Case Closed: Mystery in the Mansion

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.