Gay Dolphin Adventure

Lone Pine #3

by Malcolm Saville

The Gay Dolphin Adventure (A Lone Pine Adventure)

Genres: Childrens, British Literature, Mystery, Fiction

191 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1945

About the author

Leonard Malcolm Saville was an English author best known for the Lone Pine series of children's books, many of which are set in Shropshire. His work emphasises location; the books include many vivid descriptions of English countryside, villages and sometimes towns.

(wikipedia)

Reviews

[Simon Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

No, not a tale of homosexual marine life, just a different meaning as to when it was written in 1944.

The "Gay Dolphin" is the name of a (fictional) pub set in the town of Rye, Sussex.

I loved this book - it's a well-written, good old-fashioned yarn with a tight plot. I am being frightful, I know; but I especially enjoyed the "wizard" language where the villains are "beastly", the soup is "ghastly" and where the adults are left to get on with their after-dinner smoke.

There are also some great descriptions and interesting stories about Rye and Winchelsea. I haven't been before but I'd be curious to see the real places.

I say, I'd recommend this book any time!

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite childhood reads. Sadly out of print now. Its a story of kids on holiday in the South of England, at Romney Marsh on the coast. The area is full of old smugglers caves, secret passages and anciet stone houses, and the kids get involved in several mysteries.

This is the book that sparked my lifelong love of mysteries.

The "Gay Dolphin" by the way, is the name of the small hotel that the kids stay in...

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Ballinger is easily the most fearsome, and most complex, of the Lone Piners' adverseries; Jon and Penny are my favourite of the three couples; Rye and its environs sound intriguing; and who wouldn't want to live in an old inn with a hidden room and secret tunnel? So this is one of the best Lone Pine books. The plot is, as always, slightly dubious (and once again involves the twins being kidnapped, although at least this time they have Penny for company). It's never properly explained what had led the Ballinger and her gang to be so certain that something valuable had remained hidden at the Dolphin for several hundred years (and they must have been certain - the Ballinger tries to bribe Jon with a motorbike for heaven's sake.) But the sense of place, and time, is beautifully evoked, and the main characters well-drawn, and it's an exciting adventure (very topical, too, for 2014).

[Julie Dunnett · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Lone Pine Books were some of my most beloved books from my early teens. This was at a time when teen books did not really exist and these books sit in the older children’s category. They are exciting but very dated. The young people are all regarded as children but have freedom to go around on their adventures. From these books I developed a lasting fascination with Shropshire and the Long Mynd, and Rye and the Cinque ports. Rereading these books rekindled that interest. Clearly very evocative descriptions of these places. These books belong to a more innocent time where smuggling is of watches, cigarettes and liquor. It’s a shame these books are out of print but I a, not sure whether they would suit children now

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somehow I found my way back to another Lone Pine book.
I enjoyed this much more than the Neglected Mountain; this has a bit more adventure, mystery and Famous Five vibe to it.

The first half of the book doesn't even have any Lone Pine members in it and I really enjoyed just having two central characters to concern myself with.
It was only when the Lone Pine gang turned up that I realised that the twins are really annoying twats and these books might be better off without them.

The language still jars here and there: not only with the humorous title (yes I have the sense of humour of a ten year old) but Penny insists on calling her surrogate mother "darling".
Who does that?

There is no epic story or revelations here, it is mostly Penny and Jon walking about the countryside and drinking tea.
But, strangely, I find that quite compelling and relaxing so I will probably indulge in another Lone Pine at some point.

[Greyscotty · Rating 5 out of 5]

After my almost religious annual reading of the entire Lone Pine series I decided to try a little variation for 2017. Instead of starting with #1, I thought I would pick my own favourites and read them in no particular order. This story (#3) has been widely accepted as the definitive favourite of all the books - even to the point of being voted on! After over fifty years of reading the books, I think I finally see why. As usual, Malcolm Saville includes real locations and history and, having grown up quite close to the area, I have developed a keen interest in some of these details. At the end of WWII when this edition was published there was still talk about where the Germans might have landed. Of course, it was a little like history repeating itself: think Julius Caesar! Perhaps that is why this adventure is so addictive. As a little aside, my wife and I have spent some vacations in Rye - at an old inn which I have mentioned in a previous review. If you want to take a look at my interpretation, Google an image of "The Flower Show Hat," one of Saville's short stories. I think you'll get the idea!

[Poppy Flynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I read this series as a child, it's one that I remember to this day. In fact, the stories based in Rye led me to honeymoon there in later years :)

[Gwilym Davies · Rating 3 out of 5]

A treat to read a book with my daughter that my father gave to me, and she loved it. I thought it was ok...

[Sue Law · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I prefer the Shropshire ones still. This book introduces Jon and Penny Warrender and "The Gay Dolphin", the hotel Jon's mother owns in Rye. The uncle who left the inn to his mother, also left a box of documents about smugglers and hidden treasure to Jon, so Jon and Penny start searching for the treasure and soon find they have competition.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was actually a re-read (I loved the lone pine series when I was a kid) as we were staying in Rye. It was fun to revisit the book in its home. Jenny and Tom are so lovely as characters, and Rye and Winchelsea become characters in their own right. The book held up remarkably well to the frightening number of years that have passed since I read it the first time.

[Shem · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loop

[Jen Pritchard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Penny and Jon are so fabulous! And this is my favourite Lone Pine.

[Rena · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid story with a lovely strong sense of place and a very exciting finale.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

An exciting adventure, third in the "Lone Pine' series. This book introduces the cousins Jon and Penny Warrender, searching for long-lost treasure in Rye, on the South coast of England.

This book also introduces Miss Ballinger, who appears as a villain in several of the later books too. Fast-paced and enjoyable, with excellent characterisation. Of course it seems rather old-fashioned now, over 60 years after it was published, but that's not a problem.

In 2008 it was twenty or more years since I had read this, and while I remembered some of the plot, I'd forgotten the majority. Re-reading again another twelve years later, I liked it very much yet again.

Four and a half stars would be fairer.

Longer review here: https://suesbookreviews.blogspot.com/...

[Tania · Rating 2 out of 5]

Randomly chosen from my pile(s) of books and it is book 102 of 2011 - aim 133 books in 2011

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another memorable adventure with the Lone Pine Club, enjoyed my revisit after so many years.