Detective Fiction for Young Readers

Chris McGee teaches Children's Literature as well as Film courses at Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia.

Introduction

Chapter One

A Game You Want to Win: The Westing Game and the Art of the Classic Mystery

Chapter Two

A Game You Are Allowed to Play: The Puzzling World of Winston Breene, Puzzles, and Apprenticing Young Sleuths

Chapter Three

Down These Mean Hallways: The Big Splash and The Enduring Appeal of the hardboiled Story

Chapter Four

Detecting Power: The Parker Inheritance, Maizy Chen’s Last Chance, Tangerine, Enola Holmes, and Other Updates on the Kid Sleuth

Chapter Five

Ersatz Solutions: The Metaphysical Tradition from Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events to When You Reach Me, Turtles All the Way Down, The Deathly Hallows, and Other Recent Attempts at Anti-Detection

Conclusion

Counterfeit Mysteries: The London Eye Mystery, Disability, Neurodiversity, Thinking Deeply, and Why It So Hard to Write a Good Mystery