BIGGLES ON MYSTERY ISLAND
Book First Published on 3rd July 1958 - 192 pages
I believe
this Biggles book was never serialised elsewhere. If anybody knows differently then please E-MAIL ME
First edition dust jacket showing the original price of 8
shillings and 6 pence
Biggles is sent to investigate
mysterious disappearances on the British owned island of Oratovoa
in the middle of the Pacific. He takes with him not only Algy, Bertie and
Ginger but also Marcel Brissac of the French Securite Nationale and Sven Heldersen, a Swedish police Officer. This is because both
French and Swedish nationals are missing. Arriving in a "Pegasus"
flying boat the team firstly come upon an abandoned ship, one that had been
reported missing. After attempting to land on the island, they are attacked by
a pack of savage dogs. Leaving Algy and Bertie in charge of the aircraft, the
others undertake a momentous trek to the top of the island. This is the picture
on the dust cover. They had previously seen what appears to be a community of
people living in the crater of an apparently extinct volcano, when they flew
over the island. Reaching the top they meet a Swedish citizen named Axel Pruntz. He tells them about "King" Hara who runs
the community but keeps people as virtual slaves, using a dozen or so guards
and the dogs and the harsh landscape to prevent escapes. Biggles encounters
Hara's deputy, a man called Swenson and kills him in self-defence. Biggles goes
to see Hara, the self-styled King and tries to reason with him but it is
obvious that the man is bordering on insanity. Biggles and Marcel are
imprisoned but Ginger, Sven and Axel help them to literally break out. Rounding
up all the captives on the island they escape back to the sea, shooting dogs
left, right and centre. This becomes a race against time as various earth
tremors have now been followed by an eruption of the volcano. Meanwhile, Algy
and Bertie are struggling to keep the aircraft safe as the sea rages beneath
them. The captives are evacuated using both the plane and the abandoned ship,
leaving Hara and his cronies, who declined a chance to leave, to face the
burning embers that are falling everywhere.
Click here to see the story illustrations from this book
Biggles on Mystery Island
Publication Details - published by Hodder and Stoughton
Frontispiece
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The “Children’s Book Club” edition reprint – click on the above
picture to find out more details