ND. Still, I love the close-knit BWG and their adventures.
May 28, 2014
Another good Trixie Belden story, with the gang working together to help people and to solve a mystery. This mystery is a little far-fetched, as well as a repeat of a previous mystery to be solved involving counterfeiters. But still a very enjoyable read.
June 19, 2010
Great children's mystery series featuring thirteen year old Trixie and her friends Honey and Diana...
December 26, 2012
book 36
June 16, 2023
The first one I remember reading
March 17, 2009
its ok but i like nancy drew better.
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