Customer Reviews

Mystery of the Waterloo Bagpipes

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My daughter is thirteen years old. For the past two days she's been talking about this book she just read. To see what all the excitement was about I picked it up and began reading. I'm glad I did. It's been a long time since I read a "young adult" book, but this "Mystery of the Waterloo Bagpipes" really kept me interested all the way through to the exciting end. I really liked the story line about the old pipes, and being a history buff, was fascinated with the description of the events surrounding the battle at Waterloo. The small town, set in late summer, gave the story a warm, cozy feeling as did the friendship between the kids. Having a daughter, I was very glad to see the character "Spike" interact so well with her friends and ultimately take a stand and demonstrate her bravery, along with the boys, during the final confrontation with the evil Simon Gein. And the dog MacKenzie. . .I loved her! She gives new meaning to the word "spunk". This is really a great read for kids as well as adults. A wonderful ending. It has the word "movie" written all over it.

Just finished reading this book. Really enjoyed it. Brought back warm, personal memories of good friends and growing up in a small, rural town back in the fifties. I had a dog just like MacKenzie. Reminded me of the movie "Stand By Me." Loved the stuff about bagpipes. Very interesting. Would definitely recommend.

This book could have been written in the 50's - it is so filled with great family values. The children are truly engaging and the relationship they have with their parents is exemplary, and the friendship they have with each other leaves one longing for the days before school-age violence. Don's descriptive writing allows one to see the environs quite beautifully, and I found myself wanting to purchase a home on their street, where I could be one of the neighbors, and enjoy the fair with them. I laughed and I cried with this book - the mystery itself was a great "yarn," as it ends with the "good guys" winning. Thanks. Don for the great read - get back to that desk now, and give us a sequel.

The only reason I bought this book was because the unique title and the cover design intrigued me. Once I started reading, though, I was hooked and found it very difficult to put down. I loved the Prologue and enjoyed watching the main characters develop and literally grow on you. If I ever get a dog, it'll have to be like MacKenzie, the lovable beagle whom I literally cheered through to the very end of the story. The Simon Gein character was evil from the moment he was introduced and fortunately, for the sake of the story, found absolutely NO redeeming qualities whatsoever, except at the very end when he came face-to-face with his own nemesis and decided, rightly so, that common-sense was the best part of valor. The piping is great (I never knew about the Cape Breton "community pipers") and I enjoyed the band practice and the newspaper interview where the fascinating story of piper Kenneth MacKay of the 79th Cameron Highlanders was described with such interesting details. Very enjoyable. Since I finished the book I can't stop thinking about MacKay's pipes. Are they still in existance in some dark attic corner somewhere? The whole concept of the book has whetted my interest. The book was well written and I especially liked the fast-paced cutting from scene to scene that made the climax so exciting. I honestly could not put the book down. If you like a good, straight-forward mystery that's not bogged down with numerous side-plots and convoluted characters, this is the book for you. It's full of nostalgia, history, piping, good friends, serious enemies and a great little dog. I highly recommend it. A real page turner.

In 1957 Jamie Murdoch and his friends are getting ready to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their town's annual Scottish Highland Games. An old set of historic bagpipes are brought in to be put on display as a drawing card for the Games, but not long after their arrival, they're stolen. Jamie and the gang take it upon themselves to try and rescue the purloined pipes and from that point on the excitement grows. This book seems to be written with a younger audience in mind but I will say that I passed my young adult stage years ago and this story kept me glued to the page until the exciting climax. The characters were believable, the bagpiping and military history was very interesting (I especially liked the Prologue and the chapter describing of the event the story is based upon,) and the antics of the brave little beagle literally kept me cheering until the very end. I actually had a tear in my eye when I closed the book. If you're looking for a fast-paced, exciting tale to while away the time, this is the book. And if you like the bagpipes, this should be mandatory reading. This is a great book for both young and old alike. I'd highly recommend it and hope that the author will consider the merits of a sequal.

"Mystery of the Waterloo Bagpipes" takes place in Fairvale, Ohio. It's 1957 and the town is preparing to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its annual Scottish Highland Games. A set of old military bagpipes that were played at the battle of Waterloo in 1815 are placed on display in honor of the event. However, one stormy night, before the Games commence, the valuable pipes are stolen! Jamie Murdoch and his friends, all members of the Fairvale Highland Pipes and Drums, set out to solve the mystery. What they encounter is an exciting adventure which causes them to come face to face with a dangerous enemy, risking their lives to rescue the priceless pipes!

This story was exciting, scary, but also funny! The characters are believable and likeable, with the villain being sufficiently revolting and dangerous. Donald also incorporates his knowledge of bagpiping history into his story, making it an exciting and historically interesting read.

For those of you who have read and enjoyed "Mystery of the Waterloo Bagpipes," be advised that the saga continues with the recently published sequel "The Secret of Lightning Ridge." This new novel, set two years later admidst a treasure hunt, re-introduces the original characters and brings the story to an exciting and unexpectedly gruesome conclusion. A "must read" for those who enjoyed the original tale. Also, consider for your summer reading "Calvin Hemingway's Diary - A Novel" by the same author. It's a story about a young thirteen year old boy who is torn between being an author like his famous namesake or a small-town funeral home embalmer like his father. "Hysterical. Like reading Holden Caulfield on a sugar-high."The Secret of Lightning Ridge Calvin Hemingway's Diary: A Novel

As the great heat of summer continues to drag on I was looking for something to read that would allow me to just sit back and be entertained and not have to concern myself with whiny social issues or involved character sketches. "Mystery of the Waterloo Bagpipes" is just what the doctor ordrerd. A straight forward, no-nonsense tale that promises nothing more than entertainment. And that it does on one big scale. I really enjoyed it. The characters were great (I could see a lot of myself as a kid in Norman) and the dog MacKenzie was one tough little beagle. I liked the bagpiping stuff (who doesn't at least find them interesting?) and the historical military aspects were fascinating. A question that is still sticking in my mind after reading this great little story is, "Where are the MacKay pipes now? Do they actually exist somewhere?" The author doesn't say (maybe an addendum would have been a nice addition.) Be that as it may, the story does not suffer from lack of information, interest or excitement. If you're looking for some great summer reading that does what it sets out to do (i.e. entertain), this is the book. Once it gets rolling, it's difficult to put down. Take my word, you will not be disappointed.

Courageous little boys and a feisty little girl are aided by a brave little beagle. Mystery of the Waterloo Bagpipes is a must read for the whole family and everyone who loves bagpiping and a bit of Scottish history!

Takes me back to the days when kids could play in the woods protected only by the sheltering oaks....sometimes. A great little mystery!