The Riddle Of The Lonely House

by Augusta Huiell Seaman

"If you hear me tap three times, let me in as quick as you can"! Alan disappears, leaving Pete and his sister Chris alone in the darkness of the deserted house. What is the secret of the old mansion? Why has the missing document never been found? What does it all mean - the strange footprint, the broken door, the sound of footsteps in the empty house?

Genres: Mystery, Middle Grade, Fiction, Childrens

116 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1935

About the author

Augusta Huiell Seaman (1879-1950) was an American author of children's literature. She graduated from Normal College in New York City in 1900 and went on to teach elementary school. Following her marriage in 1906, she devoted her time to writing children's books. While living in Island Beach, Augusta held various offices in the local government, including Borough clerk, Tax Collector, and Borough Registrar. Her works include: Jacqueline of the Carrier Pigeons (1910), The Boarded up House (1915), The Slipper Point Mystery (1919), The Dragon's Secret (1921), The Mystery at Number Six (1922), The Edge of Raven Pool (1924), The Charlemonte Crest (1930) and The Vanishing Octant Mystery (1949).

Reviews

[C. (Comment, never msg). · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Riddle Of The Lonely House” by Augusta Huiell Seaman, originally entitled “The Strange Pettingill Puzzle”, is a very pleasant novel! Second-hand literature is a treasure, in discovering wonderful authors out of print before our time. To ensure many more know them, I reference them at Goodreads, Amazon, WordPress and will give some to my niece and nephew. This one entails my very favourite kind of mystery, in which there is no crime; purely a veritable mystery: in this case, about a grand house hidden deep in trees!

Chris is summering at a beach with her brother, Pete. A short walk from their parents’ rented cottage, is a very fascinating boy and sweet Mother in a boathouse. Commendable for 1935 is a proud, single parent scenario. Alan’s Father is deceased and the manor hidden a short distance in the woods is his parents’. It’s in disuse while his wife and son made do with a tiny beached boathouse; even though his parents’ estate was intended for him, and despite an estranged son long gone to Europe. The brother disputed it and with their parents’ will misplaced; bequeathing it was frozen. Alan’s Mother allows the children to explore the house and suspense shrouds readers after they can see someone has been there.

The hallmark of a gifted author is sprinkled around a story in unique detailing, setting her cast of characters apart and making her stories memorable. For example, Alan is a naturalist who teaches his city pals about birds. They notice a symmetrically unaccounted for window, during the rare opportunity to watch a Flycatcher building her nest. An ocean coasted by dense trees makes an alluring atmosphere, as new friends search old rooms for a document; tiptoeing on the alert for a unknown party! I cherish adventures like these.

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was written in the 1930's and it is full of the way people talked and behaved then. It was very entertaining.

The mystery was great. I wish I could find more innocent mysteries that leave me wondering what is going on without their being a horrible murder as the plot. The children are trying to find out where a will is, how a bird makes its nest, who the intruder is, and finally where the hidden window was. All of it wrapped its pieces together and was very satisfying.

Also I learned about another bird that I never knew existed, and found out lots about their behavior.

This book is the reason I love library book sales. You never know what treasures you will find.

[Rodney Haydon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recently purchased a large lot of vintage Scholastic books off of eBay, and this was the first one I decided to read. A wonderful story of three kids investigating an old house, and the secret it contains about who actually owns the place.

[David Ivester · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love these kid mysteries, they got me reading when I was in the fifth grade (and now I am 62) and used to order TAB books from the Arrow Book Club at school. I have been buying back a few of late just for nostalgia's sake.

[Sharon Buxton · Rating 3 out of 5]

C+. fiction, children's fiction, grade 4, ocean shore, abandoned house, from stash, discard

[Lynda Macken · Rating 3 out of 5]

The setting is Island Beach State Park, NJ.