Books From the Basement

Send us Fan Mail It’s time for the final part of the Mystery of the Missing Heiress , and Lisa and Amy try to put this convoluted book into a semblance of order. Story threads are everywhere, and while most lead to a dead end, some lead to no end at all. After Trixie rescues Janie from a dangerous situation, even more mysterious things start to happen. Plus, it’s old home week as familiar characte...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Lisa and Amy continue their discussion of The Mystery of the Missing Heiress . The BWGs get to know Jim’s long-lost cousin, Juliana. At the same time, a new girl, temporally named Janie, enters their lives. She has amnesia after a mysterious car accident. She moves in with the Beldens as she works to put the pieces of her life back in place. Questions for this epi...

Send us Fan Mail It’s time for the next book in the Trixie Belden series! In this week’s episode Lisa and Amy begin their discussion of The Mystery of the Missing Heiress . The news that Jim has a  long-lost relative sparks Trixie's curiosity, and she pulls the rest of the BWGs into a new mystery. Who is Betje Maasden, and why is a mysterious man asking questions about her? Why is Mart so mea...

Send us Fan Mail In this last episode of The Mystery on the Mississippi, Lisa and Amy try to decipher the final events that happen in St. Louis. Trixie’s case takes a dark turn when she and Honey are kidnapped and held on an abandoned steamboat.  Questions? What do the BWGs have against staying in a group? Do FBI agents really send notes to teenage girls? Is Honey under a strange spell? Why is Bri...

Send us Fan Mail Lisa and Amy are deep into The Mystery on the Mississippi as they discuss the second third of this Trixie Belden book. The BWGs (minus Di) are still in St. Louis and are deep into Trixie’s new mystery. Between important sleuthing matters, the gang also manages to see some sights (sort of).   Questions? Has Brian forgotten how to be a doctor? What’s up with the Secret Service? Does...

Send us Fan Mail It’s time for a new Trixie Belden and The Mystery on the Mississippi   does not disappoint. The BWGs head to St. Louis for their next adventure. Even Dan Mangan gets to tag along on this trip. Trixie & Honey’s case begins almost immediately when they find a briefcase in their motel room. When a man arrives to claim it, Trixie’s radar goes off and another mystery is afoot. Ques...

Send us Fan Mail Lisa and Amy wrap up The Mystery of the Eme ralds with an in-depth discussion of the last third of the book. The search for the missing emerald necklace continues when a secret tunnel connecting Green Trees and Rosewood Hall is discovered. Questions? When did Trixie learn to read blueprints? Will the BWSs ever find out if the necklace is either cursed or charmed? How quick can you...

Send us Fan Mail In this week’s episode, Lisa and Amy continue their discussion of The Mystery of the Emeralds. Trixie and the rest of the BWGs are now sleuthing their way around the tiny town of Cliveden, making both friends and enemies along the way. Could Trixie and Jim’s trip to the cemetery be called a date? After all, they do conveniently end up in a dark mausoleum together… What happens whe...

Send us Fan Mail Ever wonder how discotheques got started? You'll find out in our third bonus episode! Lisa and Amy discuss questions and topics that came up during the past several episodes. You'll hear interesting information about such things as the history of nightclubs (including some disasters associated with them), how automats worked, and the characteristics of a blue diamond. Yo...

Send us Fan Mail Lisa and Amy’s favorite book in the Trixie Belden series (so far) is up for review. The Mystery of the Emeralds takes the BWGs (minus Dan Mangan) on yet another summer vacation. If you’ve lost count, this makes four. Just add it to the one earlier in June, along with the two they went on in the future! The destination this time is Williamsburg, Virginia. After Trixie finds a myste...

Send us Fan Mail Batten down the hatches for the final part of The Mystery on Cobbett’s Island .  After a successful garden party, Cap finds out he needs a new crew for a practice race the next day. Trixie and Jim volunteer… sailing… sailing… sailing… and the race is over! The secret of the chart is revealed, and the BWGs scour Cobbett’s Island for the treasure. What can be found at Ethel’s Bakery...

Send us Fan Mail It’s time for Part 2 of The Mystery on Cobbett’s Island .  On the hunt for buried treasure, the BWGs find a chart with nautical symbols in the Kimball’s gazebo. They set sail with new friends, Peter and Cap, to see if they can find the clues in the surrounding area.  This episode is full of sailing wisdom, (if you’re into that kind of thing), plus, stinkpots, a real clambake, an o...

Send us Fan Mail  Lisa and Amy are excited to delve into The Mystery on Cobbett’s Island! Guess what? It’s June again, and the BWGs time travel back to the beginning of summer for their first vacation after the end of the school year… huh? Tag-a-long Di joins the inner circle on a trip to Cobbett’s Island where the Wheeler’s have rented a house for the summer. They find a hidden letter that gives...

Send us Fan Mail Settle in with Lisa and Amy for the conclusion of The Mystery of the Blinking Eye . The BWGs face more challenges as they stay in pursuit of the dangerous men following them. Luckily, Dr. Joe Reed is available to distract them with his model trains, as well as, a side trip to the hospital to visit a random little girl. When Trixie is lured to a dodgy restaurant to meet with the th...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Lisa and Amy continue their discussion of The Mystery of the Blinking Eye . Still in NYC, the BWGs and the Iowans visit some of the landmark sights. On the agenda are the Statue of Liberty, the Museum of Natural History and the Empire State Building. Trixie attempts to dodge the bad guys as they continue their pursuit of her idol. Plus, the Hubbell twins get the o...

Send us Fan Mail It's time for another exciting bonus episode! Once again, Lisa and Amy discuss topics that piqued their interested during past podcast episodes. Included in this week's conversation are: May Day, play-parties, green corn, fleas, belief in ghosts, the Great Fire of London and more! So, sit back and relax as you learn all kinds of interesting tidbits about random topics! P...

Send us Fan Mail It’s time to learn all about The Mystery of the Blinking Eye ! The BWGs ( All of them this time) are spending the week in NYC. Their friends from Iowa, Bob & Barbara Hubbell and Ned Schultz, want to take in all the sights and sounds of the big city. Even though she’s not expecting a mystery, Trixie stumbles into one while helping a lost Mexican woman at the airport. The woman...

Send us Fan Mail In the conclusion of “The Mystery at Bob-White Cave,” Lisa and Amy tie up the loose ends (the best they can) of the BWG’s trip to the Ozarks. Is Mr. Glendenning sharing a cabin with the strange ghost that haunts the woods? Will Jim save Trixie from drowning in a sinkhole (there is a next Trixe book so…)? Will the BWGs catch all three specimens of the ghost fish and win the contest...

Send us Fan Mail It's time for Books From the Basement's first bonus episode! Lisa and Amy discuss questions and topics that have come up during the past several episodes. You'll hear interesting information about such things as life in the Ozark Mountains, the cost of mailing ice skates and the pet rocks craze of 1976. You'll even get a recipe for that squirrel pot pie you&apo...

Send us Fan Mail Ghosts, ghosts, ghosts and more ghosts! This week, Lisa and Amy continue their review of “The Mystery at Bob-White Cave.” There are many tales about lingering spirits that haunt the woods around Uncle Andrew’s fishing lodge in the Ozarks. A haunted cabin is hosting guests that may consist of two living humans and one spiritual being. Trixie ignores the rhetoric and instead searche...

Send us Fan Mail It’s time for Lisa and Amy to revisit book #11 of the Trixie Belden series, The Mystery at Bob-White Cave . It’s summer vacation, and the BWGs (minus Dan and Di) decide to spend some time at Uncle Andrew’s fishing lodge in the Ozark mountains. Trixie is more interested in catching ghost fish in a cave, than catching bass in the lake. A fishing contest springs her into action, and...

Send us Fan Mail Lisa and Amy finish their discussion of The Marshland Mystery in this Trixie Belden episode. 18-year-old reporter, Paul Trent, has a bone to pick with Trixie and the BWGs. He’s determined to destroy Trixie’s reputation as Sleepyside’s best resident detective. If that weren’t enough, Trixie still has to play matchmaker to Bobby & Gaye, organize an antique sale, and stop the cit...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to book #10 of the Trixie Belden series: The Marshland Mystery !  A child violinist has come to town and wreaks havoc in Sleepyside. With behavioral issues worse than Bobby’s (which is debatable), she’s got everyone hopping to attention with her demands. Trixie and Honey are determined to gather samples at a nearby swamp, but find themselves immersed in a mystery of sorts....

Send us Fan Mail In the final episode of “The Happy Valley Mystery,” Lisa follows up on some nagging questions from “The Black Jacket Mystery.” Afterwards, Amy and Lisa finish up their discussion of “The Happy Valley Mystery.” There’s a live lamb in the oven, a “great” rabbit hunt, and dinner with new friends, which includes a competition about whether the BWGs or the 4-H club is most charitable....

Send us Fan Mail In Part 2 of “The Happy Valley Mystery,” Lisa and Amy continue their attempt to sort out what’s going on in Iowa. Trixie’s trigger is hot as she impulsively accuses local folks of being sheep thieves. On the chopping block are a man with a black beard, Ben the hired hand, and a couple of brothers just trying to make it in the sheep business. In between working on the farm and chas...