Mysteries and other silly stories

Mysterious and spooky stories can be scary -- or funny! Here's a group of recent mysteries that are fast, entertaining, and silly at times. Use the World Catalog and Amazon search boxes here on BookBag to find copies of these unusual books ....

The Case of the Stinky Socks, by Lewis B. Montgomery; illustrated by Amy Wummer (Kane Press) Mystery. Who wants a yucky pair of stinky socks? Up-and-coming detective Jazz's brother Dylan, that's who. Dylan pitches for his high school's baseball team, and the pair of socks that he's missing aren't just stinky--they're lucky, and Dylan needs them for the big game coming up. So when Jazz's neighbor Milo sees her reading Whodunnit magazine and suggests that they practice solving mysteries together, the two of them already have a case to solve! This easy-to-read book is the 1st in a fun new series that features detectives-in-training Milo and Jazz.


Masterpiece, by Elise Broach; illustrated by Kelly Murphy (Henry Holt) Mystery. Two families live in the Pompaday household: one consists of 11-year-old James Terik, his mother, and his stepfather, and the other is a family of beetles. James longs for attention from his family, while young Marvin the beetle longs for a little space from his overprotective clan. When James receives a pen-and-ink set for his birthday, Marvin tries it out in secret--and discovers that he has artistic talent! Marvin leaves his masterful drawing as a gift for James...and then things begin to get out of hand. Before long, Marvin and James are not only friends, but partners in an attempt to foil an art heist at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. If you liked either The Borrowers or Chasing Vermeer, don't miss the deliciously suspenseful Masterpiece.

What Really Happened to Humpty? (From the Files of a Hard-Boiled Detective), by Jeanie Franz Ransom; illustrated by Stephen Axelsen (Charlesbridge) Humorous Mystery. "Humpty Dumpty was pushed." At least, that's what his kid brother, Joe Dumpty--a "hard-boiled" detective complete with trench coat--believes and aims to prove. Tracking clues and snooping around the likes of Goldilocks, Miss Muffet, and the Big Bad Wolf, gumshoe Joe is sure to catch the culprit...and make you laugh! Written in the style of old-school private-eye movies, this book may be shelved with the easy-reader picture books, but it's full of groan-worthy jokes and puns that older kids and fans of fractured fairy tales will appreciate.


Hannah's Winter, by Kierin Meehan (Kane/Miller) Mystery. Hannah would really rather be home in Australia than living with the Maekawas in Kanazawa, Japan while her mother tours the country. But just as she is getting to know and enjoy the small, old-fashioned town and the Maekawa family, Hannah is swept up in a curious and creepy mystery involving a ghost-boy and an ancient message. Fast-paced and spooky but with well-timed comic relief, this unusual mystery has supernatural elements and yet gives readers a vivid and realistic picture of modern, small-town Japan as well as the country's culture and history.