Customer Reviews

The Mystery on the Mississippi (Trixie Belden)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Mr. Wheeler is taking a business trip to St. Louis, and he's invited the Bob-Whites to come along. Naturally, they are all thrilled at the chance to take a trip. Even Dan gets to come this time around, while poor Diana is left out of the fun.

They've just arrived at their hotel when the trouble starts, however. The previous occupant of Trixie and Honey's room, Pierre Lontard, left behind a briefcase and some papers. When he returns, he snatches up the briefcase but leaves behind the papers in the trashcan. Trixie is convinced they are important, so sticks them in her purse.

The Bob-Whites have a full itinerary planned for their few days in the area. They want to take a cruise on the Mississippi and can't miss visiting Mark Twain country just up the road in Hannibal. But wherever they go, danger seems to follow. There's a suspicious new cook on the boat with them. They get stranded in Cairo, Missouri. And Trixie faces danger in a pool. Is Lontard following them? What do the mysterious symbols on the papers really mean?

I must admit to having mixed reactions to this book. Part of me still considers it a favorite. It was my introduction to Trixie and her friends, a series I am still reading and rereading almost 20 years later. The friendships are strong and the characters great fun to be around. And the constant danger appealed to the 13 year old who first read this book. I couldn't put it down, devouring it in a day or two thanks to the easy to read writing style. Even now, knowing the full story, it grips me.

But when I set nostalgia aside, I can recognize the flaws. Mr. Wheeler acts completely irresponsible. I don't know any adult who would continue to let these kids be in constant danger like this. The characters are not well rounded like they are in other books in the series. Here, they sometimes come off as whiney brats, which is probably a more accurate portrayal of teens then the others first characters they usually are. Finally, while the fast paced plot appealed to a teenage boy, it could easily frighten the intended audience of pre-teen girls. While ultimately there is a happy ending, this is easily one of the darker and more harrowing books in the series.

Originally written in 1965, this book does show its age. The famous St. Louis Arch hadn't been built yet, so naturally the Bob-Whites don't visit it. Space exploration was a huge topic, so that and airplane development are mentioned several times in the book. While I did notice the absence of the Arch as a kid, I didn't think anything was out of the ordinary with the other stuff. Ultimately, it should hold up just fine today.

Even with the long list of faults, I can't help but like this book. While not the strongest in the series, it is entertaining.

Updating a series of books written in the 1950's & 1960's so kids today can "relate"? Then why not update The Little House series, Tom Sawyer and Little Women? While were at it, how about Judy Blume books? Have you read some of her books lately? Dated yes, but still relevant YES!
I read Trixie Belden books as a young reader in the 1980's and was not at all confused or put off by the way they spoke, acted or used the phone. If you want to label it historical fiction, so be it. God forbid our children learn about history.

Although the book started out a little slow, the last half was heart-gripping! I loved it, as an avid mystery reader. Although a bit old-fashioned, Trixie Belden is a wonderful character.

Honeys' father takes Trixie and the Bob-Whites with him on a business trip to Missouri, where they will be visiting the space center. Whilst in the hotel room, Trixie finds some papers in the waste basket that look like illegal plans, and a mysterious man tries to demand them back. The man follows Trixie and the gang on a journey on the Mississippi and through Tom Sawyer territory. Again it has plenty of references to American history from an earlier perspective.

In this reissue of the 1965 edition, the bibliography page flatly states "the text has not been updated to reflect current attitudes and beliefs." As an avid reader of the Trixie Belden series circa 1965, I find this book too archaic for modern readers, myself included. Should it be labeled 'historical fiction'? Fathers wear traditional business suits, characters speak in full sentences and are overly polite, and telephone calls are excrutiatingly cumbersome to make--what if the phone in the hotel lobby is out of order? This is a group of mystery-solving friends who call themselves the Bob-Whites, but, frankly, there are too many friends and siblings and not enough descriptors for readers to keep a clear identity of everyone in their heads. The reader will be groaning over antiquated expressions while waiting for the mystery to finally peak. There is danger in the denoument, however, and that is the saving grace of this story. For all the 'goody-goody' of the characters and the writing, the danger the kids face is life-threateningly real. That will make this book a worthwhile read, but except for the nostalgia of their parent, I have not seen any kid interested in reading this series.