The Black Thumb Mystery

Ken Holt #3

by Bruce Campbell

Ken and Sandy suspect that an innocent man, Frank Brown, was convicted of aiding a bank robbery. In fact, they gave testimony which helped convict the man. But, they think the man was framed, and they believe that the main reason for the robbery was to frame the poor man. Ken and Sandy are determined to prove he is innocent.

But why was this man framed? He is not rich, but he does have a summer house by Black Lake in Connecticut which at least one person is determined to buy. Why is this property so valuable? Was the bank robbery staged so that Frank Brown would be sent to jail and then be forced to sell his property? In the course of their investigation, Ken and Sandy become aware of an intricate plot involving kidnapping, a shady detective, and a big corporation which will do anything to grab valuable resources.

Genres: Mystery

216 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1950

About the author

Bruce Campbell is a pseudonym used by the husband-and-wife team of Sam and Beryl William Epstein for their Ken Holt mysteries.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Reviews

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ken Holt was the hero of a series of eighteen boys' mystery/adventure books that appeared from 1949-1963 and were written for the Stratemeyer Syndicate by Sam & Beryl Epstein. Ken's father was a reporter who travelled frequently and his mother died when he was very young, so Ken lives with the Allen family, owners and publishers of The Brentwood Advance newspaper. Sandy Allen becomes his best friend and companion on the adventures. This is one of the cleverest books in the series, with one of the best-plotted and compelling mysteries. Sandy and Ken have testified in a bank robbery case that led to the conviction of Frank Brown, an old family friend. They're sure he's innocent, and set off to prove it. The trail leads to Black Lake, where they encounter all manner of intrigue in the suspenseful investigation. It's a good page-turner.

[itchy · Rating 3 out of 5]

boy, did they make 'im sweat

[Ian Regan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shenanigans at Black Lake, Connecticut . . .

Frank Brown, long standing family friend of the Allens of Brentwood is convicted for his part in a bank robbery. And the testimony of Ken Holt and Sandy Allen is pivotal in the jury’s ‘guilty’ verdict. Plagued by a gut instinct that Brown is an honourable man who would never countenance breaking the law (much less committing a crime of this magnitude), Sandy Allen convinces his friend (and adoptive sibling) Ken Holt that Frank Brown must have been framed. The sudden disappearance of a key witness only adds to his conviction.

So begins the third novel in the KEN HOLT series. And this reviewer cannot underline how expertly the authors (SAM & BERYL EPSTEIN) managed to execute the plot as it unfolds, laying countless threads and then tying them together as the book speeds at knots toward the highly-satisfying ending.

In the finale, the repercussions of a trick (acknowledged in the book’s title) played by Sandy Allen are combined with a sudden revelation in the preceding chapters, leading to a tense scene in a kitchen, in which the reader is teased with the identity of the true villain ….. or is it villains?

The principal secondary characters are supremely well-developed and imbued with subtlety and nuance. The set pieces are cinematic and impressive. Again the authors admirably define the lay of the land in the book’s more important locations, requiring very little mental processing to envisage the scenery and locales.

This reviewer gives this book a resounding thumbs-up!

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series overall has been a bit of a revelation to me. I grew up on The Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, The Three Investigators, Trixie Belden, The Dana Girls. The usual. Period. Completely missed the boat on Ken Holt, Rick Brant, The Mercer Boys, Biff Brewster. Started catching up last year.

Ken Holt, as a series, so far seems a lot richer than the usual. The descriptions really put you on the scene. The characters are well-developed, at least in my mind. The action scenes are in fact thrilling. The mysteries are odd, meaning not run-of-the-mill series book standard, but well thought out. My only qualms so far are the titles are a little off. The black thumb in question here is more of a late in the game plot development of relatively minor importance. It only provides confirmation of a pre-existing suspicion. Much of the action, however, takes place at Black Lake.

Really looking forward to reading more of this series.

[Jim Razinha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this last week in a Half Price Books and as I am just recently adding the Ken Holt series to my collections, I didn’t have it already. Harder to find but much better than the Hardy boys that are ubiquitous. Target audience of 11-15 year old boys, the Epsteins writing as Bruce Campbell did fairly well with these, so far. The formula is yet to be routine. And the racist stereotypes of the day were limited to a caricature, “Old Tom”.

I did wonder at one sentence on page 76: I’m not sure how Ken could “slide under the driver seat” and start his car.

Still, a good diversion because I am fighting another Reader’s Block and I have to finish a beta read of a novel for an author friend.