by Lauren Magaziner (Author)
Pick-your-own-path and puzzle-packed mystery collide in the first book in Lauren Magaziner's hilarious and high-stakes four-book middle grade series in which the reader must help Carlos and his friends put together the clues to save his mom's detective agency.
In this wildly entertaining and interactive adventure, YOU pick which suspects to interview, which questions to ask, and which clues to follow. You pick the path--you crack the case!
Carlos Serrano has never solved a mystery in his life. But when Carlos's mom gets sick with a flu on the morning of an investigation that could save her failing detective agency, Carlos takes on the case.
With the help of his best friend, Eliza, and her wild little brother, Frank, Carlos must uncover a mystery involving an eccentric local millionaire, anonymous death threats, and a buried treasure. But with tricky riddles, cagey suspects, hidden secrets, and dozens of impossible choices, they need your help!
Can you help Carlos and his friends find the culprit and save Las Pistas Detective Agency? Or will it be case closed?
Middle grade readers will enjoy all four books in this favorite series: Mystery in the Mansion (#1), Stolen from the Studio (#2), Haunting at the Hotel (#3), and Danger on the Dig (#4)!
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Gr 4-6—Carlos knows his mom's detective agency is in trouble; the agency has lost clients and money after several failed cases. But a major case has just been handed to his mom and her partner, and their money problems may soon be over. When his mom comes down with a terrible case of the flu, Carlos decides to step up and take on the case himself. Along with his best friend Eliza and her little brother Frank (short for Frankenstein's Monster), Carlos meets the client, Guinevere LaCavalier. Guinevere has been receiving death threats that are getting scarier and more specific. The three children must follow a winding set of clues to figure out culprit. Plenty of toilet humor and silly puns will keep younger middle grade readers engaged and giggling, though the death threat notes may prove too scary for some. The "choose your own adventure" format adds a fun twist, offering readers different options, like whom to interview, what to examine, and which clues to follow. The strength of the book is in the riddles that readers must solve in order to move forward in the mystery. VERDICT An entertaining romp that will appeal to fans of humorous mysteries.—Corey Hall, Manheim Central Middle School, PA
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