Meet clever Kay Tracey, who,
though only sixteen, solves mysteries in a surprising manner. Working on
clues which she assembles, this surprising heroine supplies the solution to
cases that have baffled professional sleuths. The KAY TRACEY MYSTERY STORIES
will grip a reader from start to finish.
--- From a Cupples & Leon advertisement
Originally published by Cupples & Leon, the series (not sure if all books)
was reprinted by Garden City,
Amex, and Books, Inc in the 1950's. They seem to have renumbered the books,
(e.g. #1 "Feather", #2 "Mansion", #3 "Glove",
#4 "Neighbors", #5 "Cameo.) The books were reprinted in the
1960's by Berkley, in the 1970's by Lamplight, and in the 1980's by Bantam
and by Armada, a London firm. At some point, the books were revised --
Armada states that they are printing revised version of the stories -- and
the revised books tend to run around 150 pages where the originals were
200-210.
The premise of the series is that 16-year-old schoolgirl Kay, who
lives with her widowed mother and lawyer cousin, solves mysteries with the
help of her twin friends (whose names I don't recall.) The stories are very
much in the style of Nancy Drew, with very perfunctory characterization,
preposterous plots, and lots of action.
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- THE SECRET OF THE RED SCARF -- "Kay's striking
resemblance to another draws her into a baffling case." -- 1934,
Cupples & Leon. 1952, Books, Inc. 1953, Garden City.
- THE STRANGE ECHO -- "Lost Lake had two mysteries -- an
old one and a new one. Kay, visiting there, solves both of them by
deciphering a strange echo." -- 1934, Cupples & Leon. 1953, Garden City.
- THE MYSTERY OF THE SWAYING CURTAINS -- "Heavy draperies
swaying in a lonely mansion give the clue which is needed to solve a
mystery that has defied professional investigators but proves to be fun
for the attractive and clever Kay Tracey." -- 1935, Cupples & Leon.
- THE SHADOW ON THE DOOR -- "Was the shadow on the door
made by a human being or an animal? Apparently without explanation Kay
Tracey, after some exciting work solved the mystery and was able to help a
small child out of an unfortunate situation." -- 1935. Cupples & Leon.
- THE SIX FINGERED GLOVE MYSTERY -- "Kay saves a famous
actress from a strange threat" -- 1936, Cupples & Leon. 1951,
Garden City. 1957, Amex. 1960 & 1963, Berkley. 1978, Lamplight.
1980, Bantam. 1984, Armada.
- THE GREEN CAMEO MYSTERY -- "A Chinese puzzle confronts
Kay in her hunt for Lotus Wong." -- 1936, Cupples & Leon.
1952, Garden City. 1952, Books, Inc. 1961 & 1965, Berkley. 1978,
Lamplight. 1980, Bantam. 1984, Armada.
- THE SECRET AT THE WINDMILL -- 1937. Cupples & Leon. 1952,
Garden City.
- BENEATH THE THE CRIMSON BRIER BUSH -- "Kay finds a
missing clue and outwits a mysterious stranger." -- 1937, Cupples
& Leon. 1952, Books, Inc. 1952, Garden City.
- THE MESSAGE IN THE SAND DUNES --"Kay's search for buried
treasure leads to adventure and danger." -- 1938, Cupples &
Leon. 1952, Books, Inc. 1952, Garden City. 1964, Berkley. 1984, Armada.
1978, Lamplight. 1980, Bantam.
- THE MURMURING PORTRAIT -- "Kay thwarts the evil plans of
a weird gypsy." -- 1938, Cupples & Leon. 1952, Books, Inc.
1952, Garden City.
- WHEN THE KEY TURNED -- 1939, Cupples & Leon. 1951, Books,
Inc. 1951, Garden City. 1957, Amex.
- IN THE SUNKEN GARDEN -- "A mysterious look-alike puts Kay
in someone else's shoes." -- 1939, Cupples & Leon. 1951,
Garden City. 1951, Books, Inc. 1957, Amex. 1978, Lamplight. 1980, Bantam.
1983, Armada.
- THE FORBIDDEN TOWER -- 1940, Cupples & Leon.
- THE SACRED FEATHER -- 1940, Cupples & Leon. 1951, Books, Inc.
1951, Garden City. 1957, Amex. 1960, Berkley. 1985, Armada.
- THE LONE FOOTPRINT -- 1941, Cupples & Leon. 1952, Garden
City. 1952, Books, Inc.
- THE DOUBLE DISGUISE -- "Imposters steal a secret formula
and Kay discovers that trouble travels in twos." -- 1941, Cupples
& Leon. 1952. Garden City. 1966, Berkley. 1978, Lamplight. 1980,
Bantam. 1983, Armada (London).
- THE MANSION OF SECRETS -- "Kay and a sinister stranger
match wits in a search for treasure." -- 1942, Cupples &
Leon. 1957, Amex. 1963, Berkley. 1978, Lamplight. 1980, Bantam. 1984,
Armada.
- THE MYSTERIOUS NEIGHBORS -- 1942, Cupples & Leon. 1951,
Garden City. 1951, Books, Inc. 1957, Amex. 1963, Berkley.
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