This third hilarious Wild Willie Mystery (Wild Willie and King Kyle Detectives, 1993; The Losers Fight Back, 1994) reunites Willie with Kyle, who has moved back to the neighborhood. Problems arise when Kyle meets Willie’s new best friend, Lucy. Soon Willie is involved in a “Friend War” as Kyle and Lucy battle for his attention. Only the lure of a mystery waiting to be solved rescues the troubled trio from imminent disaster. Kyle has moved into the former home of now-deceased Loony Loraine Lamonde, a crime show enthusiast and hermit; strange noises convince him that the house is haunted. Joosse deftly captures the exuberance of childhood: At one point, Willie exclaims, “We were gasping. We were sweating. We were scared stiff. We were having the time of our lives.” His witty commentary combined with the outlandish plot and practical resolution make this rousing tale a success. Truesdell’s whimsical pen-and-ink drawings depict the humorous predicaments and add to the entertainment, right down to the dissolution of the Friend War and Lucy’s declaration: “Three minds are sure better than one.” (Fiction. 7-10)
