The Beverly Gray Series #15-18

Beverly Gray: Sleuth, Heiress, and Investigative Reporter

Any person who has not yet read the Beverly Gray series is warned that the following summaries will reveal important plot information that not all readers would wish to know before reading the stories.

#15 Beverly Gray's Challenge

Beverly, Shirley, Lois, and Lenora travel to Montana to inspect the ranch that Shirley will inherit from her uncle. Soon after their arrival, they are told that the ranch is haunted by Indians and see an Indian appear in the window during the night. It becomes apparent that somebody is trying to scare them into going home. After the girls learn that Shirley must live on the ranch for three months before she can claim the ranch, they begin to suspect that the foreman, Mark Thurman, is behind everything since he will inherit the ranch if Shirley leaves.

The girls learn that Vicki Grant, the town doctor, holds a grudge against the Parker family because Mr. Parker refused to let the town buy a piece of land for a new hospital and because Mr. Parker convinced everyone that her brother stole the money after his refusal. Vicki's brother has been in hiding ever since that time.

Shirley decides to donate the land and money so that the town can build a hospital. Her uncle's lawyer, Mr. Carstairs, refuses to draw up the papers because the three month waiting period is not yet over. The girls learn that Mark Thurman is being blackmailed and that he was forced into throwing suspicion onto Tom Grant. The girls learn that Mr. Carstairs is the blackmailer and so Shirley is able to keep the ranch and help the town get the hospital. Beverly and Lenora decide to travel back to New York City because Larry has stopped writing. Beverly wants to find out if something has happened to Larry.

#16 Beverly Gray's Journey

Beverly, Lenora, and Michael McKay travel to England to search for Larry. Upon their arrival, they learn that Larry is on vacation and is caring for his injured fiancee, Beverly Gray. Beverly is bewildered and worried that Larry might have found another girl, except she cannot understand why the girl would have her name. Beverly is soon mistaken for the other Beverly and realizes that her double must look very much like her. Beverly also learns that the other Beverly is trying to sell some pictures to an art dealer.

Beverly, Lenora, and Michael travel to the home of Beverly's cousin, Harriet. They learn that the other Beverly has been seen in town and is staying at nearby Surrey House with a young man. Beverly visits Surrey House comes face to face with her double. Beverly soon learns that her double is trying to claim the old ruined mansion and tower which is her inheritance. Beverly's proof of identity is to be the locket she received from her grandmother, but the locket is soon stolen out of Beverly's room.

Beverly gets inside Surrey House and discovers that Larry is staying there. Larry explains that he had heard of Beverly's arrival and accident and had gone to be with her. He quickly discovered that the girl was not Beverly, but he decided to play along so that he could find out what she was trying to do. He heard the girl and her accomplice, Dr. Reid, talking about the stolen locket and retrieved it without the other girl knowing.

Beverly goes to the tower and is accidentally locked inside with her imposter. While they wait to be rescued, Beverly learns from the girl that her inheritance includes some valuable cameo portraits that are hidden in the tower. Beverly uses a clue from her locket to find the cameos. Dr. Reid arrives, and as he and the girl are about to leave, Beverly shoves the girl back inside the tower and slams the door, taking the girl's place. The heavy fog prevents the doctor from discovering Beverly's trick. Mike, Lenora, and Terry catch up with Beverly and Dr. Reid, rescue the cameos, and help to capture Dr. Reid and the imposter.

#17 Beverly Gray's Assignment

Charlie Blaine asks Beverly to investigate the disappearance of rival reporter Kay Merrill. Beverly and Lenora visit Kay's apartment and become acquainted with Doreen Hampton, a girl who lives upstairs. Doreen explains that she and Kay met while in New Orleans when Doreen lost her purse and Kay returned it to her. Doreen had been kept virtually a prisoner on her family's plantation by her aunt. Doreen escaped, came to New York with Kay, and enrolled in art school. Doreen is waiting for her Uncle Dennis to send her some money so that she can stay in New York. Doreen says that she does not know where Kay is. The police soon learn that Kay was seen leaving on a train bound for New Orleans on the night that she disappeared. Kay became ill while on the train and left in the company of a white-haired man shortly before reaching New Orleans. Charlie Blaine sends Beverly and Lenora to New Orleans to trace Kay's whereabouts.

Beverly and Lenora run into Jim in New Orleans. Jim takes them to dinner with a banker, who is able to tell them where the Hampton plantation is located. The girls take a boat to the island on which the plantation is located. They are surprised when Kay Merrill greets them. Soon, Doreen and her Uncle Dennis arrive. The girls eavesdrop and learn that the Talmadges are worried about a man named Maxim coming after them.

Doreen tells Beverly and Lenora that her aunt and uncle are trying to help her remember where her parents' treasure is hidden. Doreen starts back to the city with Beverly and Lenora but is hit by a car during a storm. The accident causes Doreen to regain her memory about the treasure. Following her directions, the friends find Mr. Hampton's old partner, Captain Jock, who has a clue to the treasure's location in safekeeping. Captain Jock sails with Beverly and her friends to the right location, and they recover a fortune in valuable gold coins. Maxim tries to steal the treasure, but he is caught, leaving the treasure in possession of Doris and her family.

#18 Beverly Gray's Mystery

A valuable horse, Prince Houssain's Star of the East, is stolen from Max Mengle's barn. Coincidentally, Max Mengle is the backer for Shirley's current play and has replaced Shirley with Marcia Morrison in the leading role. Both girls are informed of this decision at the same time, and a short time later, Max is found unconscious from a head wound. Shirley is the only one who appears to have a motive, but Marcia's fingerprints are found on the weapon. Marcia insists that she did not hit Max but chooses to run away. Beverly speaks to Max's brother, Allen, who is unhappy because Max has come between him and Marcia by giving Marcia an acting career.

Beverly divides her time between trying to find Marcia and locating the missing horse. Beverly travels to Allen's house to look for Marcia and visits various people who might have stolen the horse. She notices that Max's groom, Thurston, and the Prince's servant, Ram, both behave suspiciously.

Marcia is finally located but runs away again. Meanwhile, Beverly confronts Thurston and learns that he and another man were present when Max tripped and hit his head, thus exonerating Marcia. Additionally, Thurston admits to stealing the Star of the East and hiding him at a nearby circus. Beverly notices that Ram is still acting strange, so she follows him. He removes a bandage from the Star's leg, uncovering a valuable jewel that he smuggled into the country. Ram threatens Beverly, but Beverly is saved when the Star tramples Ram, who is then captured.

Marcia decides to give up the leading role in the play so that Shirley can once again take on the role. Beverly and her friends have been thinking of the splendid times they had on the Susabella and decide to depart on another trip to faraway lands.

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