SOLVED. Children or YA mystery about an old house and a missing rose that was to be paid as rent [s]

[Kris]

I read this sometime in the late 70's or very early 80's and it was far from a new book then, so I suspect it was written in the 1950s or 60s. Spoiler alert because really all I can remember is the conclusion to the mystery.

A family moves into an old house in England. I know there are at least two children, probably a boy and girl. At one time the house had been rented out for one red rose delivered yearly, I think. At some point in the past, a child/young person (Boy maybe) had been dispatched to deliver the rose but never made it to his destination and scandal ensued. In the modern world, the children are enthralled by the mystery and start poking around looking for clues.

Somehow events conspire and I think someone falls into cavern or hole on the property. I have the mental image of a wall associated with the discovery of a preserved rose and possibly the body of the child(boy?) who was supposed to deliver it.

I know the book is NOT "The Rose Rent" by Ellis Peters.

[Kris]

Mother always said I ask the tough questions! Hopefully someone has the answer someday...

[Kris]

I wish I could remember more of it...

[Danielle]

Do you think it could have been a fairytale retelling, because since someone is asking for something out of the ordinary like a rose I immediantely think of the random requests that are made in fairytales (cinderella:twig; beauty and the beast: rose). I don't know if this helps but it might.

[Kris]

No it wasn't a fairytale retelling...me at that age wouldn't have touched a fairytale for the world! hahahaha

No it was a mystery set in the modern world somewhere between the 1950s and 1970.

[Danielle]

Oh well I thought it might help. best of luck finding it.

[Kris]

Thank you!

[Angela]

Hi Kris, I've also been searching for your book, but so far the only thing I've been able to come up with is that a rose paid for rent seems to be an old English custom and is referred to as "quit-rent". I wish I had more information for you, hopefully it will turn up one day.

[Kris]

YAY! That means I didn't imagine the book! hahahaha

[Diana]

I can't find out much about it, but Death Is a Red Rose seems to fit the time period.

[Kris]

MUCH to recent...

I read this one in the 70's and it wasn't a new book then.

[Kris]

Diana wrote: "I can't find out much about it, but Death Is a Red Rose seems to fit the time period."


Oh I see... Goodreads listed the book as copyrighted in 1993 but Amazon says 1970.

No I'm certain it wasn't that one. I think Dorothy Eden wrote romances and at age 10 or so I would NOT have been caught alive much less read reading a romance.

The book I am looking for was definitely written for children/young adults. The main characters are preteen or early teens, as was the boy killed in the past.

[Jennifer]

I wonder if that's the same book I'm looking for.

Was it a Blue rose? I don't remember the rose as rent though. Otherwise it sounds similar. The 2 protagonists sneak onto the landlord's property and find old toys in the hollow of a tree?

I can't help with the title, if it's the same book I'm looking for, but if you figure it out, let me know please!!

[Kris]

I don't think it was.

The one book I remember about blue roses talked about putting white roses in food coloring to turn them blue. hmmm I wonder what that book was?

[Kris]

Bump

[Kris]

Bump

[Kris]

*peers around shiftily*

[Pogue]

Kris, I do hope that you find this one. I want to read it.

[Cheryl]

Actually, according to WorldCat (which is considered a reliable source), Death is a Red Rose was originally published way back in 1956.

Please, if you find errors, or even something you think might be an error, in the goodreads catalog, report it. Best in the librarian's group and best if you have more data (eg the link to the book page in worldcat or the author's page), but even if you just draw our attention to it here that will help us make GR a better place.

(& now I'm off to fix it)

[Kris]

If I did that I'd never get any reading done.. seriously

[Kris]

Wishful thinking???

[Cheryl]

bumping is good, as we do get new members regularly. I'm glad you're not giving up!

[Nairabell]

Kris wrote: "Wishful thinking???"

Nah - it happens. I had a book solved after over a year waiting. Sadly I can't help with this one though :(

[Ann aka Iftcan]

And I had one after almost 3 years. So just hang in there and keep on plugging. :o)

[Kris]

Two men walk into a bar...

the third ducks and bumps the thread

[Kris]

bump

[Kris]

*Boots thread in the butt*

[Ann aka Iftcan]

ok Kris, you definately have an "interesting" way of bumping your thread. Hoping that this is ID'ed since I think I'd like to read it too.

[Kris]

Thanks! Err I think....

[Kris]

What did the scarecrow say as he fell down the stairs?

Bump

Bump

Bump

[Andria]

Kris, I just want to tell you that your "bumps" are so hilarious, they have made this thread and your request very memorable...so I am always keeping an eye out for a book that meets this description!

[Kris]

Thank you!

I try to make it fun...

[Ann aka Iftcan]

Sigh, I do wish we could get this ID'ed as it will go onto my TBR mountain--altho I think that its now reaching the point of being an entire RANGE of mountains--maybe the Alps . . . .

[Kris]

*peers over at her own mountain chain... maybe the Himalayas* Yeah, I hear you...

[Kitty]

feel like mines the size of mount Olympus on mars.

[Andria]

Ok, this is a super long shot, especially since I can't find any plot summaries for this book, but perhaps The Old Monk's House Mystery. Since the rose rent thing seems to be historically associated with monasteries, maybe??

[Kris]

I fould a copy for sale in the US, however at 25 bucks I'm not going to blindly purchase it. So I have asked the seller if they'd mind typing up the blurb for me.

Thanks Andria!

[Kris]

Well I heard back from the bookseller and they sent me a scan of the cover blurb. It seem familiar, now I just need to decide if I want to pay 31 dollars for a maybe...

Should we do a timeshare since I've found only one copy and three people at least now want to read it? :D

[Andria]

Kris, I will see if I can get a copy through inter-library loan at work. That way we can verify the plot, at least.

[Kris]

Oh please! Thanks!

[Cheryl]

Ooh, and then (if you get it) we can get the GR book record updated too. :)

[Andria]

Bad news, y'all. My interlibrary loan request was denied. There aren't any copies of that book to be found in any of the participating library systems. Sorry!

[Kris]

Ahh well then, not a surprise since it is so old. Well I will decide in the next day or two whether to buy this one I found or not.

[Andria]

I just wish we could find more information about it. Too bad the bookseller wont read it and give you a decent summary before you decide to buy :)

I'll poke around a bit more, see if I can dig up anything. Doubtful, but I'll try.

[Kris]

Yeah, well it's okay. Thanks for your efforts!

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Found a pic of the cover, I don't know if that helps at all.

[Kris]

Yeah I have that. The seller scanned the cover and one flap for me. It's just so long ago, I can't be certain if it is the right one

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

There's a copy at the Zentralbibliothek Zürich, maybe you can fit that into your travel plans or something.

[Kris]

Uh yeah...

The 31 dollars to the US seller would be cheaper

[Ann aka Iftcan]

I too tried to get a copy through InterLibrary Loans. There IS a copy in Boston--but they won't lend it out. Sorry. Still, if you are close to Boston. . .