''The Daring Twins: A Story for Young Folk'' is a

mystery novel Mystery is a fiction genre where the nature of an event, usually a murder or other crime, remains mysterious until the end of the story. Often within a closed circle of suspects, each suspect is usually provided with a credible motive and a re ...

for juvenile readers, written by

L. Frank Baum Lyman Frank Baum (; May 15, 1856 – May 6, 1919) was an American author best known for his children's fantasy books, particularly '' The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', part of a series. In addition to the 14 ''Oz'' books, Baum penned 41 other novels ...

, author of the Oz books. It was first published in 1911, and was intended as the opening installment in a series of similar books. Baum's plan for a series of juvenile novels featuring the Daring family was never fully realized; a sequel to the first book, titled '' Phoebe Daring'', was published in 1912. Unlike many of his mysteries, adventure stories, and juvenile novels, Baum published his two Daring Twins novels under his own name, rather than employing one of his multiple pseudonyms. ''The Daring Twins'' was republished in 2006 under the alternative title ''The Secret of the Lost Fortune''. The 2006 edition carries a notice on its copyright page that "The novel contains a number of racial and ethnic stereotypes that may be considered offensive today."

Plot

The story centers on a family of five orphaned children, two of whom are twins. Phil Daring works in a bank; when he is unjustly suspected of thievery, his twin sister Phoebe, a spirited 16-year-old, seizes the initiative in proving his innocence. (Baum was simultaneously writing a similar story, of a brave girl defending and supporting her brother, in his 1911 novel ''

The Flying Girl ''The Flying Girl'' is a novel written by L. Frank Baum, author of the Oz books. It was first published in 1911. In the book, Baum pursued an innovative blending of genres to create a modern flying adventure melodrama. The book was followed by a ...

''. And he would re-use the plot of a girl with an unjustly-accused relative in his 1916 book, '' Mary Louise'', the first book of yet another series.) The Daring Twins' late father had been in the sugar business; he was ruined financially when he refused to join in a monopoly, believing that trusts and monopolies are "unjust and morally unlawful" — an interesting look into Baum's values.Rogers, p. 189.

Trivia

The novel and its sequel revolve around brave, spirited teenagers in a small town called Riverdale, 30 years before the founding of

Archie Comics Archie Comic Publications, Inc. (often referred to simply as Archie Comics) is an American comic book publisher headquartered in the village of Pelham, New York. The company's many titles feature the fictional teenagers Archie Andrews, Jug ...

, a popular franchise with the same basic premise.

References

Books by L. Frank Baum 1911 American novels Children's mystery novels American mystery novels American young adult novels Juvenile series Novels about orphans Fictional twins 1911 children's books Novels about twins Reilly & Britton books {{1910s-ya-novel-stub