I think I can now safely say that my little trip down Trixie memory lane is done and dusted (for now!)The Gatehouse Mystery sees Trixie, Honey and Jim safely back in Sleepyside. The summer holidays are drawing to a close and we finally meet Trixie's older brothers, Brian and Mart.
The mystery of the gatehouse is also the genesis for the 'Bob-Whites of the Glen' - the name the kids give themselves and their little group. The disused gatehouse on Honey's family property makes the perfect meeting place. But before it can be a clubhouse, the bob-whites have to solve the mystery of the lost diamond.
A sense of belonging is very strong in this book. For someone who moved around quite a bit as a kid and never felt liked they belonged anywhere, this aspect of the Trixie books was very, very appealing and satisfying.
My childhood self had also written notes inside the cover detailing all their birth dates and ages. They Bob-whites became my surrogate (book) group and I did everything possible to be a close to them as possible.
I loved the little romances that eventually developed between the various characters as the series progressed, but I always had a soft spot for Mart. His big words, snappy comebacks and cheeky, sunny, sensitive nature that could be annoying or charming in equal measure appealed to me.
My adult self was delighted to realise that I had actually married my very own Mart Belden!
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| Northern Bob-white |
In my previous Trixie post, Jean asked about the bob-white. As a kid I was so completely not interested in birds that it never even occurred to me to check out what a bob-white looked like.
Now I know!
I'm also very impressed that Jim was able to teach them all the bob-white call to use when they needed help.
It has been delightful rediscovering my love for the Trixie books. But I am now ready to hand the first three over to my niece in the hope of instilling Trixie-love into the next generation.
Trixie Belden #1 and the Secret of the Mansion
Trixie Belden #2 The Red Trailer Mystery
I am so tempted to dig my copies out from whichever cupboard they are now stashed in - some were so ratty from re-reading that I probably should have thrown them out, but that is so hard. *trying to resist*
ReplyDeleteI could NEVER throw my Trixie's out, so I'm delighted to have two nieces and a couple of goddaughters - hopefully one of them will love Trixie as much as me!
DeleteSo much fun to read these Trixie Belden posts! She was a favorite of mine, too, and I have forgotten everything except her hair (I always wanted curly hair) but your post has helped me remember some of those forgotten details, like the Bob Whites and Honey!
ReplyDeleteI suspect I will reread a few more over the next little while as my memory of how Diana and Dan join the group are a bit hazy. And I'm sure there were a few that had romantic elements to them :-)
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