Mitchell Sharmat (1927–2011)

"I, Nate the Great, have something to say. My cousin Olivia Sharp is almost (but not quite) the world's best detective. I solve mysteries. She's an agent for secrets. You won't forget Olivia. She won't let you."
Olivia Sharp is back! Rather than solve mysteries like her cousin Nate, Olivia helps friends with their problems by detecting what's wrong beneath the surface. You'll be won over by Olivia's spunk, eccentricities, and can-do spirit.

Nate, the great detective, and his dog, Sludge, are off to San Francisco! They're going to visit Nate's cousin Olivia Sharp. She's a detective, too, and a very busy one.

Olivia isn't around to solve her case number 22. Her client, Duncan, has lost his joke book. He tells Nate that if the book isn't found--and soon--the world will come to an end. Nate takes the case. He and Sludge cruise up and down and around San Francisco in the limo, tracking down clues. Sticky, icky clues, big and small show more clues, all-around-the-town clues that take them to a pancake house, over the Golden Gate Bridge, and finally to a place that seems wrong but could be right. Can Nate the Great keep the world from coming to an end? Can he solve his first out-of-town case? show less

The Nate the Great series is......well, great! These beginner mysteries are fun, humorous, and easy for children. Nates serious demeanor and fondness for pancakes make him endearing for readers of all ages. Nates quirky friends add to the enjoyment. A wonderful series for both juvenile sleuths and their adult counterparts.

In this installment Oliva Sharpe......Nates cousin, and main character in another series by Sharmat....is on the scene. This is a great fall read!

Desiree has a problem, but it's not what she thinks it is.... Can Olivia, with the help of her loyal cook Mrs. Fridgeflake and chauffeur Willie, help the wannabe princess and save principal Baybreath's school?
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Reread:
Clever and creative, and funny. "Sometimes being rich helps. Sometimes it doesn't." I like that there's a distinction made between being a detective, an agent for secrets, and a spy. I like that nothing is ever as easy as it seems at first, but Olivia persists.

Best if read in show more order, but not necessary. I wish there were more.

(same review for each) show less