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Danger: Dynamite
Anne Capeci
Illustrated by Paul Casale
Historical Fiction/Mystery (Series)
Ages 8 to 10
Peachtree, 2003, 1-56145-288-2
In the lovely Cascade Mountains there lies the little work-camp town of Scenic. It is a place that was created when The Great Northern Railway decided that a new tunnel was needed nearby. Billy Cole's family came to Scenic so that his father could work as the general manager for the tunnel project. Billy and his many friends are happy in this remote and rather rough place until a number of strange things happen. Before long everyone is worried and suspicions run rife through the camp.
It seems to begin when Billy and his best friend Finn find some dynamite in the school storage shed. Then the dynamite disappears. This is followed by a series of potentially very dangerous explosions. Billy and Finn decide, against the orders of Billy's father, that they are going to find out what is going on. They are soon joined by a somewhat mysterious girl called Dannie who has a peculiar past and who is determined to clear her family name. Then there is the story of some missing gold, the loot of a train robbery which took place in 1893. Are the explosions somehow connected to this missing gold?
Written very much in the style of "The Hardy Boys" and the "Nancy Drew" books, this is a tale which will entertain young readers who have a fondness for exciting and action-packed stories. One barely manages to catch ones breath after one close call before another is in the offing.
At the back of the book the author has provided an "Author's Note" which presents the reader with a highly interesting and comprehensive picture of what life was like in the work-camp town of Scenic in the 1920's. We are also able to see what was happening in the United States at that time; the styles, trends, and other historical details.
This is the first book of a new series called "Cascade Mountain Railroad Mysteries".
Anne Capeci is also the author of the "Wishbone Mysteries Series" and the "Magic School Bus Chapter Book Series."
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