R. J. McGregor - The Young Detectives, etc.

Which other authors do you enjoy? Discuss them here.
User avatar
pete9012S
Posts: 17568
Joined: 24 Jan 2010, 15:32
Favourite book/series: Five On A Treasure Island
Favourite character: Frederick Algernon Trotteville
Location: UK

Re: R. J. McGregor - The Young Detectives, etc.

Post by pete9012S »

I've now read the first four chapters of the book and I'm enjoying it.
It's hard to believe this book was written long before Enid Blyton's adventure novels.

The author incorporates a good vocabulary that would stretch and increase the word power of any young readers who took the time to look up words they were unfamiliar with and the writer incorporates them in an amusing easy fashion.

The books setting is fabulous.The sort of place you would want to spend a long summer holiday. The children yearn for an adventure,but some of them don't think that they could realistically hope to have one - some do.

If you decide to read the book,be sure to mentally compare the food descriptions written by this author's to Enid Blyton's.

I'm enjoying the book so far.It's well written and the children's mother comes across as a rather cool,forward thinking lady indeed.

I always enjoy checking up any of the background references in the books I'm reading. A reference to a book their father was reading called 'Christopher Strong' on page 48 of this book proved most interesting..
" A kind heart always brings its own reward," said Mrs. Lee.
- The Christmas Tree Aeroplane -

Society Member
User avatar
Courtenay
Posts: 19274
Joined: 07 Feb 2014, 01:22
Favourite book/series: The Adventure Series, Galliano's Circus
Favourite character: Lotta
Location: Both Aussie and British; living in Cheshire

Re: R. J. McGregor - The Young Detectives, etc.

Post by Courtenay »

Sounds good, Pete! Very promising so far. I'll be interested to hear if the mystery/adventure itself is up to anything like Enid's standard, if you can tell us (without spoilers) once you know... :wink:
Society Member

It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
User avatar
pete9012S
Posts: 17568
Joined: 24 Jan 2010, 15:32
Favourite book/series: Five On A Treasure Island
Favourite character: Frederick Algernon Trotteville
Location: UK

Re: R. J. McGregor - The Young Detectives, etc.

Post by pete9012S »

Here's a short sample of a handful of pages from the start of the book:

The Young Detectives - R.J. McGregor 1934 (sample)

http://imgur.com/a/mzhkf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
" A kind heart always brings its own reward," said Mrs. Lee.
- The Christmas Tree Aeroplane -

Society Member
User avatar
Courtenay
Posts: 19274
Joined: 07 Feb 2014, 01:22
Favourite book/series: The Adventure Series, Galliano's Circus
Favourite character: Lotta
Location: Both Aussie and British; living in Cheshire

Re: R. J. McGregor - The Young Detectives, etc.

Post by Courtenay »

Wow, even after only a few pages I really like it! :D I think this one will have to go on my to-read list as well. Thanks, Pete.
Society Member

It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
Tony Summerfield
Posts: 6386
Joined: 26 Dec 2004, 12:20

Re: R. J. McGregor - The Young Detectives, etc.

Post by Tony Summerfield »

For those who have been following the books of R.J. McGregor I now only have a few pages to go to finish The Young Detectives so I have fished out the other two books by him (looking inside I see that they cost me 5p each!!). The Secret of Deadman's Cove written three years later in 1937 is another story about the Mackie Family and I will be starting that tonight. However the third book which wasn't written until 1957, The Secret of Smugglers' Wood is about a completely different family.
User avatar
pete9012S
Posts: 17568
Joined: 24 Jan 2010, 15:32
Favourite book/series: Five On A Treasure Island
Favourite character: Frederick Algernon Trotteville
Location: UK

Re: R. J. McGregor - The Young Detectives, etc.

Post by pete9012S »

Yes,I'm 75% through the book myself. I'm saving the last bit to read on holiday this Saturday. The children's mother has a lot more involvement in this adventure than any Enid Blyton book I can recall.

The aunty who comes to stay is very lightly sketched in too.Well she is at the stage of the book I'm at - she make make a last chapter resurgence!
" A kind heart always brings its own reward," said Mrs. Lee.
- The Christmas Tree Aeroplane -

Society Member
Post Reply