Review of ‘Flash Evans, Camera News Hawk’ by Frank Bell

nsford — Sat, 23 Mar 2024 08:00:33 +0000

I enjoyed reading the first book of photographer Jimmy ‘Flash’ Evans’ adventures, so I was back for more! These little-known books, written under a pseudonym of the author of some early Nancy Drew books, are quick, action-packed reads with no messing about. Flash goes on a month-long vacation in this story but it’s the opposite of relaxation, as he can never pass an opportunity for great pictures for the local newspaper. After a train crash lands his friend Joe in hospital, Jimmy steps in to shoot footage for news reels. He and the sound technician, Doyle, do not get on at all. They are drawn into a mystery involving a missing spy, a parachute test and a sinister polo player, plus there is a forest fire to escape from. Flash has a lot of luck and you know everything will turn out all right for him. He has no character development but it doesn’t seem to matter. As the book was published in 1940, there are interesting hints of how things were done, with cans of reels carried by plane and a lot of long-distance calls made. It’s a good read and a pity there were no more in the series. I obtained this copy from Project Gutenberg.

Review of ‘Flash Evans and the Darkroom Mystery’ by Frank Bell

nsford — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 07:00:59 +0000

I had no idea, when I read this book, that the author Frank Bell was a pseudonym of Mildred Benson, who wrote many of the early Nancy Drew stories. It’s an excellent novel for older children, action-packed, exciting and contemporary for the era (it was published in 1940).

The narrative follows 16-year-old Jimmy ‘Flash’ Evans, an intrepid photographer for a newspaper, The Brandale Ledger. As he begins to make a name for himself, risking his life for a great story, someone appears to be sabotaging his photographs in the darkroom. The head photographer is jealous and seems to have it in for Jimmy, could he be the culprit? At the same time, he is drawn into investigating a criminal gang.

In addition to being a great read with a likable main character, the novel is now of historical interest for its representation of journalism, newspaper production and photography. There is also remarkably little in it that would today be deemed politically incorrect. A sequel was published, but there the series ends.

The book was this month’s Project Gutenberg random read.

Frank Bell – N S Ford

Review of ‘Flash Evans, Camera News Hawk’ by Frank Bell

Review of ‘Flash Evans and the Darkroom Mystery’ by Frank Bell