Findouters Challenge: Fatty, the Venrtiloquist

The Mystery of the Strange Bundle by Enid Blyton

Findouters Challenge: Book 10. Christmas Holidays again but the Findouters are all down with the flu passed on by Bets (much to Mr Goon’s delight). Bets upset about being the cause of the others’ woes spends her time and money cheering them up. When she spends the day at Fatty’s house, he shows off his newest skill―ventriloquism. As soon as the children are well enough to get outdoors again, a robbery occurs in a house near Larry’s, and the owner Mr Fellowes is seen escaping in his dressing gown and pyjamas with only a bundle in his hand. Mr Fellowes soon returns and insists he had gone of his own volition only to visit a friend, and nothing has been stolen. But before Mr Fellowes’ return, the children (and Mr Goon) have already begun investigating and the only clues they’ve found are some footprints and a very small red glove. And while the children may not have started off tricking Mr Goon in this one, Fatty soon enough uses his ventriloquism and disguises to lead poor Goon on a bit of a wild goose chase, with the result that poor Goon thinks the real clues he finds are only a trick the children played. So it is upto the findouters again to put two and two together and solve the mystery of the strange bundle.

As far as food and eating is concerned, this one was pretty much overflowing with it. Fatty and in fact all the others having recovered from the flu seem famished all the time and are happy to eat helping after helping of their dinners and suppers besides scrumptious teas and hot chocolate and endless macaroons at the dairy, and then some ore when they come back home. It makes one positively hungry 🙂 Mr Goon I again felt rather sorry for in this one―his reaction to the tricks played on him was certainly a little extreme (him being an adult and a policeman) but the children do tend to take their tricks a little too far. The mystery I thought was also one their more interesting ones, with the children really applying their minds to Mr Fellowes’ strange behaviour and equally strange clues that this mystery has thrown up attempting to work out what they could all mean―in the process applying all their skills (Fatty’s marvellous disguises included). The solution too was quite interesting though overall the end doesn’t leave one feeling entirely satisfied. This time it turns out to be Buster who plays a key part. A somewhat unusual mystery but still good fun. Three and a half stars.

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