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Bait for a Burglar
Beware the Pirate Ghost
Backstage with a Ghost
Ebook series14 titles

Casebusters Series

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About this series

Inside a time capsule, Brian and Sean discover a decades-old mystery
In 1918, the people of Redoaks buried a time capsule full of messages for the future. Besides all the grown-up stuff, the fourth-graders of 1918 included a packet of letters to the fourth-graders of today—which means Sean Quinn is about to get a letter straight from the past! But when it comes time to crack the capsule’s seal, Sean and his brother Brian learn that its contents could change the town’s future forever. Boris Vlado, the only surviving member of the fourth-graders of 1918, warns the boys that the time capsule holds a dangerous secret. But when they open the capsule, there’s nothing inside! To find out why, Brian and Sean will have to solve a historic mystery that involves bank robbery, corruption, and the most valuable stamp collection Redoaks has ever seen.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateOct 16, 2012
Bait for a Burglar
Beware the Pirate Ghost
Backstage with a Ghost

Titles in the series (14)

  • Backstage with a Ghost

    Backstage with a Ghost
    Backstage with a Ghost

    The Casebusters investigate accidents at an abandoned theater—where a ghost is the chief suspect! Ever since the new mall opened on the other side of Redoaks, the area around the historic Culbertson Theater has been abandoned. But when a local developer wants to bulldoze the area and turn it into a shopping center, someone inside the theater decides to take matters into his own hands—hands that may be alive or dead. After a sandbag falls on a building inspector’s shoulder—the latest in a string of suspicious accidents—kid detectives Brian and Sean Quinn decide to investigate. Sean’s friend Sam suspects it is the work of the ghost of Horatio Hamilton, an actor who died in the theater decades before, but Miss Beezly—the strange old woman who runs the theater—says that Horatio’s ghost is too polite for such misbehavior. Someone is pulling these dangerous pranks, and Brian and Sean better find out fast—in case the next sandbag falls on a detective!

  • Bait for a Burglar

    Bait for a Burglar
    Bait for a Burglar

    While working on a local TV news show, Brian gets the scoop of a lifetime Brian Quinn signed up for journalism class expecting an easy A. But as he quickly finds out, there’s nothing simple about reporting the news. Brian is nervous when his teacher asks him to appear on That’s News 2 Me—a local news program run by children—but he goes along with it, hoping for a chance to hang out with Estella, the class’s star student. But when he starts reporting his story, this kid reporter stumbles on a very grown-up crime. A burglar has been raiding Redoaks, breaking into houses and making off with expensive electronic equipment. And when Brian tries to report on the High-Tech Burglar, his producer tells him to stay away from the story. But when a clue to the burglar’s identity falls into his lap, Brian is faced with a tough decision. Should he disobey the producer and break the news to the world, or let a criminal go free?

  • Beware the Pirate Ghost

    Beware the Pirate Ghost
    Beware the Pirate Ghost

    When a spoiled kid disappears, the Casebusters go spelunking with a pirate’s ghost Sean and Brian Quinn have never liked Lester Hopper. The seven-year-old is spoiled rotten, and looks down on every kid he knows—even the ones who are taller than him! But one night, Lester disappears and a ransom note warns the Hoppers not to contact the police. The Casebusters are going to need to solve their most serious mystery yet—a possible kidnapping. Before he disappeared, Lester was diagnosed with a lung infection, and he needs to take his medicine again soon or he’ll get very sick indeed. But was Lester kidnapped, or did he run away? Whatever the answer, all the clues point to one destination: the town’s oldest cave, which is said to be haunted by the ghost of a dead pirate. To save Lester, Brian and Sean will have to match wits with a swashbuckler who’s been dead for centuries.

  • Catch a Crooked Clown

    Catch a Crooked Clown
    Catch a Crooked Clown

    When the circus comes to town, a clown and his monkey get into trouble Kid detectives Brian and Sean Quinn are on their way home when they see a clown causing a commotion outside the mall. The Star-Spangled Circus has just rolled into town, and Crackers the clown and his faithful monkey are there to promote it. But just as Sean is about to get a good look at the monkey, it escapes its collar and runs off, leading a frantic chase through the mall. and while the primate runs wild, someone uses the distraction to rob the stores. To the Quinn kids, it looks like this clown is pretty serious—about crime. But that night, the clown’s son asks Brian and Sean to help him prove that his father wasn’t even at the mall, and that the stores were robbed by an imposter. To get to the bottom of this big-top mystery, the Casebusters will learn that under their makeup, not all clowns are smiling.

  • Check in to Danger

    Check in to Danger
    Check in to Danger

    While on vacation in Oregon, Chris and Sean encounter a meat-locker mystery Piney Point is one of the most beautiful places Sean and Brian Quinn have ever seen, but as far as Brian is concerned, it’s not half as pretty as Jennifer Hicks. And getting to know the hotel manager’s daughter while his younger brother goofs off in the pool sounds like the perfect vacation. But when a string of thefts upset Brian’s new friend, vacation is over, and the Casebusters spring into action. Large amounts of expensive meat have been disappearing from the Piney Point kitchens, and Jennifer’s dad can’t figure out who’s the thief. Could it be the bellhop? The chef? Or even the security manager? Brian and Sean had better figure it out quickly, or they’ll end up just like the missing steaks—dead meat!

  • Fear Stalks Grizzly Hill

    Fear Stalks Grizzly Hill
    Fear Stalks Grizzly Hill

    On a walk in the woods, Sean and Brian find a scary footprint Sean Quinn does not like the sound of spending a weekend in a neighborhood named Grizzly Hill. Although his friend Alan assures him the development has been bear-free for a century, Sean is not convinced. The woods are thick and dark, and there’s an old grizzly den not far from Alan’s house. And when Brian discovers a strange footprint on a forest path, Sean starts to wish he had stayed at home with Mrs. Peabody, the babysitter. She’s not any fun, but at least she’s not a bear! Brian decides the print is too small to be a full-grown grizzly, but it could be a cub. Against Sean’s wishes, they follow the tracks into the forest. If there are bears in the woods, Brian wants to know. And if the animal is something even stranger, he can’t wait to find out!

  • The House Has Eyes

    The House Has Eyes
    The House Has Eyes

    The new kid in school has a poltergeist problem, and only the Casebusters can help Everybody in Redoaks knows the old Everhart mansion is haunted. For years now, lights have flickered around the abandoned property at night, scaring away any local family who might be tempted to buy it. But when the Colliers move in from out of town, they don’t know any better. For Brian and Sean’s new friend Charles, bedtime is about to get spooky. Lucky for Charles, Sean and Brian are the Casebusters—expert detectives who have handled ghosts before. The phantoms inside Charles’s house won’t leave easily, though. And Brian and Sean are going to have to come up with something clever, quickly—or else Charles may never get a good night’s sleep again.

  • Secret of the Time Capsule

    Secret of the Time Capsule
    Secret of the Time Capsule

    Inside a time capsule, Brian and Sean discover a decades-old mystery In 1918, the people of Redoaks buried a time capsule full of messages for the future. Besides all the grown-up stuff, the fourth-graders of 1918 included a packet of letters to the fourth-graders of today—which means Sean Quinn is about to get a letter straight from the past! But when it comes time to crack the capsule’s seal, Sean and his brother Brian learn that its contents could change the town’s future forever. Boris Vlado, the only surviving member of the fourth-graders of 1918, warns the boys that the time capsule holds a dangerous secret. But when they open the capsule, there’s nothing inside! To find out why, Brian and Sean will have to solve a historic mystery that involves bank robbery, corruption, and the most valuable stamp collection Redoaks has ever seen.

  • The Legend of Deadman's Mine

    The Legend of Deadman's Mine
    The Legend of Deadman's Mine

    While on vacation at a dude ranch, the Casebusters chase a horse thief Sean and Brian Quinn can’t think of anywhere cooler than the Austin Dude Ranch. Although neither has ever ridden a horse, they’re positive that playing cowboy is going to become their favorite pastime. But before they can learn to rope and ride, they’re going to have to practice their other favorite hobby: solving mysteries. A racehorse has been stolen from the neighboring farm, and the ranch’s owners think that their horses may be the next to disappear. To find the missing pony, Brian and Sean will have to confront something even more scary than horse thieves: the ghost of the crazy old gold prospector who is said to haunt a nearby abandoned mine. Whether the culprit is living or dead, Brian and Sean must catch him faster than they can say, “Giddy-up!”

  • The Internet Escapade

    The Internet Escapade
    The Internet Escapade

    When an Internet prank turns serious, Sean becomes the main suspect Bored in computer class, Sean Quinn and his friend Matt decide to liven things up with a little computer prank. But the laughs stop quickly when they accidentally hurt a younger student’s feelings, earning themselves a quick trip to the principal’s office. That night, Sean receives an anonymous email praising him for the prank, and promising to avenge his punishment by causing trouble at the school. The next day, a virus wreaks havoc with the school computers, and the principal suspects Sean of being the mastermind! To keep himself out of trouble, Sean asks his brother Brian to help him find the hacker behind the anonymous email. Catching criminals in the real world is tough enough, but when a crook decides to hide behind the computer screen, it will take every trick in the Casebusters’ arsenal to bring this cyber-thug to real-world justice.

  • Sabotage on the Set

    Sabotage on the Set
    Sabotage on the Set

    Sean gets his chance at stardom, but a Hollywood jinx stands in his way A movie is being filmed in Redoaks, and Sean Quinn wants to be a part of it. The movie is called New Guy in Town, and it stars famous child actors Dakota Wayne and Justin Moore. The director needs someone to serve as Justin’s stand-in on the set, and when he sees Sean, he knows he’s found the right boy. Sean may not end up on screen, but he is going to be part of a movie! That is, if the movie ever gets made. Hollywood insiders have been whispering from the start that New Guy in Town is jinxed. The production moved to Redoaks after fires, theft, and injuries derailed the original attempt to film in Hollywood. And as the filmmakers try to get back on track, the jinx keeps rearing its ugly head. To make sure he gets his shot at the big time, Sean and his brother Brian will have to find out who’s behind the accidents before the cameras roll.

  • The Statue Walks at Night

    The Statue Walks at Night
    The Statue Walks at Night

    The sons of a private detective investigate a crazy art museum caper—and try to avoid a spooky statue! Ever since they were very young, Brian and Sean Quinn have helped their father solve mysteries. Even though their dad is a professional detective, he always likes to hear his kids’ opinions. Sometimes they even help him catch a crook! But when a pair of priceless Leonardo da Vinci drawings disappears from the local art museum, their father is stumped, and only the boys can crack the case. The robbery was an inside job, which means the drawings could be anywhere—even inside the museum. Sean and Brian inspect the premises and get to know the staff. And everything goes fine until they get to the Anubis Room, where the famous Egyptian statue is rumored to come alive at night. The Quinn boys will nab the thief—as long as the statue doesn’t catch them first!

  • The Statue Walks at Night

    The Statue Walks at Night
    The Statue Walks at Night

    The sons of a private detective investigate a crazy art museum caper—and try to avoid a spooky statue! Ever since they were very young, Brian and Sean Quinn have helped their father solve mysteries. Even though their dad is a professional detective, he always likes to hear his kids’ opinions. Sometimes they even help him catch a crook! But when a pair of priceless Leonardo da Vinci drawings disappears from the local art museum, their father is stumped, and only the boys can crack the case. The robbery was an inside job, which means the drawings could be anywhere—even inside the museum. Sean and Brian inspect the premises and get to know the staff. And everything goes fine until they get to the Anubis Room, where the famous Egyptian statue is rumored to come alive at night. The Quinn boys will nab the thief—as long as the statue doesn’t catch them first!

  • Secret of the Time Capsule

    Secret of the Time Capsule
    Secret of the Time Capsule

    Inside a time capsule, Brian and Sean discover a decades-old mystery In 1918, the people of Redoaks buried a time capsule full of messages for the future. Besides all the grown-up stuff, the fourth-graders of 1918 included a packet of letters to the fourth-graders of today—which means Sean Quinn is about to get a letter straight from the past! But when it comes time to crack the capsule’s seal, Sean and his brother Brian learn that its contents could change the town’s future forever. Boris Vlado, the only surviving member of the fourth-graders of 1918, warns the boys that the time capsule holds a dangerous secret. But when they open the capsule, there’s nothing inside! To find out why, Brian and Sean will have to solve a historic mystery that involves bank robbery, corruption, and the most valuable stamp collection Redoaks has ever seen.

Author

Joan Lowery Nixon

Joan Lowery Nixon (1927–2003) was a renowned author of children’s literature, best known for series like the Orphan Train Adventures and Casebusters. Born in Los Angeles, she began dictating poems to her mother before she could read. At the University of Southern California, Nixon majored in journalism, but took a job teaching the first grade upon graduating. In 1949, she and her husband moved to Corpus Christi, Texas, and in 1964 she published her first novel, The Mystery of Hurricane Castle. Nixon became a fan of mystery fiction when she was a child, and many of her most popular series incorporate elements of sleuthing. She won four Edgar Awards for best young adult mysteries, including prizes for her novels The Kidnapping of Christina Lattimore (1979) and The Name of the Game Was Murder (1993). In addition to writing more than 140 young adult novels, Nixon also co-wrote several geology texts with her scientist husband.      

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