From School Library Journal
Grade 9 Up-An unusual and uneven collection of tales from across the past century, though most date to the first half of that period. Authors include masters such as Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie and lesser known or newer writers such as Andrew Vachss and Raymond Smullyan. In addition, Pullman has chosen the work of some authors not normally considered "detective" writers at all-Isaac Asimov, Italo Calvino, Damon Runyon. All of the selections are well written and plotted, and are overwhelmingly selected from authors writing for adults. Herein lies the unevenness. The styles of the various authors and the ages of their characters should pose little problem for young adults who like to read. Why then, one wonders, has Pullman included chapters from Emil and the Detectives, which are both inconclusive as selected and too childish to be enjoyed by most of the seemingly intended audience? One likewise questions the inclusion of "Murder at St. Oswald's," set in a British boys' school among "middle school" students whose behavior seems about on par with American sixth graders. On the other hand, older readers can simply skip these entries and enjoy instead what is likely to be their first exposure to Runyon, Calvino, Vachss, and Dorothy Sayers. The inclusion of one "true story," Tony Fletcher's "Fingerprinting a Ghost," is both a marvelous idea and a marvelous choice.Coop Renner, Coldwell Elementary-Intermediate School, El Paso, TXCopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
Gr. 7^-12. Teenagers with a taste for classic (mostly British), cerebral mysteries, as opposed to the more contemporary American shoot-'em-up variety, will find plenty to occupy them in this collection, even though not all the offerings are detective stories in the strict sense. Hercule Poirot, Ellery Queen, and Sherlock Holmes do show off their investigative talents, but Pullman also includes a parody, an "Italian folktale," a selection of "you-solve it" puzzles, and a funny story by Damon Runyan about a safecracker who brings his baby to work. An excerpt from Erich Kastner's children's book Emil and the Detectives, now out of print, is a bit disappointing, as it ends at a very exciting part. Readers looking for mysteries by women aren't well served: only Dorothy Sayers and Agatha Christie are in the author roundup. And, to find a solid mystery with a female protagonist, they will need to go to Pullman's own excellent Victorian puzzler, The Ruby in Smoke (1988). Stephanie Zvirin


Book Description
Young mystery fans will be enthralled by this compelling volume of detective fiction that includes both classic and contemporary writers such as Italo Calvino, Agatha Christie, Ellery Queen, Damon Runyon, and Andrew Vachss.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Young mystery fans will be enthralled by this compelling volume of detective fiction that includes both classic and contemporary writers such as Italo Calvino, Agatha Christie, Ellery Queen, Damon Runyon, and Andrew Vachss.

FROM THE CRITICS

Children's Literature - Janet L. Rose

Famous fictional detectives are included in this collection of short stories. Sherlock Holmes appears in "The Speckled Band," Poirot in "The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb" and Ellery Queen in "Cold Money." Isaac Asimov writes a mystery with the Cross of Lorraine as a clue (which turns out to be an Exxon station). In "Murder at St. Oswald's," twelve middle school boys plot the murder of their hated teacher. Nigel, the leader, gathers leaves and roots, grinds them into a powder, and sprinkles it into the teacher's porridge. Neither the teacher nor his body can be found. The boys are sick with fear, but all turns out well in the end. In one story a hairdresser captures a thief by dyeing his hair green; in another, some analytical puzzles test the reader's mind. The last selection is a satirical look at the perfect detective story—complete with obvious clues, multiple disguises, a witless assistant, a distressed damsel, and a surprise ending. It is part of the "Story Library" series, each of which include short stories on different themes. 2004 (orig.1998), Kingfisher/Houghton Mifflin Company, Ages 9 to 14.

School Library Journal