Gracie Fairshaw and the Trouble at the Tower

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2021

The story is set in Blackpool 1935 as Christmas approaches. But someone is trying to sabotage the Children’s Ballet Christmas spectacular. A piece of scenery injures a dancer, another dancer has itching powder put inside her costume and a several poisonous-pen letters are sent. Naughty chimps and escaping lions add to the drama.  The damage the chimps do often looks like part of the sabotage.   

Gracie becomes a reporter for the local newspaper. This affords the reader several details about what a writer does – and helps Gracie to do more investigating.   

There are many details of time and place here. We have a glimpse of what Christmas was like back then and in a boarding house in particular. Paper chains feature in abundance.  

Susan Brownrigg is a brilliant story teller.  This is a well-told and well-written tale. Here The Family from One End Street, meets Noel Streatfield, meets the Secret Seven, with a good deal of quirkiness and a 21st problem thrown in.  I hope Brownrigg will bring us many more episodes about Gracie.      

The mystery is solved. Albert Ramsbottom was behind all of the threats and damage.  A rumour goes around that he was eaten by a lion. Thus, Brownrigg cross-references to a well-known poem. Ramsbottom wrote his poison-pen letters on British Bulldog notepaper. Yes, he is a racist and targets the Russians and a Chinese girl. And we are kept guessing right up to the last few pages of the novel.  

The book is 235 pages long – some forty pages longer than the first book in the series.  The text is blocked but double-spaced. The font has a serif. The chapters are relatively short.  Chapter headings are in a cursive font and are fronted with a picture of an envelope with a question mark on it. At the end of the book there is a glossary which contains a lot more information about Blackpool, a note from the author on her research about the Children’s Ballet, and an author bio.            

Gracie Fairshaw and the Mysterious Guest

                                                                         

 

2020    

The story is set in Blackpool 1935 around the time of the second big switch on of the illuminations. Gracie, her mum and brother George take over the running of the Majestic boarding house. Seaside boarding-houses of this era were a little different from the 21^st century B & B. The family have to provide three meals a day for their guests. And they almost fall at the first post; Mum disappears and they don’t know how to cook.  However, the maid Phyllis helps as do their two new friends Violet and Tom.

There are many details of time and place here. Susan Brownrigg paints a vivid picture of what Blackpool was like then. Even the road where the boarding house is situated actually exists, though the place itself doesn’t. We have a lot of details about the trams, the tram depot, the Illuminations, the Winter Gardens and the piers.  We also have plenty of atmosphere.  One of the characters is even involved in the Mass Observation Project, though in real life this didn’t happen until 1937. Observers studied ordinary working people from Bolton, renamed Worktown.

Then there is the disappearance of their mother and the mystery surrounding Presto the magician who is also a crook. They are aided by the League of Shining Stars, a detective agency run by children.  This is inspired by the League of the Silver Star which appeared in the Blackpool edition of the Lancashire gazette.  Children were invited to become members and take part in competitions.

Mum is found.  Presto is outwitted. Gracie finds she does like living at a boarding house in Blackpool. Phyllis’s job is made permanent and she is given a pay rise. They decide that children will be offered a full English breakfast as well.

The book is 192 pages long.  The text is blocked but double-spaced. The font has a serif. The chapters are relatively short.  Chapter headings are in cursive font and are fronted with a picture of a suitcase with a question mark on it. At the end of the book there is a glossary which contains a lot more information about Blackpool,  a note form the author on her research and an author bio.