Return of the Gumshoe

Ask an adult what the word “gumshoe” conjures up, and you’ll probably hear names like Mickey Spillane and Sam Spade. A man with a fedora and a squinty stare automatically signals gumshoe. References might also include the terse and tough private eye, the alluring dame usually portending trouble, the mysterious object they all crave, double-crosses, and wisecracks. Ask a child what the word means, and you’ll likely be met with a blank stare. However, this style of literature has lent itself to a number of successful, suspenseful, and often amusing children’s books.

Of course, there are many mysteries for young readers, but books in the gumshoe genre include a reliable number of the conventions already noted, and the narrator is usually a cynical, streetwise, smart-alecky figure who conveys a type of ennui recognizable to adult fans. Not surprisingly, picture books take the most tongue-in-cheek approach to the traditional hardboiled archetype, using illustrations to play with the visual allusions and exaggerated characters found in film noir. Detective mysteries for older readers may not employ all of the typical gumshoe characteristics, but they use enough to make the style easily recognizable. There is usually a young detective, often helped by friends, and danger is always right around the corner.

While picture books allow for a greater dose of humor and affectionate parody of the adult gumshoe, books for middle and high school readers tend to be more serious, with higher stakes. However, all of the detective and crime stories listed here allow readers the opportunity to practice their deductive reasoning skills while also enjoying the suspense of a well-written whodunit.

ADLER, David A. Bones and the Cupcake Mystery. illus. by Barbara Johansen Newman. Viking. 2005. RTE $13.99. ISBN 0-670-05939-0.

K-Gr 2 –Detective Jeffrey Bones may not be as well known as Cam Jansen, but he’s just as determined to solve a case. It appears that someone has stolen his friend Not-Me Amy’s spinach noodle cupcake. Using deductive reasoning, he figures out just what happened. Brief chapters, amusing asides, and charming illustrations add to the enjoyment of the mystery.

CHILD, Lauren. Utterly Me, Clarice Bean. illus. by author. Candlewick. 2003. RTE $15.99. ISBN 0-7636-2186-2; pap. $5.99. ISBN 1-84121-918-5.

Gr 2-5–Irrepressible Clarice Bean is finding life confusing. Grandpa’s acting weird; friend Betty is missing, and the school cup has been stolen. Interspersed with Clarice’s piquant observations are excerpts from the latest Ruby Redfort mysteries that feature the girl detective whom Clarice admires. Ingenious placement of text and line drawings add greatly to the fun.

CLEMENT, Rod. Grandpa’s Teeth. illus. by author. HarperCollins. 1998. Tr $14.95. ISBN 0-06-027671-1; pap. $5.99. ISBN 0-06-443557-1.

K-Gr 3 –Panic ensues after Grandpa discovers his Swiss-handcrafted dentures have been stolen. When police are called in, suspicion spreads. Grandpa wants everyone smiling so he can find the thief. Amusing illustrations give subtle clues about the culprit. The last page of this picture book resolves the mystery and features one of the funniest punch lines in years.

CUSHMAN, Doug. Mystery at the Club Sandwich. illus. by author. Clarion. 2004. RTE $15. ISBN 0-618-41969-1.

Gr 1-4 –Nick Trunk is an elephant detective working for peanuts. When Maggie Trouble walks into his office, he knows he’s, well, in trouble. Famous singer Lola Gale, Maggie’s boss, has lost her lucky marbles. Since Lola can’t perform without them, Nick investigates. This is one gumshoe who knows how to crack a tough nut. Noir touches include staccato sentences, puns, and black-and-white illustrations.

HALE, Bruce. The Big Nap: From the Tattered Casebook of Chet Gecko, Private Eye. illus. by author. Harcourt. 2001. Tr $14. ISBN 0-15-202521-9.

Gr 3-5 –When his classmates suddenly love school and homework, Private Detective Chet Gecko knows something isn’t right at Emerson Hicky Elementary School. Modeled on hardboiled detective novels with tongue planted firmly in cheek, some references will be unfamiliar to children, but there are still plenty of puns and bad jokes to entertain readers. Black-and-white illustrations add to the noir look. Audio version available from Listening Library.

MCCLEMENTS, George. Jake Gander, Storyville Detective: The Case of the Greedy Granny. illus. by author. Hyperion. 2002. Tr $15.99. ISBN 0-7868-0662-1.

PreS-Gr 3 –Jake’s beat is Storyville. His job: to rewrite fairy tales with unhappy endings. Investigating Little Red Riding Hood’s grandmother, dense Jake needs visual aids (one chart shows wolf, elf, granny, and bear ears) to clearly identify a wolf. He solves Red’s case but then the Bear family comes calling…. Amusing collage illustrations feature the square-jawed detective in black and white while all others appear in vibrant color.

NASH, Scott. Tuff Fluff: The Case of Duckie’s Missing Brain. illus. by author. Candlewick. 2004. RTE $16.99. ISBN 0-7636-1882-9.

Gr 1-3 –Big Stuff, a teddy bear, and Duckie pay a visit to Detective Tuff Fluff. Someone has stolen the stuffing from Duckie’s head, and now the beloved storyteller of Los Attic (a cardboard city for stuffed animals) can’t spin his tales. With the help of the mismatched Atticans, Tuff solves the mystery. Full of verbal and visual puns, enhanced by cartoonlike illustrations.

PALATINI, Margie. The Web Files. illus. by Richard Egielski. Hyperion. 2001. Tr $15.99. ISBN 0-7868-0419-X.

K-Gr 4 –In a parody of TV’s Dragnet, Ducktective Web and partner Bill hear there’s some fowl play at the chicken coop. Tongue twisters and puns galore add to the flavor of the tale, and the participating nursery-rhyme characters are portrayed in lovely colorful illustrations. While many noir references might go over children’s heads, they will enjoy tracking down the culprit. Dum de dum dum.

RYLANT, Cynthia. The Case of the Climbing Cat. illus. by G. Brian Karas. HarperCollins. 2000. Tr $14.95. ISBN 0-688-16310-6; PLB $14.89. ISBN 0-688-16309-2; pap. $3.99. ISBN 0-06-444307-8.

Gr 1-3 –When Miss Nancy’s binoculars are stolen by a cat, she goes to gung-ho detective Bunny Brown and distracted partner Jack Jones. Best friends Bunny and Jack use their individual strengths to solve this intriguing easy-reader mystery. Plenty of visual and verbal clues are here for children to decipher. Audio version available from Live Oak Media.

TEAGUE, Mark. Detective LaRue: Letters from the Investigation. illus. by author. Scholastic. 2004. RTE $15.95. ISBN 0-439-45868-4.

K-Gr 3 –When two cats go missing, habitual fibber Ike LaRue is arrested. The canine writes colorful letters to his vacationing owner telling a sad tale of his miserable plight and hard-nosed investigation while he lives the good life at the police station and in a luxury hotel. Lively color illustrations show Ike’s real experiences, while his gumshoe fantasies are rendered in black and white with lots of visual puns.

ANDERSON, Janet S. The Last Treasure. Dutton. 2003. Tr $17.99. ISBN 0-525-46919-2; pap. $6.99. ISBN 0-14-240217-6.

Gr 5-8 –Patriarch John Smith died in 1881, leaving his large family three stores of hidden treasure that only children can find. With one cache left to locate, intuitive Ellsworth and frightened Jess are drawn to the inherited property. Ellsworth’s presence opens old wounds, revealing a family fractured by past hurts, but the cousins eventually prove that the best treasure is intangible.

BALLIETT, Blue. Chasing Vermeer. illus. by Brett Helquist. Scholastic. 2004. Tr $16.95. ISBN 0-439-37294-1; pap. $6.99. ISBN 0-439-37297-6.

Gr 5-8 –Two 12-year-olds are caught in a web of intrigue involving a stolen Vermeer painting, mysterious letters, and many coincidences. Readers becomes investigators, deciphering coded letters as well as hints in Helquist’s clever black-and-white illustrations. This challenging mystery highlights the difference between looking and really seeing. Audio version available from Listening Library.

BROACH, Elise. Shakespeare’s Secret. Holt. 2005. Tr $16.95. ISBN 0-8050-7387-6.

Gr 4-7 –Sixth-grader Hero and her Shakespeare-obsessed family move to a house thought to be the hiding place of an Elizabethan diamond with possible ties to Shakespeare, and Hero begins to look for it. Readers will enjoy the well-rounded characters and fascinating plot, along with the related debate about who actually wrote Shakespeare’s works. Audio version available from Recorded Books.

COMAN, Carolyn. The Big House. illus. by Rob Shepperson. Front St. 2004. Tr $16.95. ISBN 1-932425-09-8.

Gr 3-6 –When Ivy and Ray’s admittedly crooked parents are jailed for embezzlement, the children are placed in the care of sinister Marietta Noland, their parents’ accuser. Although the children are poorly treated, farcical humor keeps things light. The siblings concoct delightfully amusing plans to investigate Noland’s false claim, and Marietta eventually gets her comeuppance with a punishment far more fitting than a stint in the slammer.

CURTIS, Christopher Paul. Mr. Chickee’s Funny Money. Random. 2005. Tr $15.95. ISBN 0-385-32772-2; PLB $17.99. ISBN 0-385-90936-5.

Gr 3-6 –This whimsical tale starts when nine-year-old Steven is given a quadrillion dollar bill by enigmatic neighbor Mr. Chickee, who then disappears. Fortunately, Steven is president of the Future Detectives of Flint. He and his friend Russell work to solve the mystery of Mr. Chickee’s cryptic leave-taking and the annoying presence of U.S. Treasury Agent Fondoo. A funny, fast-paced mystery sure to appeal to reluctant readers. Audio version available from Listening Library.

FARDELL, John. The 7 Professors of the Far North. illus. by author. Putnam. 2005. Tr $14.99. ISBN 0-399-24381-X; pap. $6.99. ISBN 0-14-240735-6.

Gr 4-7 –This romp features three young sleuths looking for eccentric inventor Professor Ampersand, kidnapped along with five colleagues. The children have only three days to rescue the professors and the world from Murdo, a former colleague gone mad. The action is fast-paced and fun, and the characters are amusing. A fantastical mystery reminiscent of Roald Dahl’s work.

HOEYE, Michael. Time Stops For No Mouse. A Hermux Tantamoq Adventure. Putnam. 2002. Tr $14.99. ISBN 0-399-23878-6; pap. $7.99. ISBN 0-698-11991-6.

Gr 5-8 –When aviatrix Linka Perflinger disappears and a thuggish rat tries to retrieve her watch from Hermux the mouse, the genially old-fashioned watchmaker knows something is amiss. Hermux feels compelled to search for the charming aviatrix, and with help from his friends he finds Linka and solves a number of mysteries. This is no tough gumshoe but a quietly determined fellow sure to charm readers. Audio version available from Recorded Books.

HOOBLER, Dorothy & Thomas Hoobler. The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn. Philomel. 1999. Tr $17.99. ISBN 0-399-23330-X; pap. $5.99. ISBN 0-14-240541-8.

Gr 5-8 –In 18th-century Japan, 14-year-old Seikei, the son of a merchant, is at an inn when a ruby is stolen. Famous samurai Judge Ooka (a real historical figure) investigates, involving the lad. Knowing that actor Tomomi plays a part in the heist, Seikei joins the theater troupe to help solve the mystery. Time and place are beautifully conveyed in this meditation on the meaning of honor.

SIMMONS, Alex & Bill McCay. The Raven League. Sleuth/Razorbill. 2006. Tr $10.99. ISBN 1-59514-072-7.

Gr 4-6 –Archie and his pals form the Raven League when they discover that Sherlock Holmes has been abducted. Teamwork, courage, and street smarts help to find him and foil an assassination plot on the Queen. The authors capably capture the tone of Arthur Conan Doyle’s mysteries in this suspenseful and well-researched tale.

SPRINGER, Nancy. The Case of the Missing Marquess: An Enola Holmes Mystery. Philomel/Sleuth. 2006. Tr $10.99. ISBN 0-399-24304-6.

Gr 4-8–When Enola, neglected younger sister of Sherlock Holmes, decides to find her vanished mother and heads to London, she discovers hidden talents as a “Perditorian,” or finder of lost things. This believably plucky sleuth confounds even her great older brother. While Enola’s loneliness remains unabated, readers are left with the hope that future installments will bring her the affection she deserves. Audio version available from Recorded Books.

HAUTMAN, Pete & Mary Logue. Snatched. Sleuth/Putnam. 2006. Tr $15.99. ISBN 0-399-24377-1.

Gr 7-11 –Eleventh-grader Roni is a pushy but dedicated reporter for the school paper. She and geeky Brian discover that snooty new kid Alicia has been kidnapped and, through sheer force of personality, Roni involves Brian in cracking the case. Effectively mixing suspense and humor, the author has created interactions between complete opposites that are great fun.

HOWE, Norma. Blue Avenger Cracks the Code. Holt. 2000. Tr $17. ISBN 0-8050-6372-2.

Gr 7 Up –David Schumacher, aka Blue Avenger, grimly determines to wade through all of Shakespeare’s works to see if Shakespeare or the Earl of Oxford authored the classic plays. Scattershot, zippy plotting is sometimes confusing but allows for interesting meditations on a number of topics. The modern-day Venice setting adds to the characters’ quirkiness, allowing for intentionally over-the-top intrigues and language.

LITTLE, Jason. Shutterbug Follies. illus. by author. Doubleday. 2002. Tr $24.95. ISBN 0-385-50346-6.

Gr 9 Up –Bee, 18, develops photos for a living in this engaging graphic novel. After seeing a picture of a naked corpse, she attempts to find out whether the photo’s owner is responsible. Helped by eccentric cabby Rod, Bee travels around New York City investigating. While there is nudity, teens will be more intrigued by the intrepid Bee, lively secondary characters, and forensics aspects of the mystery.

MADISON, Bennett. Lulu Dark Can See Through Walls. Penguin/Razorbill. 2005. Tr $9.99. ISBN 1-59514-010-7.

Gr 9 Up –Call her snarky, but don’t ever call Lulu Dark “Nancy Drew.” She finds herself unwillingly involved in several mysteries. Teenage actress Berlin Silver is missing (perhaps dead), Lulu’s purse has been stolen, and her unknown doppelganger is causing trouble. Lulu may be one reluctant detective, but this lively teenage sleuth unravels complicated mysteries in an enjoyable way.

PLUM-UCCI, Carol. The Body of Christopher Creed. Harcourt. 2000. Tr $17. ISBN 0-15-202388-7.

Gr 8 Up –For 16-year-old Torey, life is perfect. He is smart, popular, and dates the prettiest girl. Then class oddball Christopher disappears, leaving a cryptic e-mail that mentions Torey among others. When he and two teen misfits investigate, they become major suspects. Bullying and prejudice are shown at their damaging worst here. The ambiguous ending to this complex mystery satisfies. Audio version available from Recorded Books.

PRICE, Charlie. Dead Connection. Roaring Brook. 2006. Tr $16.95. ISBN 1-59643-114-8.

Gr 9 Up –Friendless Murray finds comfort communing telepathically with the dead at a local cemetery. Soon after a cheerleader disappears, he hears a girl screaming to be found, and he and the cemetery manager’s daughter try to get someone to believe them. Twists and turns in this multi-perspective mystery keep readers guessing, and the denouement is genuinely surprising.

RABB, M. E. The Rose Queen Penguin/Speak. 2004. pap. $5.99. ISBN 0-14-250041-0.

Gr 6-10 –With their recently deceased father’s money, Sam and Sophie flee New York and an awful stepmother. Car trouble brings them to Venice, IN, where the girls assume new identifies. As newcomers, they’re suspected in the disappearance of an obnoxious parade queen and forced to solve the mystery to protect themselves. This is a fun, fast-paced read with appealing characters.

SCRIMGER, Richard. From Charlie’s Point of View: A Mystery. Dutton. 2005. Tr $10.99. ISBN 0-525-47374-2.

Gr 5-10 –Charlie has been blind since birth. His friend Bernadette is totally supportive of him, and the kids realistically deal with bullies and oblivious parents. When his dad is mistakenly thought to be the Stocking Bandit, Charlie must figure out the real culprit. Deft characterization, a strong mystery, elements of the paranormal, and Charlie’s unique point of view make for a great read.

THOMPSON, Jill. The Dead Boy Detectives. illus. by author. Vertigo. 2005. pap. $9.99. ISBN 1-4012-0313-2.

Gr 7 Up –This manga mystery stars two dead British teens first featured in Neil Gaiman’s seminal “Sandman” series (DC Comics). Edwin and Charles, proprietors of a detective agency, receive a letter requesting help finding a missing student at a girls’ private school. The teen detectives often forget they are dead, leading to lots of chummy joshing. Pop-culture references dot this tale of bullying and double-dealing.

WERLIN, Nancy. Black Mirror. Dial. 2001. Tr $16.99. ISBN 0-8037-2605-8.

Gr 7 Up –Frances is a scholarship student at Pettengill, which her older brother also attended until his heroin overdose. An unlikely detective, she has neither self-esteem nor friends, but she comes to believe that the charitable organization to which her brother was devoted is not as it seems. With a groundskeeper’s help and strange vibes from a drug-dealing student, Frances ultimately muddles her way to some very upsetting realizations.