Module 9: Mystery at the Club Sandwich by Doug Cushman

Summary

Detective Nick Trunk, who just happens to be an elephant, must help Lola Gale find her marbles. Lola is a singer at Club Sandwich. Nick finds a suspicious clue of peanut butter, which leads him to several suspects, but he must narrow it down to one and find Lola's marbles.

Bibliographic Citation

Cushman, D. (2004). Mystery at Club Sandwich. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co..

Impressions

Adults will appreciate the black and white old detective story appeal of this one. Children will enjoy trying to solve the mystery along with Nick Trunk. I would not rate it as a top mystery for young readers because of the author's style and verbage, which would be understood more by adults than children.

Reviews

Gr 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"
Reviewed January 1, 2005-School Library Journal

In this black-and-white spoof of noir cinema and All About Eve, pachyderm detective Nick Trunk investigates a foxy lounge singer who literally has lost her marbles. Nick takes the case from a kitten named Maggie Trouble who works backstage at the Club Sandwich and conceals her showbiz aspirations. "I work for peanuts," the world-weary elephant grumbles, so Maggie prepays him in brittle and they proceed to the nightclub. Nick next meets Maggie's boss, a real vixen. "Every night, before I sing, I hold my marbles," the fox tells Nick, and now her lucky charms have vanished. Nick soon finds a mysterious trace of "very expensive peanut butter." Other, less delicious clues arise, but Nick stubbornly samples peanut-butter confections; readers have to wait for him to catch up with their deductions. This amusing buildup trumps the conclusion, in which the perp's intentions remain cloudy and the punishment (jail) seems excessive (given that the marbles are hidden in almost plain sight). Cushman (the Aunt Eater mysteries) pays homage to Casablanca and The Maltese Falcon with his protagonist and a dedication to "Sam, Phil and Dashiell." Charcoal-tinged duotone watercolors, a 1939 calendar and a femme fatale set the smoky ambience, and Nick's baggy-eyed expression, rumpled trench coat and jaded hands-in-pockets slouch are those of a seasoned movie P.I. Cushman sets the generic pieces in place, but his faux-crime story wraps up less effectively than parodies such as last season's Tuff Fluff by Scott Nash. Ages 5-9. (Oct.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information. -Publishers Weekly

Library Settings

This book cold be used in a book talk program about mysteries for young readers. Children can participate by helping the reader solve the mystery.