Review of "The Secret of the Mansion"

"I tell you, I won't go back and nobody's going to make me."

     For anyone who wishes Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys had melted together to form a tough, hardcore thirteen-year-old sleuth, Julie Campbell's Trixie Belden: The Secret of the Mansion is the book to read. Beatrix "Trixie" Belden is stuck in Sleepyside for the summer, bored to death while her two older brothers go off to camp, and she would give anything for that to change. After all, it's no fun to read comics to her brother and help Moms weed the garden all day, every day! So when Honey Wheeler, a rich girl with horses of her own, moves in next door, Trixie jumps at the chance to make a real friend. Together, the two explore the run-down mansion up at Ten Acres, which is rumored to house a hidden fortune and which Honey thinks is haunted. With the help of runaway Jim Fraye, the girls are in for the treasure hunt of their lives--unless Jim's abusive uncle finds them first.

     Trixie Belden is perhaps the coolest girl sleuth with books on the market. She's stubborn, she's adventurous, and she's not afraid to get her hands dirty. She not only longs for a horse, but is determined to earn the money herself. And when she gets a look at Jupiter, Honey's strong-willed stallion, she wants nothing more than to ride him--even though she's far too inexperienced to go near him. Trixie is a determined character who's full of spunk, and she's a hardcore tomboy, two traits that make her a great detective and a brilliant protagonist.

     The other characters are great, too. Jim is a resourceful lad with plenty of depth, and Honey is a little ridiculous but lovable all the same. Trixie's parents are rather static, as is her kid brother, but they're also good characters who lend a lot to the story. Although most of the characters don't change a whole lot over the course of the book, Honey is full of dimension and constantly surprises with the extent of her development.

     The writing style in Campbell's novel is only to be expected. Written in the same era as the aforementioned classics, Trixie's adventures are documented in a simple manner that is obviously geared toward younger readers. Characters don't curse, but merely say, "Golly!" and "Gee". This, combined with their apparent naivete in the realm of romantic relationships--thinking of dashing runaway Jim only as potential brother-material, despite their hinted attraction--lends the book a childlike air that isn't entirely unbecoming.

     If there's one thing about this story that's great, it's how the plot is presented. Other mystery stories have discoveries and clues at regular intervals, with character development and fun outings in between. Trixie and Honey, however, are not focused primarily on the money that is supposedly stashed inside the manor on the hill, but on having fun with each other and Jim, and enjoying their summer exploring the house and the estate surrounding it. Many subplots take place over the course of the story, each building up the main plot in small ways that make it even better.

     I would recommend The Secret of the Mansion, and indeed the entire Trixie Belden series, to anyone looking for a fun mystery story featuring a fun-loving, strong protagonist with great friends and some real grit beneath her bubbly shell. Although the writing is definitely not worthy of an adult book, this is not an adult novel, and the prose fits the story beautifully. The characters, however, are a little static. For adventure, resourcefulness, and a great mystery, I grant The Secret of the Mansion four stars.