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Module 9: Brixton Brothers Book 2- The Ghostwriter Secret by Mac Barnett


Genre: Mystery

Book Summary:
Steve Brixton is a preteen with a keen eye and a bit of a know-it-all attitude.  He is intent on fulfilling his dream to become a private detective, and he is certain that he has a better chance at solving a mystery than any adult might, even when that adult is his mother's police boyfriend.  Brixton is contacted by his idol, a mystery writer named Bart, to help with a case.  Steve doesn't really have a brother, but his best friend tags along to help.  The two soon discover there is much at risk, even being shot at as the run from the B Syndicate.  They must save a red diamond, a famous author, and themselves.

Barnett, Mac. (2010). The Ghostwriter Secret. NY: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Impressions:
I was a huge fan of Encyclopedia Brown as a kid, so Steve Brixton had some pretty big shoes to fill.  Granted, I was not the target audience for this book.  It is a typical genius kid who shows up every adult kind of fare.  There are plenty of puns and detective noir kind of cheese.  The story tends to be over the top and not exactly believable.  It also isn't exactly the kind of mystery where you can follow along and try to solve it with the protagonist.

Still, there is adventure and the makings of a good story.  Mac Barnett is a good storyteller and Adam Rex is a great illustrator.  Together, they have created a detective team that has the potential to interest many preteen readers, especially boys.  Barnett throws in all the elements a boy might crave in a story, and one can't help but wonder if he's not living out his childhood fantasies through Steve Brixton and Dana.  While I'm not sure the series will have the staying power of Sherlock Holmes or my favorite, Encyclopedia Brown, I do see value in having it on the shelf.

Professional Review:
Partially thanks to his solving The Case of the Case of Mistaken Identity (2009), 12-year-old Steve Brixton has been able to start his own detective agency. Now he’s a real sleuth like his heroes, the fictional Bailey Brothers, no matter what his mother’s lame, cop boyfriend Rick might say to the contrary. Steve gets a call from Victor Fairview, the richest man in Ocean Park, Calif., when Fairview’s red diamond goes missing. Steve solves that case in less than an hour despite Rick’s interference. While charged with guarding the diamond, Steve gets a letter from his idol, MacArthur Bart, author of the Bailey Brothers books. Bart needs Steve’s help! With best friend Dana in tow, Steve sets out to find Bart. Can a detective weaned on a couple of 1950s Hardy Boys clones solve a case with more twists than a…a really twisty thing? Barnett’s second Brixton Brothers mystery continues the whimsically sardonic adventures of everyone’s soon-to-be-favorite clueless-yet-earnest boy detective–wannabe. Shot through with moments of goofiness and dotted with Rex’s black-and-white illustrations, this is sure to please existing fans and win new ones. (Mystery. 8-12)

Kirkus (2010). [Review for the book The Ghostwriter Secret].   Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/mac-barnett/ghostwriter-secret/

 Library Uses:
Mac Barnett uses some interesting techniques to build on the character of Steve Brixton. One of my favorite is the decision for Steve to call his agency Brixton Brothers, despite the fact that he is an only child.  This says so much about Steve as a person, and what he values or hopes for.  Using this as a discussion starter for character development and author techniques for creating characters could lead to some great insights.  Allowing students to develop their own characters for a potential mystery story would be fun.  They could develop the detective, the victim, or even the villain.

 Readalikes :
Eddie: The Lost Youth of Edgar Allen Poe by Scott Gustafson
Cam Jansen Mysteries by David A. Adler
Masterpiece by Elise Broach

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