The Sign of the Unicorn: A Thriller for Young People

by Mabel Esther Allan

Taking vacation in Paris to forget a broken romance? That's what Julia Conway did. And, she met Martin and Annette, brother and sister, who are entangled in an affair of blackmail, stolen paintings and murder. So, why did she help them? Why did she follow the trail to a 200-year-old haunted mansion? Will she lose her life because she was so friendly to Annette? This is an exciting read for teens.

Genres: Mystery

155 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1963

About the author

A prolific British children's author, who also wrote under the pen-names Jean Estoril, Priscilla Hagon, Anne Pilgrim, and Kathleen M. Pearcey, Mabel Esther Allan is particularly known for her school and ballet stories.

Born in 1915 at Wallasey on the Wirral Peninsula, Allan knew from an early age that she wanted to be an author, and published her first short stories in the 1930s. Her writing career was interrupted by World War II, during which time she served in the Women's Land Army and taught school in Liverpool, but the 1948 publication of The Glen Castle Mystery saw it begin to take off in earnest. Influenced by Scottish educator A.S. Neill, Allan held progressive views about education, views that often found their way into her books, particularly her school stories. She was interested in folk dance and ballet - another common subject in her work - and was a frequent traveler. She died in 1998.

Reviews

[Louise Culmer]

Eighteen year old Julia has suffered a disappointment in love, and feels like getting away from England, so she goes to Paris. Here she meets Annette and Martin, a sister and brother who are in trouble, their father is dead and his death is somehow connected with the theft of a valuable painting by Cezanne. Julia gets drawn into their problems. She also meets Anthony, an actor friend of her brother’s, who is intent on getting to know her better.
This is one of Mabel Esther Allan’s more dramatic stories, with crooks and wickedness, but the most enjoyable parts are the descriptions of Paris and Julia’s pleasure in the city, as always she excelled in conveying atmosphere.

[Rusty]

Taking vacation in Paris to forget a broken romance? That's what Julia Conway did. And, she met Martin and Annette, brother and sister, who are entangled in an affair of blackmail, stolen paintings and murder. So, why did she help them? Why did she follow the trail to a 200-year-old haunted mansion? Will she lose her life because she was so friendly to Annette? This is an exciting read for teens.

[Lisa]

Picked it up because I've read another book by this author, and it was set in Wales; opened this to a random page and saw "Wales" so I had high hopes. Nope, set in Paris, which is fine, but it's pretty formulaic and predictable, even for those of us who like 1960s YA novels. Kind of like a Nancy Drew but less fun.

[Mary Weaving]

A young girl travels alone to Paris after the break up of her romance. On the journey there she befriends another girl and gets mixed up with some shady characters.
This is a brief outline of the story. It's not one of the best novels from Mabel Esther Allan, but it's an entertaining read.
Where this book shines is in the wonderful description of Paris, it made me want to drop everything and book a holiday there on the spot!

[Reading with Cats]

This was fun, but the MMC kind of creeped me out.