Book 17 - The Mystery of the Uninvited Guest

From the back of the book - "When Trixie could stand the waiting no longer, she went after Bobby. The instant she opened the kitchen door she was grabbed. She just had time to scream before a voice growled, "shut up, or you've had it!". A hand was clamped over her mouth..."




So, book 17 was one of my favorites the first time around and it's easy to see why again this time. This book picks up a few weeks after the last (though they were published 7 years apart) with Juliana and Hans' wedding fast approaching. Aside from the fact the Bob-Whites are all involved with the wedding, Trixie has more stress on her mind when her cousin Hallie arrives. Trixie and Hallie haven't seen each other for years and they didn't get along as kids and Trixie has those memories foremost in her mind. At first Trixie is really not nice to Hallie at all, for no other reason than their childhood rivalry. But Trix is a good person at heart and eventually Hallie and her become friends.

The mystery this time has to do with a gang of thieves. They rob the Lynch family and several others and the wedding, with it's presents seems a likely target. Then there's the fact that Juliana's engagement ring disappears, only to be found in Dan's stuff! It looks like Dan may be slipping back onto old ways, especially when it's found out that his old gang is hanging around. Poor Dan can't even defend his honor because he goes missing once the ring is discovered. And then there's "Miss Ryks" a wheelchair bound elderly lady who insists on being invited to the wedding, though no one seems to be able to work out if she's friends with Hans' family or Juliana's. Add to all this that poor Bobby seems to be out of sorts and food keeps disappearing from the Belden house and it's got the makings of a fun mystery.

All of the Bob-Whites are there this time and all of them have some sort of contribution to the story and mystery, even if it's small. Bobby even plays a decent part in this one and Hallie is one of my favorite honorary Bob-Whites so the characters this time around make me smile :)

The bad guys are also different this time, it's not just Dan's gang but Oliver Toliver/Miss Ryks and their workings aren't your average villains. Of course, you'd think the adults, particularly sergeant Mollison would have seen through the disguise. But it's a mystery for younger people, of course the young characters are going to be the heroes.

The obvious interest between Dan and Hallie is cool, because they're two of my favorites, ok, I admit, I often wished I was Hallie in my younger days, lol! I wish The next book had've kept Hallie around but we don't get to see her again until The Sasquatch Mystery :(

I really got emotionally involved in this book more than others. I felt for poor Bobby, worried about Dan and then Hallie when they disappeared, was filled with joy for Juliana and Hans and felt all gooey over Dan and Hallie and Jim and Trixie :)

All in all it was a favorite the first read and now, all these years later, the Mystery of the Uninvited Guest is still a favorite, it always will be :)

The next book is the Phantom Grasshopper the only thing I ever remember about it is the grasshopper is a weather vane. BUT! Before I read book 18, I think I might take a break and read the first Mystery Quiz Book :). I'm going to include a review of it in this blog too. See you here for that :)

<3