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THE SECRET OF THE OLD BOOKS by Betty Baxter Anderson Kirkus Star

THE SECRET OF THE OLD BOOKS

By

Publisher: Nelson

A definite aura of suspense pervades a tale that employs all the techniques for a mystery for young people and employs them well. The four Fairweathers- Feather, a junior in highschool, her kid brother Bud, their mother and their doctor father- come to San Diego where Dr. Fairweather has just re-entered the Navy. Through old Mrs. Chapman who lives nearby and whose once wealthy grounds have been taken over by a typical if unobtrusive Southern California religious group- the True Faith Society, Feather makes new highschool friends and starts having a good time. But their lives are soon complicated when a school research problem leads them to Mrs. Chapman's fabulous store of rare old books- when her unpleasant estate manager, Mr. Hammond, makes excessive demands-when the True Faith Society orders a ""power loom"" that turns out to be a press for printing counterfeit money. Feather's role in the recovery of the old lady's tax impoverished lands and the discovery of the books' values is a rich and exciting one that should fascinate many.