2 Mysteries by Enid Blyton - Review

The Secret of Moon Castle was one of my favourite Enid Blyton books when I was a kid. I had it in a compendium of three stories, and it was the first story in that book. The book is probably still in my mother's attic, but a few years ago when I wanted to reread it I bought this book, which has two stories in it. I am entirely sure that I've never read the first story in this book, so maybe I just read The Secret of Moon Castle when I bought this several years ago. 

I was looking for something short to read so picked this off the shelf. I decided to read the first story, even though I didn't know the characters. It's cute, I quite liked it. The main character is Nicky and he has a dog called Punch. In the book, it's the first day of the Easter holidays and Nicky is exciting to be rushing around with the dog and his best friend, Ken, who lives next door. 

Then they get the good news that Nicky's Uncle Bob is coming to stay! He is a private detective and Nicky is thrilled, and wants to set up some mysteries for Uncle Bob to unravel, even though he is supposed to be coming to rest and recuperate. Nicky and Ken start flashing lights at night - but then someone flashes back! Nicky and Ken set up a note for Uncle Bob to find, thinking they are clever, but Bob is on to them. But then they end up embroiled in a real mystery, including Ken's sister Penny and her friend Winnie. The boys can't stand them but they end up having to work together. I thought this was a cute mystery. 

The Secret of Moon Castle stars Jack, Peggy, Mike, Nora, and Paul. Peggy, Mike and Nora are biological siblings. Jack is their adopted brother - I can't remember if this is explained in earlier books, as I know I read a couple of them. And Paul is Prince Paul of Baronia, because of course he is. He has his manservant, Ranni, with him. There is some racism in how these two characters are portrayed, which did make me roll my eyes. 

Anyway Paul's parents, the King and Queen of Baronia, obvs, want to come and stay in England and rent a castle. Of course. So the childrens' mother, Mrs Arnold, requests the particulars for castles, and starts looking through them. The children pick up one of the ones she's discared, about Moon Castle. They don't understand why she has discarded it so ask her; she thinks it is far away from anything. But they decide to go visit anyway and set off on a two hundred mile round trip in Ranni's huge car. Of course. 

When they stop for lunch they mention to the castle to the waitress, who says that strange things happen there, that the place is haunted. The children and Mrs Arnold ignore her and go anyway. They meet a hostile welcome, though. The caretakers are Mrs Brimming and her sisters, and they do not want to show everyone around the castle. They keep saying that Mrs Brimming's son, Guy, who is a scientist, will be fuming that they let the visitors in. Mrs Arnold insists on it, though. 

She decides the castle will be fine for Paul's family so rents it, but before the Baronians can come over, two of Paul's brothers get the measles or something, so their visit in postponed. No matter, the children can go visit instead, supervised by their nanny? type of woman, Miss Dimity (who they called Dimmy). They go, assured that Guy has cleared out of the Tower, which they are desperate to visit. 

But as the children settle in, strange things do start to happen! Stringed instruments start to play themselves, and vases jump off shelves! The children start to investigate and visit the nearby ruined village of Moon. 

I still loved this mystery, it's really cute and kept my interest. In all I'm giving both books four out of five. Nostalgia reasons, I'm sure, but I liked my reread.