The Case of the Mystery Weekend (Mathnet Casebook) [Paperback]

David D. Connell (Author), Jim Thurman (Author), Danny O'Leary (Illustrator)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0716765551 | ISBN-13: 978-0716765554 | Publication Date: December 1994

Math detectives George Frankly and Pat Tuesday take a wrong turn going to a mystery weekend and come to a manor where they need their math skills to solve a real mystery.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 5-8--Two pun-filled cases based on the Square One television series. In Weekend, the Mathnet detectives are invited to participate in a murder-mystery overnight. When their fellow guests begin disappearing, it seems at first to be part of the play. Then the Mathnetters discover that they are at the wrong house and realize that a real crime is taking place. The Smart Dummy, Charlie, belongs to a ventriloquist who has gone into shock over the loss of his second puppet. Its case was apparently switched for a suitcase containing one million dollars in counterfeit money. The human performer refuses to talk, so the detectives must communicate with Charlie to recover the missing dummy and apprehend the criminals. Both cases require the use of mathematical logic. The clues are well presented and the solution process is clearly explained. The writing style perfectly mirrors the old Dragnet shows, complete with DUM DE DUM DUM to mark climactic points! Many of the punning references are beyond the intended audience, but the broad humor and mock-serious dialogue will appeal to many readers. Teachers will appreciate the math angle in the stories and the related puzzles at the end of each book.

Elaine E. Knight, Lincoln Elementary Schools, IL

Copyright 1995 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Paperback: 64 pages
• Publisher: W H Freeman & Co (Sd) (December 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0716765551
• ISBN-13: 978-0716765554
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 5.2 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,012,396 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Novelization of Best Mathnet Case, November 30, 2004

By 

George Buttner "Agent0042" (Dayton, Ohio United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Case of the Mystery Weekend (Mathnet Casebook) (Paperback)

This book, written by two Square One TV bigwigs --- David Connell and Jim Thurman is a novelization of what was possibly the best Mathnet case ever. In it, George Frankly and his new partner Pat Tuesday go on a Mystery Weekend after Frankly's wife Martha becomes unavailable. Once there, they find they've taken a wrong turn when guests start disappaering with notes say that "Justice will be done."

Math is cleverly used to solve the problem and explore patterns. The retelling is spot on, with most of the funny stuff from the original story. There's also new material added in and a great lesson told in this book.

4.0 out of 5 stars The role of mathematics in crime solving is explained, November 20, 2000

By 

Charles Ashbacher (Marion, Iowa United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Case of the Mystery Weekend (Mathnet Casebook) (Paperback)

Cliches abound in this enchanting tale of mathematics used to examine crime. En route to a role playing mystery weekend, the two principles take a wrong turn and become involved in a real-life vendetta. Complete with a "dark and stormy night' backdrop, a Gothic style house with abundant secret passages and a proper English butler named Peeved, the action is sure to enchant adolescents of all ages.
The jokes are mostly puns of the groaner variety, but are sometimes subtle enough to require a second thought. The two leading characters are specialists in using mathematics to solve their cases and they move through several possible scenarios in an attempt to find the pattern to the crimes. The main point, that mathematics is more than just arithmetic, is well made and will spark an interest in the other areas that make up the field of mathematics.
This book belongs in every elementary school library and it will be given to my children to read in a few years.