Comments on: 1980s book with hidden treasure if you solved the mystery inside?

Question: 1980s book with hidden treasure if you solved the mystery inside?

squid patrol — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:35:24 -0800

I'm struggling to remember the title of a book I read in the 1980s, which had a real-world twist: hidden within the narrative was the location of a spot in the USA where some sort of treasure or reward money was located.

The only images I can come up with -- based on fuzzy memories of the book's title and/or cover -- would be: necklace, silver, moon, locket. And for some reason: rabbit.

The prize was somehow thematically linked with the book's content - that is to say, I think the plot involved some hidden treasure.

Any ideas? My memory was jogged by Everything is Terrible's recent post about a low-budget VHS noir with the same hook, but this book was much classier. If it helps, by the time I read the book (mid 80s?), the mystery had been solved and the prize located and dug up. Thanks!

By: Madamina

Madamina — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:42:30 -0800

Masquerade?

By: Ostara

Ostara — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:43:10 -0800

Masquerade by Kit Williams

By: scody

scody — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:43:38 -0800

Yep, it's got to be Masquerade -- set in England, though, not the states. I was obsessed with it for a year or two in the early '80s.

By: squid patrol

squid patrol — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:53:32 -0800

Wow, thanks to all of you! That is indeed it, although I remember a different cover (google images and librarything suggest, however, that I'm mistaken.) The Wikipedia article covers the scandal of the hare's fraudulent discovery, which I had no idea about! I stopped reading the article when it got to the "Solution" section, however -- it will be great to get the book out of the library and see how far I get 25 years later...

Thanks again!

By: hatmandu

hatmandu — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 01:29:34 -0800

Just in case anyone's interested, Kit Williams did an interview on BBC Radio 4 a few weeks ago - first time he has ever spoken about the fraudulent discovery of the hare. The hare's new location is still a mystery!

By: hatmandu

hatmandu — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 01:30:52 -0800

By the way, Kit Williams did a sort of sequel - another treasure hunt, all around the theme of bees. The book (I'm lucky to have a copy) doesn't even have a title!

By: fire&wings

fire&wings — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 04:25:03 -0800

Yes he was on Radio 4 recently and the granddaughter of the current owner of the hare was listening, and the two have now been reunited, albeit briefly. A BBC 4 documentary is appearing shortly.

By: EmpressCallipygos

EmpressCallipygos — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 05:44:17 -0800

By the way, Kit Williams did a sort of sequel - another treasure hunt, all around the theme of bees. The book (I'm lucky to have a copy) doesn't even have a title!

Actually, the "treasure hunt" aspect WAS that you had to figure out the title. (I also had a copy.) I recently looked up what the title actually was, but it was something kind of unmemorable.

My guess was better, anyway.

By: bluefly

bluefly — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:11:52 -0800

BBC 4 Kit Williams Interview (fascinating story, by the way, thanks for asking this question).

By: mr_crash_davis mark II: Jazz Odyssey

mr_crash_davis mark II: Jazz Odyssey — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 09:21:17 -0800

This post may be relevant to this question.

By: DisreputableDog

DisreputableDog — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 01:47:33 -0800

*****SPOILER*****

For those interested, the title is: The Bee on the Comb. (I grew up reading both Masquerade and this book).