Synopses & Reviews
Retired private detective and current seventh grader Steve Brixton has a new career: taking out the garbage on Wednesdays for five bucks a week. But it’s hard to leave the old game behind, and on a train trip down the California coast, Steve finds himself pulled back into sleuthing. Soon he’s in over his head in four feet and eleven inches of mystery involving a fleet of priceless automobiles, a deadly assassin (or maybe just a faulty lock on a sauna door), and a secret train car filled with intrigue. Plus there’s a girl involved, which complicates everything. I mean she’s just Steve’s friend. And really, they barely even know each other. It’s not like they’re boyfriend or girlfriend or anything, okay?
Review
"Barnett’s sly and often silly Hardy Boy parody chugs along with plenty of laughs and enough honest-to-gosh mystery to please any lover of boy detective fiction. Rex’s black-and-white pencils (which also parody the Hardy tales) are still a fine match for the goofiness. Mention of the next adventure at mystery’s close will make Brixton fans smile."--Kirkus Reviews
Review
"An amusing addition to the Brixton Brothers series."—Booklist
Synopsis
Steve Brixton is in retirement, and not even grand theft auto can bring him back for one last job. Period, the end, that's that. Right After finding out that his favorite author (and author of the definitive Bailey Brothers Guidebook) was not the man Steve thought he was, the Brixton Brothers detective agency is officially out of business. Steve has a new job now: taking out the trash for five bucks a week.
But when he and his best chum Dana take a train trip down the California coast, he's caught up in a mystery that involves a fleet of stolen automobiles, a vanishing girl, and a phantom train car. For fans who want their Hardy Boys with a sprinkle of laugh-out-loud humor.
Synopsis
andlt;Bandgt;For a great detective, the best part of retiring is coming out of retirement.andlt;/Bandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Retired private detective and current seventh grader Steve Brixton has a new job: He takes out the trash for five bucks a week. But itand#8217;s hard to leave the old game behind, and on a train trip down the California coast, Steve and his best chum, Dana, are pulled into a mystery involving a fleet of stolen automobiles, a vanishing girl, and a phantom train car. Oh, and there might just be some romanceand#8230;.andlt;BRandgt;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp; This laugh-out-loud mystery is a witty, modern-day companion to the adventures of the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew that brims with humor and intrigue.
Synopsis
For a great detective, the best part of retiring is coming out of retirement.Retired private detective and current seventh grader Steve Brixton has a new job: He takes out the trash for five bucks a week. But it’s hard to leave the old game behind, and on a train trip down the California coast, Steve and his best chum, Dana, are pulled into a mystery involving a fleet of stolen automobiles, a vanishing girl, and a phantom train car. Oh, and there might just be some romance….
This laugh-out-loud mystery is a witty, modern-day companion to the adventures of the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew that brims with humor and intrigue.
About the Author
andlt;bandgt;Mac Barnettandlt;/bandgt;andnbsp;is the author of the Brixton Brother series and several picture books, includingandnbsp;andlt;iandgt;Guess Again!andlt;/iandgt;andnbsp;andandnbsp;andlt;iandgt;Chloe and the Lionandlt;/iandgt;andnbsp;(both illustrated by Adam Rex), and theandnbsp;andlt;iandgt;New York Timesandnbsp;andlt;/iandgt;bestsellerandlt;iandgt;andnbsp;Extra Yarnandlt;/iandgt;. Heand#8217;s on the board of directors of 826LA, a nonprofit writing center, and founded the Echo Park Time Travel Mart, a convenience store for time travelers. Mac lives in Oakland, California.andlt;bandgt;Adam Rexandlt;/bandgt; has written and illustrated several picture books, including andlt;iandgt;Tree Ring Circusandlt;/iandgt; and andlt;iandgt;Frankenstein Makes a Sandwichandlt;/iandgt; as well as the novel, andlt;iandgt;The True Meaning of Smekdayandlt;/iandgt;. He and his wife live in Tucson, Arizona.