Tom Quest is the central character in a series of eight

adventure novel Adventure fiction is a type of fiction that usually presents danger, or gives the reader a sense of excitement. Some adventure fiction also satisfies the literary definition of romance fiction. History In the introduction to the ''Encycloped ...

s for adolescent boys written by ''

Lone Ranger The Lone Ranger is a fictional masked former Texas Ranger who fought outlaws in the American Old West with his Native American friend Tonto. The character has been called an enduring icon of American culture. He first appeared in 1933 in a ...

'' series author Fran Striker. The first six novels were published by

Grosset & Dunlap Grosset & Dunlap is a New York City-based publishing house founded in 1898. The company was purchased by G. P. Putnam's Sons in 1982 and today is part of Penguin Random House through its subsidiary Penguin Group. In recent years, through the P ...

between 1947 and 1952. The series was later reprinted by Clover Books, when #7-8 were published. The six Grosset & Dunlap titles were issued in dust jacket; the Clover Books reprints and their two original titles have picture covers and no dust jackets. The plot of volume #8 was lifted from Striker's ''Gene Autry and the Redwood Pirates.''Axe, John. ''All About Collecting Boys' Series Books.'' Hobby House Press, Inc., 2002. Tom Quest, the son of a famous scientist and explorer, finds adventure with newspaperman Whiz Walton and a gargantuan

Texan Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous state in the South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the west, and has an international border wit ...

named Gulliver. A double spiral symbol, designed by Tom's father, appears on the spine of the books, and sometimes figures in the plot. In the first book, Tom discovers that his father, long believed dead, may still be alive, and, in the second, Tom, Whiz, and Gulliver travel to

Central America Central America is a subregion of North America. Its political boundaries are defined as bordering Mexico to the north, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. Central America is usually ...

in search of him. The third and fourth books are also loosely connected, after which each book stands alone. The plots usually involve some kind of criminal activity thwarted by Tom and his pals.

Books in series

The Sign of the Spiral (1947) Hamilton Quest, Tom’s father, disappeared in Peru ten years ago. When a newspaper photo shows a spiral design Tom, along with friends Gulliver and Whiz Walton, begin a search to find Mr. Quest. The Telltale Scar (1947) Tom, Gulliver and Whiz Walton are in Peru searching for clues to Mr. Quest’s whereabouts. But someone is thwarting their efforts. Tom discovers a native with a scar on his hand – and he saw that same scar thousands of miles away. The Clue of the Cypress Stump (1948) While on vacation in Florida Tom and Gulliver help reporter Whiz Walton locate a cache of stolen platinum. Clues include a “ghost” ship and a sketch of a cypress stump. The Secret of the Lost Mesa (1949) During a Mexico vacation Tom, Gulliver and Whiz find a waterproof camera floating in the water. The developed film shows photos of an ancient Aztec city unknown to the modern world. But someone wants to make sure the three explorers don’t reach the hidden city. The Hidden Stone Mystery (1950) A strange stone is discovered in North Dakota, Hamilton Quest declares it an important Native American artifact, but newspaper headlines are calling Mr. Quest a fraud. Tom, Gulliver and Whiz travel to a Mandan village and question Tom’s friend, Chief Wahkee, but suspect the Chief is being pressured to keep important information from the investigators. The Secret of Thunder Mountain (1952) Tom is vacationing on Gulliver’s Texas ranch and picks up some unusual rocks on Thunder Mountain. He sends them to his father, who says they contain gold, but Mr. Hamilton tells Whiz Walton to make sure Tom doesn’t return to Thunder Mountain for more rocks. The Clue of the Inca Luck Piece (1955) Strange markings on the back of an Inca gold medallion may lead to a source for uranium in Peru. Government agents believe the medallion is a clue to finding the location of a hidden uranium mine. Hamilton Quest works to decipher the markings, and enemy agents try to steal the gold piece. The Mystery of the Timber Giant (1955) A lumber syndicate is trying to force Half-pint Hooligan into selling his land for less than its worth. Tom, Gulliver and Wiz travel to the timber area and discover most people are willing to give them any information. But one man tells the trio that Hooligan isn’t the only land owner being pressured to sell to the lumber syndicate.

References

External links

Book series introduced in 1947 Juvenile series Quest, Tom Quest, Tom {{child-lit-char-stub