the Ginny Gordon seriesGinny Gordon is the heroine in this series of mystery books for adolescent girls published by the Whitman Publishing Company. The books were written by Julie Campbell Tatham, writing as Julie Campbell; she also wrote the original volumes of the Trixie Belden series (beginning in 1948) for Whitman. The Ginny Gordon series is very similar to the Trixie Belden books. In many ways, the Ginny Gordon books can be seen as less-well developed versions of the Trixie Belden series. Ginny is 14 years old and lives in Westchester County, New York. The Ginny Gordon books begin in the fall of the year after school has started. Ginny's best friend is Lucy Tryon, who was a new girl in town, but her arrival took place before the first book opened. At some date before the opening of the series, Ginny, Lucy, and John Blaketon-Ginny's love interest-and his thirteen-year-old twin cousins Whiz and Babs Reilly formed a secret club, the Hustlers. Ginny loves a mystery, although Lucy is a reluctant partner. John Blaketon was the older (at fifteen), more mature, and cautious voice of reason, trying to keep Ginny out of trouble. Whiz Reilly is mostly making fun of Ginny. |
The Books
1: "Ginny Gordon and the Disappearing Candlesticks" (1948) For Sale
The Hustlers start a swap shop as a money-making project, but have to deal with the disappearance of Ginny's Great-Aunt Betsy's heirloom silver candlesticks, and along the way tackle a jewel thief.
2: "Ginny Gordon and the Missing Heirloom" (1950) For Sale
The Hustlers still have the swap shop, but now it is old Mrs. Arnold's pin that is missing. Ginny finds that the plot is not just about a pin, but a scheming woman's plan to take over all of Mrs. Arnold's estate.
3: "Ginny Gordon and the Mystery of the Old Barn" (1951) For Sale
The Hustlers have sold the swap shop to Joe Dakor, and their new project is a snack barn as a hangout for young people. The plot here, dealing with two criminals who had a falling out, is similar to the third Trixie Belden book, The Gatehouse Mystery. Here, though, it is not a diamond, but cash money that is left behind. One sub-plot deals with the arrival of "Lochinvar," a "hillbilly" (not yet rock and roll or country and western) singer who performs at the Harristown Inn (drawing the teen-aged crowd away from the Hustlers' snack barn).
4: "Ginny Gordon and the Lending Library" (1954) For Sale
The Hustlers latest project is a subscription lending library. Mystery develops as someone keeps trying to steal a popular novel.
5: "Ginny Gordon and the Broadcast Mystery" (1956) For Sale
There are several plots in this, but no real criminal activity. The Hustlers are having a used book sale at their lending library when a rare and valuable book of Mrs. Arnold's is mistakenly donated. When Mrs. Arnold attempts to recover the book, all the Hustlers are certain they did not sell it, but it cannot be found. Ginny tries to solve the mystery of the missing book, while other mysteries abound: the identity of a bitter young woman who moves to Harristown, all the pranks and confusion at the lending library. The whole time, Ginny is trying to organize a radio book-chat for teenagers that the local radio station asks her to do.