Mystery at the Club Sandwich [Hardcover]

Doug Cushman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 18, 2004 | Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

Lola Gale has lost her marbles. Literally. Nick Trunk, private investigator, has been hired to find them. He’s a very good detective, but this case is a tough nut to crack. The only clues are an ostrich feather and lots of peanut butter—delicious peanut butter. Will Nick be able to solve this sticky crime? Monochromatic illustrations give this hilarious whodunit the dramatic feel of an old black-and-white movie, while endearing animals characters, plentiful P.I. and peanut puns, and a suspenseful but-not-too-hard-to-follow mystery make this a crime story that’s hard to put down.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-4 - Nick Trunk, private detective, works for peanuts - he's an elephant. In a deadpan voice, he tells how a beautiful feline walks into his office one morning. She is "trouble" - Maggie Trouble, the assistant to foxy cabaret singer Lola Gale, whose stash of lucky marbles has disappeared. Nick investigates and gathers clues - an ostrich feather, a smudge on the door, an empty jar of expensive peanut butter - and pulls together his list of suspects. He finds the marbles, solves the mystery, and bags the culprit, then moves on to his next case - still working for peanuts. Readers will guess the villain early on but that won't interfere with their enjoyment of the droll story, which is greatly enhanced by delightful illustrations. Cushman uses black watercolor washes, colored pencil, and pastel against a stark white background, suggesting the silver nitrate photographs and popular black-and-white movies of the gumshoe era. The animal characters in their 1930s garb, including Nick in loosened tie, trench coat, and fedora, appear in varying page layouts from partial to full spreads. Nick's conversational tone recalls the famous adult mystery writers of the past; "Sam, Phil, and Dashiell," to whom the book is dedicated, would be proud! - Marie Orlando, Suffolk Cooperative Library System, Bellport, NY
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Review

"With illustrations in a noir-ish gray and a merciless hand with the double entendres...the caper's...a bagful of laughs." KIRKUS Kirkus Reviews

"spoof of noir cinema...charcoal-tinged duotone watercolors, a 1939 calendar and a femme fatale set the smoky ambience." PW Publishers Weekly

"...droll strory...greatly enhanced by delightful illustrations...tone recalls the famous adult mystery writers of the past." SLJ School Library Journal

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Clarion Books; None edition (October 18, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0618419691
• ISBN-13: 978-0618419692
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #144,830 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #72 in Books > Children's Books > Animals > Elephants

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Good, But Not Consistent Enough, May 24, 2005

By 

M. Allen Greenbaum (California) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mystery at the Club Sandwich (Hardcover)

Very Good, But Not Consistent Enough

Boasting a title more clever than its story, "Mystery at the Club Sandwich" pays homage to the mysteries of Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett. The black and white illustrations (against an appealing silvery-white background) the clipped language, and the tough-guy stance all parody the "noir" films and books of the 1940's, and much of it is funny and clever. Unfortunately, Doug Cushman doesn't quite sustain the noir sensibility throughout the book, and the parody flattens somewhat after a promising beginning.

The opening scene is taken from the Bogart version of "The Maltese Falcon." Detective Nick Trunk, an elephant with a slight resemblance to Lee J. Cobb, encounters a pretty, fur-laden kitten in his office. While the private eye's digs aren't shabby enough, there's some angled reflection on the wall, and his client has some `lip' on her:

"One morning, the door to my office opened. In walked a beautiful lady. She looked like trouble.

`My name is Trouble,' she said. `Maggie Trouble. Are you Nick Trunk?"

`That's my name,' I said."

Lola explains --in direct, short sentences-- a nicely convoluted story about how her employer, singer Lola Gale, lost her marbles. Real marbles (for good luck). Trunk replies "I will take your case," but like any two-bit detective he wants his payment up front. The elephant works for peanuts. (He will settle for peanut brittle, however). Witty, clever, and smartly written satire.

The authenticity begins to evaporate when Trunk meets Gale, who looks more like Ms. Dumont in the Marx Brothers movies than a femme fatale. She's staid-looking, with real pearls, and an upscale air. Opportunities for noirish illustrations and biting dialogue give way to a more pedestrian mystery exploring clues, questioning multiple suspects--and repeating jokes and puns about peanut butter. Only the chef (a bespeckled pig) and a walrus working at a diner look like character actors from the films this book tries to emulate. A few clues and an insight later, the mystery is solved, with a final page exploding with puns.

Although Cushman's draws well, and he includes some interesting dialogue and characters, the spoof just doesn't feel authentic enough. A better satire would include and parody more noir elements in a manner that would appeal to a wider age range. Cushman does a good job with some of these ingredients: The snappy dialogue, the drawings of the pig, the walrus, and Lola, the contours of the diner, and, later, a more messy detective office. However, the lighting, the characters (especially Nick Trunk), the names, and much of the whole "look" and tone are not consistently authentic. Younger kids aren't going to get all of the film noir allusions without the help of an older reader. Therefore, the author--more so than in other books--has two audiences, kids and adults, and adults' knowledge of the genre should be satisfied. Still, the book is often snappy, and the kitchen and diner "scenes," and Trunk (when drawn looking weary)fit the style. When the elements are there, there's the possibility of discussion with your younger audience.

Generally speaking, the noir film/book parody is just too easy and overdone. It requires meticulous attention to the details, exploiting them in as many clever ways as possible. While I enjoyed the book, and kids will like the humor and the mystery, it was ultimately a bit disappointing. Note: As mentioned by others, the book is dedicated to "Sam, Phil,and Dashiell": Only the latter is a mystery writer, Sam and Phil refer, as fans know, to the fictional heroes Sam Spade and Phillip Marlowe.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fun children's mystery. Good characters, good plot, September 30, 2004

By 

Harold McFarland (Florida) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mystery at the Club Sandwich (Hardcover)

Written in the style of an old Phillip Marlow detective story but for young children, Mystery at the Club Sandwich is a great story with plenty of amusing word play. Even the pictures are black-and-white like the old movie series. It is the story of Club Sandwich singer Lola Gale (a fox) who lost her marbles - her six lucky marbles. It is up to Nick Trunk (an elephant) to solve the mystery and locate her marbles. With only the clues of a peanut butter smudge and an ostrich feather it will be a hard case to solve. Join Nick Trunk as he investigates the magician entertainer, the cook, and even Ms. Gale's personal employee seeking to solve the crime. Wonderfully written entertainment for adults and children Mystery at the Club Sandwich is a highly recommended book for young children.

5.0 out of 5 stars I work for Peanuts, March 13, 2011

By 

A. T. Milton "GMom of 4" (Suffield, CT) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mystery at the Club Sandwich (Hardcover)

Another appealing mystery by Doug Cushman. My grandchildren love the way he gives clues in his illustrations. The humor is there for children and adults alike. Fun to read, and a good bedtime story.