The Mystery of the Secret RoomReviewed by Robert Houghton

Book three is also rather on the weak side, but it is this book that seems to provide a 'watershed' between the slightly simpler plots of the early series to the more complicated ones that are to follow. The Mystery of the Secret Room has all the ingredients of an early 1940's Blyton book. It is in a way the book closest in style and content to a Famous Five book, with Fatty actually being taken prisoner and a note being sent (as in Five On A Treasure Island) to the others in the hope that the villains can catch them all. As often happened, it is Bets who realises there is more to this letter than meets the eye, when she smells oranges and realises that Fatty has written a secret message between the lines of the 'fake' one.

This third mystery is also the first one in which Fatty tries disguises, something that was to feature heavily in all of the rest of the books. At this stage, he is limited to boys' disguises, butcher boys, delivery boys of all kinds. Fatty gives the rest of the Find-Outers (and the reader) a few lessons in disguise, teaches us how to write invisible messages and how to get out of a locked room with the aid of a newspaper and a piece of wire! However, the Find-Outers of these early books are still very much children of the nursery and playroom. The solving of mysteries still seems to have a 'part-time' feel to it, whereas in the later stories solving mysteries becomes a much more urgent and much sought after pastime!

1. Characters

* Fatty (Frederick Algernon Trotteville) - the leader of the five. He was given the nickname Fatty by the other children because of his initials (F.A.T.) and his stout build. An only child, he receives generous amounts of pocket money from his parents and wealthy relatives. His wealth causes some friction with the other children, especially Pip, but Fatty is always willing to share his money with the group, often buying rounds of cakes, drinks and ice-creams. Fatty also uses his pocket money to finance his interest in disguises and stores a large collection of clothes, wigs, grease-paint, cheek-pads, false teeth and other items in his shed at the bottom of the garden. Fatty is a skilled orator and poet, and able to create poetry ad-lib. He always comes top of his form at school and his ambition when he grows up is to become a detective. Bets adores Fatty and is very loyal to him.

* Larry (Lawrence Daykin) - the eldest of the five and was the original leader of the Five Find-Outers, passing the role to Fatty (somewhat reluctantly) after the second mystery. Fatty however justifies his new role by demonstrating the use of

invisible writing and escaping from a closed room. Larry is somewhat jealous of Fatty.

* Daisy (Margaret Daykin) - Larry's younger sister. Creating the Five Find-Outers was Daisy's idea.

* Pip (Philip Hilton) - The same age as Daisy. Pip often teases his younger sister, Bets.

* Bets (Elizabeth Hilton) - Pip's young sister, and the youngest of the Five Find-Outers. She adores Fatty and he is very fond of her. In contrast to Fatty's rather relaxed parents, Mr and Mrs Hilton are quite strict and often take a dim view of Pip and Bets's sleuthing activities, wishing that Pip especially would direct the same amount of energy into his schoolwork. In the mystery of the hidden house in fact the Hiltons forbid Pip and Bets from getting involved in mysteries. Bets is often the first to spot vital clues and also tends to see through Fatty's disguises before anyone else.

* Buster - Fatty's jet-black Scottish Terrier. He thinks the world of Fatty and his favourite pastime is to nip at Mr Goon's ankles.

Other recurring characters are:

* Theophilus Goon (or Mr Goon as he is known) - the village policeman, who is outwitted by the five children in every story. Mr Goon would dearly love promotion, but considers the children to be hindering him rather than helping. To chase them away he often tells them to "Clear Orf" (instead of clear off). Consequently, the children have given him the nick name "Clear-Orf".

* Ern Goon (short for Ernest) - Mr. Goon's nephew. Ern is introduced in the book Mystery of the Hidden House. Ern is a great lover of poetry, or 'portry' as he calls it, though he never finished any poem (or 'pome' as he call it) but Fatty can always finish it for him. That's one of the reason that he is a great admirer of Fatty. Ern has two twin brothers, Sid and Perce. Sid has a fondness for toffee, so much so that he has trouble speaking or being understood. Ern can be considered to be the sixth member of the group.

* Inspector (then Chief Inspector, then Superintendent) Jenks - the head of the local police department. Because the Five are resented by Mr Goon, the children always telephone the Inspector when they have solved a mystery. Over the course of the books he becomes a great friend of the children. Jenks is based on a real character from Blyton's home town who was promoted through the ranks of the police just as was his fictional counterpart. He becomes acquainted with the Five Find-Outers while fishing. He admires the children, especially Fatty, much to the dismay of Mr. Goon.

2. Timeline

At the beginning of the series, Larry is 13, Fatty, Pip andDaisy are 12, and Bets is 8. Bets goes to day school, whereas all the others go toboarding school. The series spansacross school holidays beginning with the Easter holidays andcycles through Summer and Christmas holidays. During all holidaysthe children solve a mystery till Mystery of the InvisibleThief. However there is a break here. After this the nextmystery is in the next summer holidays.