Humourous Mysteries

This is a darkly hilarious coming-of-age novel and a richly plotted suspense tale told through the distinctive voice of its heroine, Blue van Meer. After a childhood spent moving from one academic outpost to another with her father, Blue is clever and possessed of a vast lexicon of knowledge. But when a drowning and the shocking death of a teacher lead to a confluence of mysteries, Blue is left to make sense of it all with only her gimlet-eyed instincts and cultural references to guide - or misguide - her.

The precious Crown Jewels have been stolen, and there's only one person who can help the Queen: her newest secret agent, Mac B. To help her, he must travel around the globe in search of the stolen treasure...but will he find it in time? From secret identities to Karate hijinks, this fast-paced, witty, and historically inspired chapter book will keep listeners guessing. With fascinating historical facts masterfully sprinkled throughout, the first entry in this series offers adventure, intrigue, absurdity, and humor.

When my old friend Professor von Volt called to ask for help, I agreed immediately, even though it meant trekking halfway around the world to Mouse Everest! The trip was long and dangerous. I almost froze my tail off along the way. And then I was kidnapped by a yeti! Yes, it was truly an amazing adventure.

Behold! You are all about to be witnesses to greatness. In this fourth volume of Timmy Failure's memoirs, Timmy is forced to hit the road in a cross-country trip that includes Timmy's mom, Total the polar bear, Doorman Dave, and smells-like-a-tangerine criminal mastermind Molly Moskins. It's a world gone mad, where good becomes bad, and Timmy Failure is a condemned man. Someone call the authorities....

America's favorite bounty hunter is back behind the wheel in her fifth hilarious, high-octane thriller. Out of bail skippers and rent money, Stephanie Plum strikes out on her own. Okay, so a scumball blows himself to bits on her first day of policing a crack house, and the sheik she was chauffeuring steals the limo. But hey, nobody's perfect.

Cat ranch or cattle ranch? Hank the Cowdog doesn't like cats. Not one bit. So when a mother cat and her kittens take up residence in the haystack, he does all he can to get them to leave. But they've got nowhere to go. Unfortunately, neither does the gigantic bull who has knocked down the fence - and is headed right for the haystack! Hank knows that it's up to him to run that bull off and keep the ranch safe for everyone...even if that includes a bunch of cats.

William Hawkins, a crusty criminal lawyer, refuses to let go of his humanity and learn to “cat” after his murder and reincarnation as a feral kitten. His human body is missing, and he becomes the prime suspect in his own murder. As a feral kitten, he must connect three murders to fast cars, an open pit mine, meth dealers, coyotes, and the death of a large feral clowder. Can humans and animals really work together to clean up Crow River and bring down the kingpin that controls the local crime and drug scene?

Someone has been stealing calves from Uncle Johnny's pasture, and it's up to Hank and Slim to put a stop to it. In the hopes of catching the "crinimals" in the act, they set up camp in the field just north of the canyon. But the stakeout isn't all fun and games.

Since returning from London, the three Incorrigible children and their plucky governess, Miss Penelope Lumley, have been exceedingly busy. Despite their wolfish upbringing, the children have taken up bird-watching, with no unfortunate consequences - yet. And a perplexing gift raises hard questions about how Penelope came to be left at the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females and why her parents never bothered to return for her. But hers is not the only family mystery to solve....

The Kidd siblings have grown up diving down to shipwrecks and traveling the world, helping their famous parents recover everything from swords to gold doubloons from the bottom of the ocean. But after their parents disappear on the job, the kids are suddenly thrust into the biggest treasure hunt of their lives. They'll have to work together to defeat dangerous pirates and dodge the hot pursuit of an evil treasure hunting rival, all while following cryptic clues to unravel the mystery of what really happened to their parents - and find out if they're still alive.

The Chicken Squad is back for their fourth (mis)adventure, and this time they're facing their darkest mystery yet: shadows!

Our fluffy, fearless young detectives are back out sleuthing, because there's a new cage in the yard, and the Chicken Squad is determined to figure out just who this new addition is. Because whatever it is, it's definitely up to no good. So, equipped with the latest surveillance gear - which apparently includes copious amounts of marshmallows - the chicks venture into the wild to get answers. Let's just hope they can beat that giant rain cloud that's closing in - because everyone knows that chickens can't swim!

Of especially naughty children, it is sometimes said: “They must have been raised by wolves.” The Incorrigible children actually were. Discovered in the forests of Ashton Place, the Incorrigibles are no ordinary children: Alexander keeps his siblings in line with gentle nips; Cassiopeia has a bark that is (usually) worse than her bite; and Beowulf is alarmingly adept at chasing squirrels.

Ka-boom! Awakened by an attack from an invisible enemy, Hank the Cowdog knows that there's only one thing for him to do - get inside the house and make sure that his family is safe. But when he arrives, Hank learns that the house is in the path of a swirling killer tornado!

There's been a brutal murder on the ranch, and it's up to Hank the Cowdog, Head of Ranch Security, to conduct the investigation. The only problem is no one's talking. After a dangerous fact-finding mission, Hank thinks he knows who the guilty party is.

It's all fun and games until somebody ends up in the pound. It's been a busy few days for the Head of Ranch Security, what with routine patrols and not-so-routine combat with headless monsters. When the dust settles, Hank decides to take a break from duty and visit his sister in town.

Author of The Big Splash and Emmy®-winning writer for PBS’s WordGirl, Jack D. Ferraiolo delivers the uproarious adventure of a different kind of hero. Behind every superhero stands a trusty—though less glamorous—sidekick. For Phantom Justice there is (drumroll, please) Bright Boy! Superfast and superstrong!

Do you need something? Mac can get it for you. It's what he does—he and his best friend and business manager, Vince. Their methods might sometimes run afoul of the law, or at least the school code of conduct, but if you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can pay him, Mac is on your side. His office is located in the East Wing boys' bathroom, fourth stall from the high window. And business is booming.

You know it's going to be a rough summer when you spend Father's Day visiting your dad in the local lockup. Noah's dad is sure that the owner of the Coral Queen casino boat is flushing raw sewage into the harbor, which has made taking a dip at the local beach like swimming in a toilet. He can't prove it though, and so he decides that sinking the boat will make an effective statement. Right. The boat is pumped out and back in business within days and Noah's dad is stuck in the clink.

From rags to riches...When Pete the Barncat offers to trade good, juicy steak scraps for a couple of old corncobs, Hank the Cowdog smells a rat. Why would Pete want to trade - unless the cobs are worth a fortune? So, armed with his Incredible PricelessCorncobs, Hank sets out to plan his Early Retirement. But retirement and the life of luxury don't come as easily as Hank expects. It seems as though everyone is after his treasure - even his faithful sidekick, Drover!