Disappearing Acts

Overview

When Herculeah Jones's best friend, Meat, decides to take a comedy class, he just expects to get a few laughs. But then he discovers a dead body in the bathroom, and realizes that there's nothing funny about murder. Things can't get any worse--until the body disappears! Meat needs Herculeah's help to uncover the clues, but she's busy investigating a case of her own . . . one that might just change Meat's life forever!

Editorial Reviews

Herculeah Jones, the girl whose hair frizzes whenever danger lurks, is back. This time, there are actually two mysteries to solve. The first involves pictures on an unfinished roll of film that Herculeah finds inside a camera she purchases at a resale shop. The second puzzle revolves around finding out about a dead body that her friend Meat claims to have seen at the comedy club where he is taking classes. The overweight boy finds the body in a bathroom stall, but it disappears before anyone else sees it. Meat is a reluctant detective, but, with a wallet he picked up from the bathroom floor as his only clue, he embarks on a mission to prove what he saw. Herculeah, on the other hand, is so involved in her photos that she leaves her friend to solve the case with minimal help from her or her detective dad, Chico Jones. The clues are nicely wrapped up at the finish. The novel is fast paced and humorous with both characters learning about themselves while working on their respective problems. By the end, Meat also learns who his father is and discovers that his bulk can become as asset. The book can stand alone, but Herculeah's fans will not be disappointed.?Linda L. Plevak, Alamo Area Library System, San Antonio, TX

Author Information

Bio of Betsy Byars

Betsy Cromer Byars was born in1928. She graduated from Queens College in Charlotte, North Carolina. While she was in graduate school, she began writing articles for The Saturday Evening Post and Look. Byars writes novels for young people. She is an expert at tapping in to the pain of adolescence, using bits of her own experience to flavor her characters. She is author of more than 23 books and has won numerous awards. Her book about a 14-year-old girl and her mentally retarded brother, The Summer of the Swans (1970), won the Newberry Award as the most distinguished contribution to children's literature that year. Other books include The 18th Emergency (1973), The TV Kid (1976), and After the Goat Man (1995).

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Additional Info

Imprint

Penguin

Filesize

223.64 KB

Number of Pages

144

eBook ISBN

9781101124901

Awards

• Emphasis on Reading Award
• Iowa Children's Choice Award