Danger at the Drawbridge

"Danger at the Drawbridge" by Mildred A. Wirt is a mystery novel written in the early 1940s. The story follows Penny Parker, a spirited and clever young woman with a flair for investigative journalism, as she embarks on an assignment to cover an exclusive wedding that quickly spirals into a series of mysterious events surrounding the bridegroom, Grant Atherwald, who goes missing just before the ceremony. With her keen observational skills and a dogged determination to uncover the truth, Penny delves into the secrets of the Kippenberg estate, grappling with a web of intrigue that includes a dangerous drawbridge and an unexpected encounter with an alligator. The opening of the novel sets the stage as Penny assists her newspaper editor father, Anthony Parker, who is recovering from an illness but remains fervently engaged with the "Riverview Star". After learning about the Kippenberg wedding and its restrictions on press access, Penny confidently asks to cover the story herself, convinced that her previous successes prove her capabilities. As she heads to the Kippenberg estate with photographer Salt Sommers, they face obstacles at the isolated drawbridge and discover signs of potential trouble, leading Penny to uncover clues suggesting that Atherwald's disappearance may be more complicated than a simple case of cold feet. The narrative teases the reader with the promise of additional mystery and danger tied to the wedding, setting Penny on a thrilling path of investigation and discovery. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Mildred Augustine Wirt Benson was an American journalist and writer of children's books. She wrote some of the earliest Nancy Drew mysteries and created the detective's adventurous personality. Benson wrote under the Stratemeyer Syndicate pen name, Carolyn Keene, from 1929 to 1953 and contributed to 23 of the first 30 Nancy Drew mysteries, which were bestsellers.