First published in 1916, ‘Mary Louise’ by popular children’s author L. Frank Baum is the first in a series of children’s detective stories about the courageous young Mary Louise Burrows. Wise beyond her years, Mary Louise lives with her mother and grandfather while attending a local boarding school. After a strange encounter with a stranger, Mary Louise learns that her grandfather is being sought by the State Department and is devastated when he has to flee in the middle of the night with her mother. Certain that he is not guilty of any crime, Mary Louise must work quickly to clear her grandfather’s name. A thrilling mystery from the prolific ‘Oz’ author.
Lyman Frank Baum (1856 – 1919) was a prolific and well-known American writer. He is best known for his famous series of modern fairy tales set in the imaginary land of Oz. The first of the books, ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’ is widely considered to be the first true American fairy tale and was the basis for the hugely popular 1939 classic musical ‘The Wizard of Oz’ starring Judy Garland. Born and raised in New York, Baum held a range of jobs including as a poultry farmer, clerk, and storekeeper before pursuing his talent for writing at the age of 41. He wrote 14 novels in the Oz series, as well as over 40 other novels and over 80 short stories. He died in California in 1919.