Sylvia Little

Sixteen-year-old Leslie Braithwaite and her brother Gerry; nicknamed Boy, and sixteen-year-old Betty Scott and her brother John; nicknamed J. S. are getting ready to start the school term at both 'Raven Abbey School For Girls' and its counterpart: 'Friars School For Boys'. The mystery begins approximately a week before school starts, when the four friends decide to go sightseeing around the town. They happen to meet someone who they all know rather well, but who acts like he doesn't recognize them. While this chance meeting is certainly a very curious occurrence, Leslie, Boy, Betty and J. S. have no way of knowing just how much this meeting will prove to be the catalyst for a mystery that will eventually involve both Raven Abbey and Friars.

While Leslie and Betty must contend with various petty squabbles, directing the mid-term co-ed school drama, and scheduling hockey tryouts; Boy and J. S. find themselves embroiled in a strange case of possible embezzlement. Soon, Leslie and Betty are also drawn into their own investigation - that of the rumored sightings of Victoria Maitland - a former Raven Abbey student from the Class of 1899, who reputedly drowned in 1900. When a person of interest is discovered to have a ties to both Raven Abbey and Friars, Betty and Leslie must help their brothers to solve both mysteries.

I just have to say that I really enjoyed reading this book. I've had it on my bookcase for over twenty years - and despite starting to read it several times over the years - I have only managed to finish it recently. I don't know exactly what it was that caused me to spend so much time reading this book, but I still found it quite intriguing, if somewhat dated.

I did have some trouble getting into this story, as the characters nicknames were slightly strange to me, but I suppose that since this book was written in 1952 - my feelings are to be expected. Having said that, this is definitely a book that I want to keep on my bookshelf. Reading it was a pleasant trip back into my childhood and I would give this book an A!… (mer)