This is it the last of the British Hardys* and quite the contentious one at that. This is the book I should have started with back then, as it covers another of my special interests. Butterflies. If you're wondering what I did start with, that would be book 7 The Melted Coins.
Contentious, how you may ask? The boys are called to an old mansion out past Bayport bothered by a flying ghost, the owner was a man called Moray Thaw, an old slave ship owner that bought up the mansion that was a stop on the underground railroad leading runaway slaves to a new life in Canada and the non slave owning northern states.
I could see this being cancelled by some weirdo lefty types but that would be a shame, as its very good. Also its highly likely he was done in by his former crewmates after ripping them off and running with the money.
The butterfly angle of course is Chet's new hobby and along with an enthusiast Drexel there is a reward up for a missing Cethosia myrina specimen. The weird ghost machine is based on another butterfly Prepona deiphile and a item of jewellery found is also based on this species. Finally a few species are mentioned none can really tie down the location of Bayport as they have a wide range over the US. These include the Great Spangled Fritiliary, the lovely Great Purple Hairstreak and mentions of the **Camberwell Beauty aka Mourning Cloak which is a bucket list item for me to see.
You can read the US and UK versions here and here, though there are no differences between the texts.
Edit Links now live,
*Danger on the Diamond is actually the final book released here.
** One of those species that is said to come in low numbers in the UK but our winters are too wet and mild for them to overwinter. I sub to a few migrant lepidoptera groups and have never really seen them show up. Striped hawkmoths however. . .
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