Mystery at Heron Lake by Josephine M Bettany

Both photographs taken by me at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Title: Mystery at Heron Lake 

Author: Josephine M Bettany 

Publisher: not known 

Source book: A Future Chalet School Girl by Elinor M Brent Dyer (Chalet School #47)

Oh dear. A Future Chalet School Girl is one of my least favourite Chalet School books. At the beginning EBD notes that she had been asked to write a book about the people of the country. And I can understand that. Remember how the early Chalet School books that are set in Austria naturally featured lots of pupils who were Austrian, and their families? And there is also quite a lot about the servants at the school (all Austrians of course), Herr Braun who runs the local hotel, Greta the old woman who sells apples, the owners of Zita, mother of Jo’s beloved Saint Bernard Rufus, and the priest. All the local details gave us a feeling that there really was a Chalet School in Austria because it felt so authentic.

So what does EBD offer us? The really annoying Mélanie who is furious about leaving her much loved day school, “Kate’s”, because her uncle and aunt are relocating to Geneva for work, (or near Geneva because property prices in the city are so high - and still are). Yes, she goes to stay with the Maynard family on the Görnetz Platz. And yes, they all drive to the Tiernsee* where they do encounter some locals. In fact, we meet a ex Chalet School girl called Irma, now grown up with three children, but to be honest I don’t remember this Irma from the Tyrol books. We also get some catch up news about other old girls both Austrian and British.

But honestly, I feel a little disappointed. Mostly because Mélanie is very annoying. And also because Future is a really dull book. Here are some reviews if you are interested. Just scroll past the biography of EBD if it’s still there. 

Anyway, never mind all that, we have to consider Mystery at Heron Lake by Josephine M Bettany, who is apparently one of Mélanie’s favourite authors. She is reading Heron Lake, but she doesn’t seem to be enjoying it as much as she hoped. We do discover that the heroine is called Wilma. Other than that; nothing. I think this is the only time we ever see a less than rave review of one of Jo’s books, but silly Mélanie does have other things on her mind.

Mystery at Heron Lake sounds a little bit Enid Blyton doesn’t it? Maybe a bit Malcolm Saville. I’m not sure what the American equivalent from the 1960s would be. Nancy Drew books perhaps?

* Is this the book where Jack yells at the family to put their coats on now! because he’s driving over a mountain pass and there will be snow and ice and they could freeze to death? What an over reaction. If you drive over a mountain pass, even in the height of summer the weather can be really nasty with horizontal sleet and strong winds, and if your car/minibus has no heating you will not need to be prompted to put a coat on. Trust me. I have the photos to prove how many layers of hoodies and puffer jackets and gloves and woolly hats I have worn at altitude in the middle of summer. But if the sun is shining it can be very hot, so snow and ice next to the road really won’t bother you. Jack needs to lighten up. I wonder if EBD ever went over a high mountain pass? I’m not convinced she did.