I mentioned a while back that I first read Dennis Lynds when
I was about 11 or 12, and found the Three Investigators
series. Robert Arthur created it, and "William Arden" wrote
about a dozen more in the seventies and eighties. Only years
later did I find out this was really Dennis Lynds!
Dennis, how did you come to write for that series? Did you
already know Robert Arthur or someone involved with it, or
did they approach you cold? Did you like writing young adult
mysteries? And why did they come out under the William Arden
name, when you were doing the Kane Jackson series at the same
time? You mentioned publishers wanting to keep series
separate, but here was a guy writing for kids and adults at
the same time.
The series is quite popular with people on the list and I bet
it was a major introduction to mysteries for those of us who
were born after the mid-fifties. The first one came out in
1964, and the first one by William Arden was #10, THE MYSTERY
OF THE MOANING CAVE (1968). I read most of them and liked
them all, though the Arthurs and Ardens were my
favourites.
A few days ago I reread #12, THE MYSTERY OF THE LAUGHING
SHADOW (1969)
(same copy I've had for 25 years), which has all the required
situations, but throws in a lot of unusual stuff I wasn't
expecting: anthropology and archaeology and mention of the
peopling of the Americas; some Mongol history and an
introduction to Genghis Khan and his descendants; talk about
the president (Nixon) and his diplomatic relations with
China; a visit to a hobo jungle; and a young guitar-playing
hippy who encourages people to free themselves from their
possessions. It must have opened the eyes of some of the kids
who read it. It wasn't set in some generic place and time
completely divorced from reality.
I'm catching up on list mail and am really enjoying the
disussions with Dennis. It's great reading and a treat to
have you here.
Cheers,
Bill
-- William Denton : Toronto, Canada : http://www.miskatonic.org/
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