Five Fall Into Adventure - Enid Blyton

Published as an audiobook by Hodder Children's Books/Hachette Children's Book, 2013.
Narrated by Jan Francis.
Book 9 in the 'Famous Five' series. Preceded by 'Five Get Into Trouble.' Followed by 'Five on a Hike Together.'
First published 1950.

By this point in the Famous Five series, Elise and I are prepared for the familiar beats: suspicious and 'ugly' people will be the villains, there will likely be a secret tunnel, and the five will, for some reason, be separated from the influence or oversight of adults. We know that these are likely to happen. 

What we appreciated about this particular entry was how little Enid Blyton tried to disguise them anymore, particularly the 'children left alone' part. At the beginning of this entry, the five - staying at Kirrin Cottage - are simply left behind, on purpose, when Uncle Quentin and Aunt Fanny go to mainland Europe. There is a housekeeper on site, but there is no need for a further elaborate set-up. The kids are alone, and that is that. And the housekeeper stays entirely in the house, so no further oversight is given.

Some of the other tropes are played with a bit; there is often a boy who either joins them on their adventure or is part of the villain-group, but in this entry the boy turns out to be - shock, horror - a girl! A very 'George-like' girl. To the point where that even features into the plot. And Jo (the girl in question) has a far more uncertain morality than most of the children that usually feature.

Just who the titular 'five' in this entry are is also played about with a bit. At various points up to three of the original five are missing, captured, or otherwise occupied, with Jo, or housekeeper Joanna, or even a random newspaper-boy making up numbers. 

Quite fun, and has a few unexpected turns.

Completed with Elise, 16 January 2026.

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