# The Clock Strikes Thirteen

By Mildred A. Wirt.

"The Clock Strikes Thirteen" by Mildred A. Wirt is a mystery novel likely written in the early 1940s. The story centers around Penny Parker, an adventurous and determined young woman who works in a newspaper office and often stumbles into mysteries that pique her interest. In this installment, she encounters a series of events surrounding a peculiar clock tower and a sinister fire related to an underhanded organization, which hints at deeper layers of intrigue in her community. At the start of the novel, Penny Parker is introduced in her father's newsroom at the Riverview Star, where the well-established dynamic between her and her father showcases her playful yet feisty personality. As they return home late at night, Penny becomes fixated on the peculiar event of the Hubell clock striking thirteen instead of twelve, leading her to assert that something is amiss. This oddity, combined with a series of telegrams sent by an unknown critic of her father's newspaper and the emergence of a fire at a nearby farm, sets off a chain of investigations. The opening establishes a mixture of familial warmth and mystery that suggests a classic detective narrative where Penny's inquisitive nature will ultimately unravel the truth behind these strange occurrences. (Summary by Project Gutenberg, written by machine.)

- Language: English
- Subjects: Adventure and adventurers -- Juvenile fiction; Mystery and detective stories; Parker, Penny (Fictitious character) -- Juvenile fiction; Women detectives -- Juvenile fiction

[Read it](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/books/gutenberg/34403/read)
[Plain text](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/api/books/gutenberg/34403/text)

## Audiobooks of it

- [Clock Strikes Thirteen](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/books/librivox/10370) by Mildred A. Wirt Benson (4 h 33 min, English)

From Project Gutenberg. Public domain in the United States.