“The loneliest place on Earth.” That’s how the first keeper of the
Presque Isle Lighthouse in my hometown of Erie, PA, described his post,
and in The Mystery on Cobbett’s Island, the thirteenth book in
the Trixie Belden series, teen sleuth Trixie postulates that the keeper
of the lighthouse there would feel the same way. “You know you’d get
bored stiff after the first week without your friends,” she tells her
friend Diana, who romanticizes the position. But solitude is one thing
Trixie needn’t fear during her sojourn on Cobbett’s Island, a quiet
fishing village that reminds me of Passamaquoddy, the quaint town that
serves as the setting for Pete’s Dragon.
That’s because
she has not only Diana but her older brothers, verbose Mart and
responsible Brian, and her neighbors, demure Honey Wheeler and
resourceful Jim Frayne, to share her vacation. In fact, the trip comes
courtesy of Honey’s parents, who have rented a summer house on Cobbett’s
Island. Six of the seven Bob-Whites, the club that also includes former
gang member Dan Mangan, will have ten days to relax, soaking up the sun
and surf in what even Trixie hopes will be a true vacation, free from
any preoccupying mysteries.
“Well, I think my girl deserves a
vacation, and the boys too,” Mr. Belden says warmly when he finds out
about the invitation, since apparently we are not supposed to think of
Trixie having just returned from a vacation in New York, and a vacation
in the Ozarks before that. At any rate, despite the fun of those trips,
the stress level was high throughout. What the Bob-Whites need is a
chance to simply kick back and enjoy themselves. And despite stumbling
upon yet another mystery – and missing one of their members – this feels
like about the most laid-back vacation the Bob-Whites could ask for.
The
mood in this book is just so carefree. Mart and Brian swap quips with a
wit and frequency unseen since they first showed up in The Gatehouse Mystery,
and banter in general is at a high level. I found myself laughing out
loud several times per chapter. I smiled, too, at the twitterpation that
emerged in this idyllic oasis. Jim and Trixie, already thick as
thieves, are practically inseparable – and the new bathing suit Trixie
uncharacteristically needs causes quite a stir. Diana takes turns
batting her eyes at Mart and local boy Peter, who becomes a fast friend
to the sextet - and appears to have his eye on Trixie. And my favorite
couple, Brian and Honey, whose mutual regard has been understated and
rarely hinted at in previous volumes, seem to spend half the book
flirting with each other.
The teens swim together; they learn
the basics of sailing and experience the rush of racing; they gorge on a
clambake feast and listen in rapt wonder as a salty sea dog spills his
tales of the open water. The mystery this time feels more like a
treasure hunt, with pieces of the puzzle leading them gradually to a
thrilling prize; a ruffian skulks about but rarely comes into contact
with the friends, and when he does, he’s one of the least intimidating
villains to plague the Bob-Whites yet. Even getting stranded while
boating and having to wait for rescue from the Coast Guard feels more
like an exciting adventure than a fearful experience. The
ever-industrious Bob-Whites take over for a wounded groundskeeper, help
repair a battered gazebo and serve guests at a tea party, but even when
they’re hard at work, it’s clear that they’re having the time of their
lives.
Little is known about the individuals who wrote the last
33 volumes in the Trixie Belden series under the name Kathryn Kenny, but
whoever penned this tale obviously knew her stuff. The book just
bubbles over with exuberance and affection. I get the sense that, free
from any truly pressing concerns or responsibilities, they are able to
be more themselves than ever before. The characterization feels spot-on,
and the dialogue particularly sparkles.
It’s a shame that Dan
is excluded yet again; I can’t help feeling like a lot of writers didn’t
really know what to do with him so they just wrote him out of the
story. But Peter is a great new character, as is his kind-hearted
mother; the grateful groundskeeper Elmer, upon whom Brian has a chance
to demonstrate his medical expertise; competitive sailor Cap; grizzled
Captain Clark; and bubbly baker Ethel, among others. Additionally,
readers are likely to pick up a bit of nautical knowledge as they wind
their way through this story, and maybe another random factoid or two as
well. For instance, did you know that “Blitzen” is German for
“Lightning”? I didn’t!
I also didn’t know just how untroubled a
Trixie trip could be until this book. Every one of the Bob-Whites’
outings has sounded like a blast, but The Mystery on Cobbett’s Island
seems just a notch above the rest. In fact, in the words of Honey,
who’s rarely wrong about these sorts of things… I would say it’s
perfectly perfect.
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