The Secret Pact

"The Secret Pact" by Mildred A. Wirt is a mystery novel written in the early 1940s. The book introduces readers to Penelope Parker, a young and ambitious aspiring journalist who finds herself entangled in a series of mysteries while exploring the complexities of her newfound newspaper venture. From the very beginning, the story hints at a thrilling blend of intrigue and adventure, as Penny encounters a mysterious couple on a riverboat and a young woman named Tillie Fellows, setting the stage for a deeper exploration of crime and deception. At the start of the book, Penny Parker is aboard the excursion steamer "Goodtime", accompanied by her friend Louise Sidell, where they quickly notice a young couple behaving suspiciously. The foggy atmosphere serves as a backdrop to their observations, including a pickpocket incident involving a distraught Tillie who loses her purse amidst the crowd. Penny shows her kindness by offering Tillie five dollars to help her through a tough time. As they disembark, they suspect that one of the mysterious passengers may have committed theft. The opening sets up several plot threads, including a discarded package with clues related to a potential crime, establishing Penny's role as a proactive sleuth ready to tackle the mysteries that await her. (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.