Book Review: Flash Evans Camera News Hawk by Frank Bell
Seventeen-year-old Jimmy “Flash” Evans is an ace photographer for the Brandale Ledger, his home town’s only daily newspaper. His new steady income has been a blessing to his family since his father died during the Depression. In fact, the Ledger’s management has been so impressed with his performance that they’ve offered him a full month’s vacation…provided he uses the first bit of it to take pictures of the races in Indianapolis.
But first he spots Bailey Brooks, aviator and inventor of a new type of parachute, being tailed by a News-Vue newsreel van. Scenting something worth investigating, Flash follows, and gets a good photo opportunity as Brooks tests his controversial invention. The newsreel crew turns out to be Joe Wells, a friend of Flash’s when he worked on the local paper, and George Doyle, a sound technician with a grumpy demeanor. One of the other people present is Albert Povy, a potential investor with an unsavory reputation.
Joe and Flash meet again on the train to Indianapolis. Also aboard is Mr. Povy, and Major Creighton Hartgrove, a retired Army man rumored to be doing work for the government. The train crashes, Joe is severely injured, Major Hartgrove is assaulted by a mysterious figure, and Povy is reported killed. Joe asks Flash to fill in for him doing camera work at the races. Povy’s corpse is claimed by a Mr. Rascomb.
Doyle is less than pleased to be working with Flash, and demonstrates his generally negative personality and preference for minimal effort and maximum short term reward. Flash’s luck holds true, and the inferior post they’ve been put at has the best crash of the race. He also manages to snap a picture of the mysterious Mr. Rascomb, who bears an odd resemblance to Albert Povy. This is a bit of a problem, as Mr. Rascomb hates being photographed.
More assignments follow, and Flash gets some great footage, while falling into repeated danger. Is Rascomb the affable sportsman he seems, or a sinister mastermind? Is Doyle just a jerk, or is he an active criminal? Will Flash survive long enough to deliver the film?
This 1940 juvenile was written under the Frank Bell pen name by Mildred Wirt, who also wrote many of the early Nancy Drew stories under the Carolyn Keene byline. She was an old hand at this sort of writing by now, and knew how to keep the action moving with just enough suspense for her young readers. It’s the second and last in the series, possibly because the next year brought a shift in the market, and Flash would surely have been drafted.
This is very much a boys’ book, with minimal female characters who are mostly irrelevant beyond their individual scenes. Amusingly, Doyle is more of a jerk than most of the criminals seen in the story, with the exception of a bank robber ungrateful at being rescued from a river. Flash himself is a pretty bland personality, being largely defined by his skills and actions rather than his emotions.
Content note: It’s mentioned that news photographers and cameramen have to put aside personal feelings while doing the job. This is in conjunction with Flash and Doyle filming the fatal car crashes. Flash will go out of his way to save lives once he’s got the shot, though. Junior high readers on up should be able to handle this book just fine.
This is a fun adventure from another time, you can find low-cost or even free copies in various places. Recommended for teens interested in journalism careers.
