Mary Louise Solves a Mystery

L. Frank Baum (1856 - 1919)

The Bluebird Books is a series of novels popular with teenage girls in the 1910s and 1920s. The series was begun by L. Frank Baum using his Edith Van Dyne pseudonym, then continued by at least three others, all using the same pseudonym. Baum wrote the first four books in the series, possibly with help from his son, Harry Neal Baum, on the third.

The books are concerned with adolescent girl detectives— a concept Baum had experimented with earlier, in The Daring Twins (1911) and Phoebe Daring (1912). The Bluebird series began with Mary Louise, originally written as a tribute to Baum's favorite sister, Mary Louise Baum Brewster. Baum's publisher, Reilly & Britton, rejected that manuscript, apparently judging the heroine too independent. Baum wrote a new version of the book; the original manuscript is lost.

The title character is Mary Louise Burrows. In this, the third book of the series, Mary Louise and her Grandfather happen upon a mysterious pair of Americans whilst travelling in Italy. Jason Jones is a failed artist, and his companion is his daughter, Alora, an heiress. When the girl is kidnapped, truths stemming back to the time of her parents' marriage are brought to light by Mary Louise and her friend Josie O'Gorman. (Summary by Wikipedia and Sibella Denton)

Genre(s): General Fiction, Detective Fiction

Language: English

Section Chapter Reader Time
Play 01 01 - Doctor and Patient Sibella Denton
00:17:28
Play 02 02 - Mother and Daughter Sibella Denton
00:05:55
Play 03 03 - Alora's Father Sibella Denton
00:08:04
Play 04 04 - Alora's New Life Sibella Denton
00:11:03
Play 05 05 - In the Studio Sibella Denton
00:11:53
Play 06 06 - Flitting Sibella Denton
00:09:18
Play 07 07 - Mary Louise Intrudes Sibella Denton
00:08:01
Play 08 08 - Mary Louise Meets Alora Sibella Denton
00:07:37
Play 09 09 - Mary Louise Scents a Mystery Sibella Denton
00:03:56
Play 10 10 - Mere Speculation Sibella Denton
00:05:27
Play 11 11 - Alora Speaks Frankly Sibella Denton
00:10:33
Play 12 12 - Jason Jones is Frightened Sibella Denton
00:09:05
Play 13 13 - Silvio's Gold Sibella Denton
00:02:58
Play 14 14 - Dorfield Sibella Denton
00:08:51
Play 15 15 - Home Again Sibella Denton
00:04:41
Play 16 16 - The Puzzle becomes Intricate Sibella Denton
00:16:39
Play 17 17 - Alora Wins Her Way Sibella Denton
00:07:50
Play 18 18 - The Disappearance, pt 1 Sibella Denton
00:12:20
Play 19 19 - The Disappearance, pt 2 Sibella Denton
00:12:54
Play 20 20 - On the Trail Sibella Denton
00:13:42
Play 21 21 - Decoyed Sibella Denton
00:08:20
Play 22 22 - Janet's Triumph Sibella Denton
00:07:37
Play 23 23 - The Price of Liberty Sibella Denton
00:03:44
Play 24 24 - A Compromise Sibella Denton
00:06:12
Play 25 25 - Mary Louise has an Intuition Sibella Denton
00:11:28
Play 26 26 - An Interruption Sibella Denton
00:07:21
Play 27 27 - Jason Jones Sibella Denton
00:05:56
Play 28 28 - What Mary Louise Accomplished Sibella Denton
00:12:00