""From the inspired mystic to the man of practical analytic mind, the transition was instantaneous..." Astro, the Seer of Secrets, and his lovely assistant, Valeska, sound more like a magic act than a private detection team. Astro, in fact, hides his powers of observation and reasoning beneath a turban and a cape, pretending to read palms and consult crystals while in fact keenly observing details that most people-police included-miss. Valeska, his...

Only Henry Petroski, author of The Pencil, could make one never pick up a paper clip again without being overcome with feelings of awe and reverence. In his new book the author examines a host of techno-trivia questions - how the fork got its tines, why Scotch tape is called that, how the paper clip evolved, how the Post-it note came to be, how the zipper was named, why aluminum cans have hollow bottoms - and provides us with answers that both astonish...

"The detective's role is simple: to catch the culprit. Yet behind each casual observation lies a learned mind, trained in deliberations of logic - preferably amid complicated gadgetry and scientific tomes. The detectives in this collection are masters of scientific deduction, whether they are identifying the perpetrator from a scrap of fabric, or picking out the poison from a sinister line-up. Containing stories by R Austin Freeman, J J Connington...

1.25 8-6-01 Hastings.

"Clara Starling lives a life of dull rules, deadly routine, and flavorless meals under her cold uncle's strict regime--until the day Uncle disappears, leaving Clara alone in his old mansion. When streetwise orphan Peter and his rescue cat arrive unexpectedly, the children seize the chance to live by their own rules. But when the pair's wild romps through the halls of Braithwaite Manor reveal a single, worn ballet slipper, they are hurled into a mystery...

Solve thrilling murders and cases of robbery, fraud, espionage, and more with Thomas P. Stanwick in this collection of puzzling mysteries. Before you're done, you'll help Stanwick deduce essential facts from physical circumstances, separate liars from truthtellers, decide who has what role in a gang or in a crime, and reason with time sequences. Murders most foul, criminal capers, and miscellaneous mysteries: welcome to the world of wily logician...

Judy Moody is freaky for Nancy Drew, the famous girl detective from the book series. When Judy bumps into Mighty Fantaskey, she's excited to make a new friend who is also a Nancy Drew fan. Excited, that is, until she visits Mighty's house: it's big and old and creaky and spooky. It even swallows up Judy's mood ring! Can Judy muster up the courage to go back and reclaim it?

Provides advice, examples, and exercises on the process of writing a mystery novel.

Dr. Quicksolve and his son Junior and solve some dastardly crimes! Interview suspects, evaluate their stories, examine crime scenes, and note strange details. Be on the alert for liars, tricksters, and unlikely alibis. Did Mary Contrary kill her new husband? Who was stealing cattle from McDonald's farm? By reading these mini-mysteries carefully, paying attention, and thinking hard, all secrets can be revealed.

"Akashic Books continues its award-winning series of original noir anthologies, launched in 2004 with Brooklyn Noir. Each book comprises stories set in a distinct neighborhood or location within the respective city. The best-selling original Miami Noir, edited by Les Standiford and published in 2006, featured brand-new stories from some of the city's best living writers. Now, in Miami Noir: The Classics, Standiford has turned his eye toward the outstanding...