Drake Doyle and Nell Fossey, fifth-grade science detectives, solve a series of mysteries, uncovering the ghost in the Glum mansion, repelling an alien invasion, foiling a fixed carnival contest and avoiding a bridge disaster. Told in ten short chapters with snappy dialogue and plenty of humor, each of these four episodes involves a real scientific phenomenon: amplification of sound waves, electromagnets, invasive plant species and the natural resonance that led to the collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. In finding their solutions, the two make use of the scientific method, carefully explained in the backmatter. There are also instructions for the reader's own related scientific experiments and activities. The experiments are engaging, the directions are clear and the science behind them is solid. Newman’s occasional ink-and-wash illustrations add to the fun. Aspiring science detectives and their teachers will welcome the return of these super-sleuths. Those new to this appealing series, which began with The Case of the Grasping Garbage (2000), will want to seek out the four earlier titles. (Mystery. 8-11)
