The Rubadub Mystery

[Poppy]

It might have seemed rather unrealistic if Mr Martin had been an extraordinarily unique character - I always thought it was a much more effective outcome that he was such a homely, kindly and ordinary man, and I think this is what Barney intended, after his eventful childhood, being a Circus Boy.

[Wolfgang]

When I was about 7 I started to get dramatised Famous Five audiobooks (until I was eleven) of which the first I listened to to no end. In this time I also got Rubadub as an dramatised audiobook, but I hardly listened to it, I didn't like it as much. I read some of the R-mystery series books as well, but wasn't too impressed. Unfortuntaley they still don't belong to my favourite series, Snubby is getting too much on my nerves.

[Rob Houghton]

I tend to agree with Anita on this one. Mr Martin was described throughout the first four books as being an actor in Shakespeare's plays, which made him seem fairly exciting - certainly nothing like the homey rather boring man we meet in Rat-a-tat mystery. Even at the end of Rubadub, Mr Martin seemed more interesting than he became in the last two books. I agree, from Barney's point-of-view, he would be happy with a grounded normal conventional father - but that type of character doesn't provide good drama or conflict in a novel. If Blyton had thought more about this, one of the follow up novels could have included a theatrical background, or might have included Mr Martin being asked to act in a movie of a Shakespeare play. Mr Martin could have had a secret past - we could have discovered more about his early life with Barney's mother. As it stands, we learn nothing about him. He has a mother who owns a monkey, so why was he so conventional? On top of that, would Barney's kindly old Grandmother really be that kind and homey? She did after all, cause Barney's mother to run away back to the circus because she was so cruel and unkind! That doesn't fit with the character we are shown in Rat-a-tat Mystery.

Regards Snubby getting on people's nerves - that surprises me a little. I love Snubby - particularly in Rilloby Fair, where he invents gangs and plots and feeds uncle Robert with nonsense. It's very amusing, rather than aggravating, I feel, and I always find Snubby quite a likeable character - much more likeable than Fatty in many ways.

[Poppy]

As I said - judging by Barney's unique and extraordinary background - would it not seem like a bit of an unlikely, and unrealistic coincidence, that his father also had such an amazing past or job? I think the subtlety of the situation was a lot more effective and likely than a new leading character introduced five books into the series. I enjoyed the fact that the children were together again, and Barney was finally content and I don't think anything other than this could have improved the later books in the series.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Like Robert, I consider Snubby to be a thoroughly likeable rascal. He causes mischief but it's never malicious and his heart is in the right place. The Rubadub Mystery shows Snubby at his best as he sticks up for Dummy at a time when others believe the worst of the porter. And being an orphan himself, Snubby feels for Barney after the circus-boy's devastating disappointment and does all he can (displaying his sensitive side in the process) to find out the truth about Barney's father.

[Poppy]

Snubby doesn't so much 'get on my nerves', but I can see how he can be annoying for his surrounding company, at times. Most of the time, however, I am in stitches with his hilariously innocent remarks and antics! He is a great character.

[John Pickup]

I've always liked Snubby. He reminds me of me!

[Rob Houghton]

Talking of Mr Martin, it sort of proves what a brilliant character he is, as I can't even recall if he appears in 'The Ragamuffin Mystery' - but I presume he must do! I can recall that Miss Pepper features in it, but Mr Martin made such an impact that I don't know if he was there or not!

[Poppy]

The children (Diana, Roger and Snubby) originally intend to go for a caravan holiday with their mother and Miss Pepper, in The Ragamuffin Mystery, but when Mrs Lynton's relative is ill, Barney and his father come along and arrange a holiday at the inn - which was quite decent.

[Spitfire]

I like Snubby, too and felt that both Dinah and Roger were rather unfair to him at times. In the first book, it's mentioned that Snubby looks up to Roger, but this is never really developed, probably because Barney comes along. Barney and Snubby seem to think highly of each other in the first four books, but by Rat-a-Tat, Barney behaves more like Dinah and Roger in treating Snubby as a bit of a nuisance.

I thought that Snubby's behaviour in Rubadub towards both Barney and Dummy showed him to be loyal and kind-hearted, and, as Anita says, shows him at his best.

I've re-read the first five books recently and while I rate the first three books very highly, I think that Rubadub probably is the best of the series. Plot, characters and setting are at their best. It's a sparkling story, very energetic, with a high comic value and there is real pathos contained in Barney's plight. Although I know what is coming, I always get tears in my eyes at the moment when he realises the horrible trick that has been played on him. His anger is satisfying though, and the action which immediately follows doesn't allow any time for 'wallowing'.

Dummy is a great 'extra' character - a hero in his own right - provoking sympathy in the reader, and it's good that his prospects seem to be settled at the end of the story. The thought of Dummy being left to fend for himself in a merciless world would have haunted me - but of course, Enid would never leave it like that!

Rat-a-Tat is one of my favourite winter reads - it's very atmospheric. I think that it works brilliantly as a stand-alone story, but I find it disappointing as part of the series. Naturally, every reader is going to be interested in how Barney's new life is going, and I don't feel that Enid rose to the challenge at all. Frankly, Barney himself is a disappointment to me. He's a decent, worthy boy no doubt, but he's become 'another brick in the wall' and has lost the special appeal that he had. Even his outlook and attitude doesn't seem to be a bit informed by his previous life. It didn't have to be that way - if only he'd had to scale a wall or something, we'd have seen a bit of the old fearless, resourceful Barney!

[Timmy The Dog]

In the book I bought on Monday Dummy is referred to as "Dumpy"

[Lucky Star]

Sign of the times I'm afraid.

[Timmy The Dog]

Yes

Similar to Aunt Fanny becoming Aunt Franny or Aunt Francis

[Rob Houghton]

isn't renaming him 'Dumpy' just causing another problem in this politically correct obsessive world? Surely Dumpy is insulting and non-PC?

As for what has been said about Barney - I think Spitfire nails it perfectly - Barney has become just another brick in the wall by 'Rat a Tat' - and his attitude has suddenly morphed into a clone of Diana and Roger, telling Snubby off, and being all self-righteous and priggish, as Enid herself would have called it. Obviously, in Enid's eyes, this was a vast improvement to the free, liberal, deep-thinker that Barney used to be!

[StephenC]

Have to agree that Rubadub is the highlight of the Barney series, and without a doubt, one of the best books Enid ever wrote. Great plot and cast of characters!