“THE BRADY BUNCH IN THE NEW YORK MYSTERY” by Jack Matcha Chapter 9

1) PLOT SYNOPSIS: The police call Mike in the morning and inform him that the men in Peter’s photos are all known felons. Mike still can’t understand what they may be after. Then Mike gets a call from his office asking him to speed up work on the bank plans. (He brought the old bank plans to help him with his ‘modernize’ plans.) Mike and Kent decide to skip the convention for the day and work on the plans. The kids decide spend the day at a nearby beach. All plan to go to Manhattan the next day. On the way to the city, Mike plans to mail his bank plans. But after putting the plans in the car, the bad guys come and still the plans. The kids throw rocks at the bad guys cars as they depart. Mike tries to phone the bank officers to warn them of an imminent robbery…….. 2) CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: All of the kids tease Greg and Darlene about being “lovebirds” in the presence of their parents who do nothing to stop the mocking. Alice is described as having “brisk good humor and a defiant manner”. Mike being unable to figure out the crooks are after the bank plans hits new levels of dimness. ……. 3) RELEVANT CULTURAL ISSUES: Fashion – Darlene wears a “knock-out swimsuit” and Greg feels good because she draws the attention of other boys. Technology – When Mike has trouble getting a hold of the bank officers in California on the phone, Marcia comes up with the idea of sending telegrams, which Mike thinks is brilliant…….. 4) HIP SLANG: “Chums” and “Pronto” (a police officer), “Cripes!” (Peter) and “turns me on” (Mike – as in “Whenever the kids are excited about an outing, it turns me on.”…….. 5) CONTEMPORARY CULTURAL ISSUES: The Mets (the boys want to go to a game) and Radio City Music Hall (Greg wants to go with Darlene to see a “theater show”)…….. 6) FAVORITE SENTENCES: “The girls similarly expressed their pleasure at the idea of going shopping and then maybe stopping at one of New York’s most beautiful theaters with its own stage show.” And, “The Bradys saw Kent Peterson’s face become very sad for a moment as he thought of his dead wife, and at the same time Greg saw a tear appear in Darlene’s eye.” (Just one eye, though, don’t want to go emotionally overboard.)