“Nancy Drew Meets CSI”. It’s another Annie Tillery Mystery
Letters can really change a life. In Linda Maria Frank’s latest Annie Tiller Mystery, teen detective and her boyfriend, Ty Egan, bump into the intrigue of a past time in American history. A letter from the United States Navy links Annie’s great grandmother with a plane crash from 1943.
A packet of letters between great grandmother, Charlotte Wheeler, and her Navy pilot finance, Frank Bradenton, hint at dangerous goings-on in the defense plant where Charlotte test and flies Avenger fighter planes to military bases on the West Coast.
Annie and Ty become code breakers, delving into the heart-stopping world of World War II to solve The Mystery of the Lost Avenger.
When Annie Tillery learns her great grandmother, Charlotte Wheeler, was a test pilot during WWII, and her name is connected to a mysterious plane crash, Annie, with her boyfriend, Tyler Egan, do their mystery solving magic to find out what happened to that doomed plane back in 1943. They find a treasure trove of memorabilia in great grandma's attic. Using her love letters, they break the code Charlotte and her fiance used to communicate about a dangerous war- time plot that could cost the lives of thousands.. To add to the excitement, Ty gets his pilot's license, and Annie gets her first ride with him to track down the clues leading to what happened to the Lost Avenger.
Excerpt
THE MYSTERY OF THE LOST AVENGER
PROLOGUE
THE DANGERS OF FLYING SOLO
Carol Wheeler sat in her car on a suburban street in New Windsor, Maryland. Her hand shook as she read the letter from the Department of the Navy for perhaps the twentieth time. It concerned something they had discovered about her grandmother’s role in World War II. The Navy had found a note in the wreckage of a plane that had crashed in 1943, recently discovered in Appalachia. The note was traced to Charlotte Wheeler, Carol’s grandmother. Why had her grandmother put a note in a fighter plane that was being flown by someone else to a California air base? Charlotte had not been flying that plane. She did not die in 1943.
Maybe I can find something in the attic that will shed some light on this mystery. After all she did live here. Carol tucked the letter into her purse, shivering at the idea of entering the attic that might hold the secret she was after.
She pulled into the driveway of the home she grew up in and stared at it, memories flooding back. Fishing in her purse, she pulled out the keys she needed to get into the house, now occupied by a tenant, and the attic. I feel like a sneak thief, she thought. I’ll leave a note for Tallie. I don’t want her to think I snoop around here at will. I did send her a note. “Darn it! Why do I feel so guilty? I own this place,” she said, slamming the car door.
Gathering her resolve, Carol went into the house by the side door, making her way to the second floor, and unlocked the door to the attic stairs.
“It smells the same. Probably nobody has touched a thing here since I put Mom in the nursing home. They’re going to put me in the loony bin if I don’t stop talking to myself.”
The heat in the attic produced a sheen of sweat all over her body, making Carol a bit light-headed. I’ll have to get out of here fast, she thought, propping the door open, hoping to get some air.
“Oh good. Those trunks are where I remember them. Before she died Mom told me all the family mementos are in them.”
Carol approached the trunks and opened one. A strong smell of cinnamon and cloves rose from it. Inside were packets of letters. She scooped them up and put them in her tote. The second trunk held picture albums. “Too much to carry. I’ll have to come back with someone.”
Curiosity got the best of her, and Carol lifted a few framed pictures. She gasped. The young women in the one photo that fell out of the pack looked back at her like an image in a mirror. It was signed, Charlotte. My grandmother, she mused. It could just as well be me, she thought.
The door to the attic slammed, making Carol jump, and clutch the photos to her chest.
“Who’s there?”
Carol ran to the door, pulling at it. It was stuck. She put the photos on a bureau, and pulled with all her might. The door opened nearly toppling her to the floor. She looked down the long hall where the door to the rest of the house stood open. A blonde woman with a carefully pinned up-do of curls, and a knee-length floral print dress was just exiting to the floor below.
“Tallie, is that you? Wait! Who is that? What are you doing in my house?”
There was no answer. The photo of Charlotte Carol had just looked at popped into her head. She shook her head to clear that vision, her hands trembling.
“That’s impossible,” she whispered. She put the photos back in the trunk, and grabbed her tote. She ran out of the house, heart pounding, dropping the keys as she tried to lock the door.
Safely inside her car, she said, “What in the world was that? I’m not coming here alone again, she thought. Turning to the house she muttered, “I don’t believe in ghosts, but did I just see one?”
Professional Reviews Martha A. Cheves 5.0 out of 5 stars Has everything you want - mystery, history & a ghost!
Reviewed in the United States on October 16, 2018
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Charlotte Wheeler suspected that sabotage was happening at the Grumman plant. She was able to figure out the faulty hinges for the Avenger's bomb bay doors were being randomly replaced for the good hinges, by someone who had access to the plant. Charlotte and her buddies checked all the planes and prevented the faulty parts from being switched. They did their best to stop the saboteur, things got rough and Charlotte was attacked one night while she was waiting to catch him in the act.
Charlotte Wheeler was a WASP during WWII. She not only helped build the planes, she also flew them to their destination where they were turned over to the fighting pilots. She was scheduled to fly one of the bombers out but noticed a problem with the bomb bay doors. While she went to check on something the plane was given to another WASP to deliver. Her name was Brenda McPhee and she never made it to her destination. Her plane disappeared.
Many years later Annie, who is Charlotte's great grand-daughter, finds out that the plane has been found and there was a letter inside that was written by Charlotte. Through further research and the help of her boyfriend Ty, Annie decides to solve the mystery of the downed plane and who the saboteur was.
As with all of the Annie Tillery Mysteries, this one kept my interest. It not only had some history, it also had a great mystery and of course a ghost. Looking forward to reading the next in this series.
Anantha Rusum 5.0 out of 5 stars A very nice mystery for both young and old readers. Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2021
This book is a wonderful read for both young readers and adults alike. It educated the young children about the World War II, especially about women who took part in the war. The central character in the story, Charlotte Wheeler was one of the Women air force service pilots in WW2 , she flew planes to transport them to a military base.
The story is centered around a mystery involving a crashed plane and its missing pilot. The NCIS finds a note in the crashed plane, which traces it to charlotte wheeler and her family members. When Annie’s mother gets a call from the NCIS, Annie, who is about to go to college, tries to solve the mystery and learns about the women who served during WW2. Annie and her mother, find more letters in the attic and she, along with her boyfriend Ty, try to solve the pieces of the puzzle together with the resources available to them, and succeed eventually.
It is a very cool mystery and both young and old alike can enjoy this book. I am thinking of introducing this book to my young readers at home as well. This is the fourth in the Annie Tillary series, I have not read the first three. I now look forward to read the remaining books of the series.
Karen Pearman 5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Kid & Adult Read
Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2021
This book is the fourth book in the series from Linda Maria Frank’s Annie Tillery Mystery books. They are categorized as a young reader book series. However, if you love to read “young adult” books like myself, then you will absolutely love this book and her series. I LOVED THIS BOOK! I would give it 10 stars if I could. I loved that it took me on a mystery back to the World War II era involving a crashed plane and its missing pilot and her treasures. I thought her storytelling of the mystery solving processes in this era were fantastic because they certainly didn’t have all the technology back then that they do today. I think that for children it’s especially important for them to be able to read about the differences in the eras and how the processes were so different in solving the mystery. In my opinion, I think that young adults of all ages will enjoy this book. Even though this is part of a series, each book is a stand-alone and you don’t have to read in any order. I think these books should be available in all school libraries and the kids’ reading lists. I look forward to the reading the next book in the series.
A very interesting and educational short book. I loved the storyline and learned about the creation of WASP (women airforce service pilots) in September of 1942. The story is about a deceased WASP, Annie's great grandmother, and her history with the Grumman company as a WASP. Annie didn't know much about her family history until a note written by her great grandmother is found in the wreckage of an Avenger airplane that may have been the product of sabotage. Once Annie's mother is notified by NCIS about this note, the plot becomes a mystery and Annie and Ty, her boyfriend, vow to solve it. Tracking every lead available and with the help from Annie's family, the mystery is solved, new friends are made and family bonds are tightened.
My only regret, the book was to short. I would love for the author to do a continuation of the storyline or start a series about Annie and Ty. Perhaps a story could be done filling the reader in on the story about Fire Island. I would enjoy that!
The writing style of Linda Maria Frank is easy-flowing and down-to-earth; very pleasant. I really enjoyed 'The Mystery of the Lost Avenger' and look forward to reading additional works by Linda Maria Frank. This is a fun, light-hearted mystery that is an easy-read. I recommend you check this one out. A definite thumbs-up!!!
Reviewed by Dale Davies (Reader)
Reviewed on April 28, 2018
This was the first time reading anything from Linda Maria Frank. I found it enjoyable, entertaining and intriguing. I may have to add her to my favorites list.
“Nancy Drew Meets CSI”. It’s another Annie Tillery Mystery
Letters can really change a life. In Linda Maria Frank’s latest Annie Tiller Mystery, teen detective and her boyfriend, Ty Egan, bump into the intrigue of a past time in American his
My only regret, the book was to short. I would love for the author to do a continuation of the storyline or start a series about Annie and Ty. Perhaps a story could be done filling the reader in on the story about Fire Island. I would enjoy that!
The writing style of Linda Maria Frank is easy-flowing and down-to-earth; very pleasant. I really enjoyed 'The Mystery of the Lost Avenger' and look forward to reading additional works by Linda Maria Frank. This is a fun, light-hearted mystery that is an easy-read. I recommend you check this one out. A definite thumbs-up!!!