Oval Paperback 1980

Square paperback 1986

 

Just then Jim pulled up in the Bob-White station wagon.  He got out of the car and walked over to the girls, his gaze fastened on Laura Ramsey.

Honey introduced her brother to Laura, and he ran around to hold the front passenger door open for Laura, while Trixie and Honey climbed into the backseat.  Then he loaded the bicycles in the back of the car.

Jim drove first to Crabapple Farm, where he unloaded Trixie's bike and said a quick good-bye to her.

"We'll call you tomorrow as soon as we know when the detective will be here," Honey promised Trixie.

Trixie nodded silently and stood, holding her bike, as the station wagon pulled away.  A feeling of jealousy was churning in her stomach.  It was bad enough that Laura was staying at Manor House, where she and Honey would share conversations that Trixie would only find out about secondhand.

But the worst part, Trixie knew, was the immediate interested attention Laura had received from Jim Frayne.

The Mystery of the Missing Millionaire  (p. 64-65)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title :
Trixie Belden and the Mystery of the Missing Millionaire

Author :
Kathryn Kenny
The ghost writer of this book is thought to be Laura French

First Published :
1980

Chapter Titles :
1.  A Find!
2.  Mr Lytell Calls
3.  Laura's Story
4.  Mysterious Mart
5.  A Real Detective
6.  A Spy! 
7.  Trixie Trespasses
8.  The Green Car Returns
9.  Trixie Answers Questions
10. McGraw Asks for Help
11. Jumping to Conclusions
12. The Getaway
13. Trixie's Reward

Setting :
Sleepyside, New York

Synopsis :
When Trixie and Honey find a wallet on Glen Road, the become entwined in a mystery of the missing millionaire as his daughter, Laura captures their sympathy for her plight.  Mr Lytell loans Laura two thousand dollars to hire a detective and Trixie and Honey are excited by the prospect of working with a detective, but Trixie can't help feeling jealous of the attention Jim is giving Laura.  Trixie struggles to push her jealousy aside and concentrate on the mystery, but are her true feelings confusing the situation or is there really a reason to dislike Laura Ramsey?

Characters : 
Trixie Belden
Jim Frayne - adopted son of the Wheeler's
Honey Wheeler - Trixie's best friend
Brian Belden - Trixie's eldest brother
Mart Belden - Trixie's "almost twin" brother
Helen Belden - Trixie's mother
Peter Belden - Trixie's father
Bobby Belden - Trixie's six year old brother
Diana Lynch - a Bob-White and neighbour
Dan Mangan - a Bob-White and Regan's nephew
Mr Lytell - owner of the local store
Miss Trask - Honey's governess and manager of the Manor House
Laura Ramsey - the daughter of the missing millionaire
Mark McGraw - the detective hired by Laura to find her father
Burt Anderson - a detective

Villains :
Laura Ramsay and Mark McGraw are con artists who intended to trick Mr Lytell out of his money and have a string of victims behind them.

Points of Interest:
The book opens with Trixie riding Lady, a 'small black mare' (p. 13).  But Trixie usually rides Susie, the small black mare, and Lady is a dapple-gray mare.  Honey usually rides Lady, but instead she is riding Strawberry.

The book is set in August and the other Bob-Whites play a small role in this book.

Trixie reveals to the census taker that Peter Belden is 39, Helen is 37, Brian is 17, Mart is 15, Trixie is 14 and Bobby is 6 (p. 146-147).

There is another mystery in this book regarding Mart's strange behaviour.  He gets involved in a mail order scheme to make models for money, in the hope of helping to pay his own way through college.  Trixie is sceptical but doesn't shoot down his dreams.  He comes down to earth quickly when his models are rejected and the scenario acts as an interesting analogy with the main mystery.