Fans of the Nancy Drew mysteries may not be aware of another female detective who took on mysteries and solved her fair share of crimes. The Trixie Belden series introduced the world to Trixie Belden, the schoolgirl shamus who has adventures and solves mysteries with the help of her siblings and friends.
Trixie Belden: A Girl with Spunk and Personality
Trixie is a young teen who loves her family, is fiercely loyal to her friends, and can sniff out a mystery wherever she goes. Trixie isn’t an average girl. With two older brothers to deal with, she acts like more of a tomboy, but her sidekick and best friend, Honey Wheeler is pretty enough and feminine enough for the two of them.
Trixie and Honey, along with the rest of the gang in their special club – the Bob-Whites – always stumble upon a mystery wherever they go. Any vacation with Trixie around is bound to be exciting. Though Trixie and her brothers sometimes quarrel, the Beldens and their friends are loyal and there for each other in times of trouble.
While the Nancy Drew stories succeed because of Nancy’s poise and style, the Trixie Belden books also thrive because of Trixie’s personality. Trixie, however, is not always put together like Nancy Drew was. In fact, she’s often clumsy, she struggles in school, and she sometimes says things she regrets later. In other words, she’s a girl that many people can relate to.
The Trixie Belden Set
The Trixie Belden mysteries were written from 1948 to 1986 by Julie Campbell and several ghostwriters who used the pseudonym of Kathryn Kenny. There are thirty-nine books in the series, though the last five books are difficult to find.
Fans of the series, or anyone looking to enjoy a good “girl detective” series can find the first 15 volumes through Random House. The publishing company began to release new editions of the Trixie Belden Series in 2003, though they haven’t released any new ones since 2006.
For those looking to try the series, here is a list of the first 15 books:
- #1 The Secret of the Mansion
- #2 The Red Trailer Mystery
- #3 The Gatehouse Mystery
- #4 The Mysterious Visitor
- #5 The Mystery Off Glen Road
- #6 Mystery in Arizona
- #7 The Mysterious Code
- #8 The Black Jacket Mystery
- #9 The Happy Valley Mystery
- #10 The Marshland Mystery
- #11 The Mystery at Bob-White Cave
- #12 The Mystery of the Blinking Eye
- #13 The Mystery on Cobbett’s Island
- #14 The Mystery of the Emeralds
- #15 The Mystery on the Mississippi
Those who love Nancy Drew may just find they enjoy the Trixie Belden series as well. With her tomboy antics as well as her ability to sniff out a mystery, Trixie Belden charms readers and keeps them coming back for more.
Holli Jo Ronquillo - Holli Jo Ronquillo is a freelance writer and editor who has been writing professionally for several years. Her work has appeared in The ...
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