Dial M for Mongoose

Chet Gecko Mystery #15

by Bruce Hale

The pun-slinging, crime-solving Chet Gecko is at it again in this new mystery of fire and stink!

Genres: Mystery, Childrens, Humor, Fantasy

128 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

A serious book addict, Bruce wanted to be a children's book author since he was in 4th grade (right after he got over wanting to be a pirate, Tarzan, and Daniel Boone). Today he's the author-illustrator of over 70 seriously funny books for kids, so some dreams do come true.

The Malted Falcon, one of his Chet Gecko Mysteries series, was an Edgar Award finalist, and Murder, My Tweet won a Little D Award for Juvenile Humor Writing. Bruce has written everything from picture books and easy readers, to graphic novels and novels.

Bruce's recent Monstertown Mysteries series blends horror and humor, based on his childhood love of monster movies. His other series include Class Pets, about the secret lives of classroom pets, and the forthcoming Outerspace Mystery Pizza Club books, due in 2024.

A Fulbright Scholar (in Storytelling), Bruce is also a popular speaker, both in the U.S. and internationally. He lives in Santa Barbara with his wife and knuckleheaded dog Riley. When he's not writing or reading, you may find him hiking, kickboxing, or singing with a latin-jazz band called Mezcal Martini.

Reviews

[Sharon Skinner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bruce Hale's Chet Gecko series is seriously funny noir parody. Love the characters' names.

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first Chet Gecko mystery we read was Trouble Is My Beeswax: A Chet Gecko Mystery. I started reading it to our girls over two years ago and it didn't go over so well. In fact, I just gave up reading it to them and finished it myself. They were too young to understand the puns and the hard-boiled detective speak that is humorously woven throughout the story. In fact, I think these books are more for the adults reading with the children than for the children themselves - the humor is just too subtle.

But in any case, I love mysteries and we all love geckos, so we decided to give it another shot. Our girls have enjoyed this tale, even if they didn't get all the detective lingo and puns. I explained many of them, but it kinda interrupts the flow of the story if I have to stop and explain all the dialogue. Still, it's an entertaining mystery and it's full of suspense and action. And the ending was bizarre, but entertaining. We enjoyed reading this book together.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

If Chet Gecko had a "best case" in his tattered casebook, he would go on and look at this one. Chet Gecko's most recent mystery (right?) is definitely the most dramatic, heroic, and tense of them all. Villains are revealed in lights they wouldn't be suspected in, we realize that no one can be as forlorn as the assistant janitor, and we know that Chet's willing to go into a burning building to save someone's life! Now, how many students can say they've done THAT for their fellow mates?

[Luca · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was nasty, really over the edge with all that. Gecko always has a way for dealing with the things done wrong.

[Krithi]

I thought it was a very funny and mysterious book.Chet gecko Private- Eye had another mystery case to find out. Who trying to fire the janitor and why?