The Enid Blyton Society

I remember reading one, amongst many, Enid Blyton books light years ago but I'm blowed if I can remember the title. I'd very much like to source the book. I'm hoping fellow EB fans can come up trumps. Thanks.

Scenario:

The story centres around theft and Christmas crackers, one Christmas cracker in particular contains a ring. The stone in the ring is actually a real diamond. One of the characters, a boy, tests the stone and finds that it cuts glass,hence the youngsters realize the stone isn't junk but is actually an item of fine jewellery. I can remember an illustration of one or possibly two boys who eventually tracked down the thief, looking through a window into his workshop/house whatever, late at night.

For many years I presumed the story must have been one of the Secret Seven adventures but I researched that idea to no avail.

Any ideas please? Thanks.

Hi!

I can't think of one immediatly but I will keep thinking.
Was this story a full-length book or was it a shorter story?

Anyway...
Welcome to the forums, Make yourself at home!

Thanks Raci.

I'm thinking the story I would love to track down, must have been contained in one complete work. I rarely read the ( I still own in excess of 80 early edition EB books) large EB books which were mainly collections of short stories aimed at younger children.

I'm 100% positive I have not made up the plot, mainly because I doubt I would have known about the structure of a diamond and its glass cutting ability between the ages of say 7 to 11, i.e. the 1950's. Plus I thought the idea of trafficking stolen gems inside Christmas crackers was pretty exciting. Exciting enough for me to examine any jewellery I happened upon in a Christmas cracker As I say, it was very Secret Sevenish.

I became an Agatha Christie fan in my teens, so Enid Blyton at that time would have taken a back seat.

Moonface wrote: I became an Agatha Christie fan in my teens, so Enid Blyton at that time would have taken a back seat.

Me too! So many Blyton readers went on to become Christie lovers, then (such as me) returned to the wonderful world of Enid Blyton.

This forum is really incredible at the moment - so much interest. It is so good to see an influx of new faces too. Welcome to you all. Do try to make it to Twyford if you can, don't be put off because you're 'new'. It's a fantastic experience!

Clash of dates prevents me from attending Twyford, pity.

As I live within a stone's throw of EB's daughter, I wonder if I could have hitched a ride to the event

I read recently that EB was a fan of Agatha Christie herself!

Sorry I can't help you - but maybe it isn't an EB book after all, seeing as it's obviously even stumped Anita!

Yes that thought had occured to me but all I ever read at that young age was EB,EB,EB. I can feel the thin book in my hand and see the black and white sketch of a boy or two boys about to climb thru' a window.

This does actually ring a dim and distant bell for me.

I think I remember the fact a diamond can mark glass in one of the series of books - like Five Find Outers or Secret Seven - but may be mistaken. I don't think it was a short story but again could be mistaken.

I remember it because I actually tried to mark class with my Mum's ring after reading the book!

I have always thought it was a Secret Seven book, but I've read all the scenarios and nothing fits It was definitely a full length story.

A long shot which will probably come to nothing, but I thought I'd throw it in just in case....

In addition to the 15 Secret Seven books (of which you say you have read the scenarios) there was I believe, at least one, possibly two short Secret Seven stories in Enid Blyton annuals. Could it be one of these (as your best recollection is that it may have been a Secret Seven book)?

However I'm not aware these were published separately (you mention a thin book) otherwise presumably the 15 SS books woud in fact total 16 (or 17?).

I have a pb, The Secret Seven Short Story Collection, printed in 1997 that has the short stories in it (says together for the first time).
It has 6 short Secret Seven stories in it including The Secret of the Old Mill. But none of them have the scene in that Moonface is looking for.

Moonface wrote:I remember reading one, amongst many, Enid Blyton books light years ago but I'm blowed if I can remember the title. I'd very much like to source the book. I'm hoping fellow EB fans can come up trumps. Thanks.

Scenario:

The story centres around theft and Christmas crackers, one Christmas cracker in particular contains a ring. The stone in the ring is actually a real diamond. One of the characters, a boy, tests the stone and finds that it cuts glass,hence the youngsters realize the stone isn't junk but is actually an item of fine jewellery. I can remember an illustration of one or possibly two boys who eventually tracked down the thief, looking through a window into his workshop/house whatever, late at night.

For many years I presumed the story must have been one of the Secret Seven adventures but I researched that idea to no avail.

Any ideas please? Thanks.

Sounds like a good book. But I can't think of an Enid Blyton book that fits the description,can you??