Review of "The Mystery of the Flying Skeleton," by Mel Lyle

 Review of

The Mystery of the Flying Skeleton, by Mel Lyle

Three out of five stars

The mystery in this book is not all that significant and there is little in the way of intrigue. Chip and Jack Power are with their father Thomas and are traveling to the Florida Keys. Thomas is a photographer and he leaves the boys at a motel on an island and then goes on down to Key West where he is attending an International Conference. The potential for danger is apparent when the plane that they were scheduled to fly on from Miami explodes on the runway before they board. There is also a mysterious big man that speaks to Chip and Jack in a way that is circumspect, but clearly threatening.

Unfortunately, it is never clear in the rest of the story what significance these two features have to the plot. The boys stay at the Blue Heron Key motel and befriend the owner. A more modern motel is going up nearby and the owner of the Blue Heron motel is concerned that the new motel will drive him out of business.

 The mystery arises when the men building the new motel uncover the bones of a large animal. From what Chip and Jack were able to overhear, the bones were in fact buried in the construction site shortly before they were “discovered.” Hardly the first time that a business has engaged in a publicity stunt to promote a new venture and not all that criminal.

 The story is a bit weak throughout as there is an initial hint of danger that passes and is largely forgotten. There is also no real mystery, the greatest threat of danger is when a hurricane passes through the area of the Florida Keys and the Power family must ride it out.