THE MYSTERY OF THE OLD OIL WELL

When Pixie Steele finds a note on the unused derrick by the well and a new recluse-like family moves to town, a string of clues are unwound which give rise to a mystery-- welcome intrigue for 3 young Oklahoman sleuths. The plot and subplots are carefully fused by the author, who keeps the story moving at a fast pace. However, the elusive minor characters are more interesting than the stereotyped youths, who serve as carriers of the plot without much spark of life. And, after the author's meticulous plotting, the climax-- the discovery-- comes as a letdown; the shady characters are the ones whom the reader suspected from the beginning, but discarded in hopes of a more jig-saw like conclusion. Readable without being exceptional.