"In Tim Collins's fun puzzle quest novel Sherlock Bones and the Mystery of the Vanishing Magician , a detective dog and his Watsonesque cat companion are embroiled in an epic caper involving hypnosis, a passel of animals, and a series of puzzles ranging from mazes to math problems. Punctuated by goofy illustrations and puzzles ranging from simple to challenging , the story is a cheeky send-up of the chemistry between Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. Compelling bad guys abound , and the narrative makes great use of animals' natural characteristics to amplify their strengths and downfalls. [An] amusing, witty adventure novel. " -- Foreword Reviews PRAISE FOR THE SERIES: "Award-winning author Tim Collins . uses a witty and engaging style to fashion this twisty mystery. His action-packed text provides plenty of clues to encourage readers to guess the culprit's identity.
All in all, Sherlock Bones and the Case of the Crown Jewels -- Bones's "trickiest case yet" -- should have young readers brandishing their very own magnifying glasses. -- Shelf Awareness "Thirty puzzles, mazes, and games--illustrated with careful attention to detail by Bigwood (the Buster Practice Workbooks series) and sprinkled with droll visual puns--are featured throughout, providing readers with opportunities to assist in the investigations. Collins (the Zero to Hero series) remains largely faithful to the source material's spirit, serving up an energetic introduction to classic literary characters via a cunning, fur-raising adventure ." -- Publishers Weekly " A variation on the Choose Your Own Adventure format of stories. The book is scattered with diagrams, mazes and spot the difference picture puzzles, which all enhance the excitement of the story. This is a good romp of a mystery. " -- The School Librarian on Sherlock Bones and the Case of the Crown Jewel.