Detective Stanley and the Mystery at the Museum

This boldly illustrated graphic novel series kickoff by Tunnicliffe (A French Wedding, for adults) and Harrison (The Honey Bear Hive) stars a pancake-loving, Sherlock-style black and white dog with floppy ears and piercing eyes as the eponymous sleuth. While eating breakfast on what should have been his first day of retirement ("The only puzzles he'd be solving would be jigsaws"), Stanley receives an urgent plea to dust off his deerstalker cap: someone has left the local art museum in disarray, yet nothing appears to be missing, not even Composition Deux, a prized abstract painting by Bleat Mondrian (a playful nod to Piet Mondrian, the subject of the book's afterword). Despite a brief setback-jealous rhino Superintendent Shiro imprisons him for alleged watch theft-Stanley's keen nose and oil painting knowledge lead him to uncovering the crime and its culprit. Clear line drawings and single-plane compositions propel the meaty, joke-punctuated plot at a brisk pace and echo the crisp geometry and vibrant colors of Mondrian's work. * Publishers Weekly *
A canine gumshoe has a case to solve. The newly retired Detective Stanley has just sat down to a stack of fresh pancakes when a mysterious letter arrives. [...] Stanley must crack the case-his very freedom depends on it. This Poirot-esque pooch quietly uses his powers of observation to gather evidence until the climactic scene in which he elegantly ties everything together. Bustling, precisely constructed panels give the settings plenty of life and personality. The museum is full of homages to well-known artists; a work of art by "Bleat" Mondrian is an especially winsome addition. The scenes are bursting with other eye-catching details, particularly those in the prison[...]The book concludes with some context about oil paintings, playfully presented inside modernist rectangles of color. The arrival of a plucky new detective on the scene is cause for celebration.(Graphic fiction. 6-9) * Kirkus Reviews *
Detective Stanley has an unerring nose for solving any case, and you, dear reader, will love this lovely book. -- Laura Suàrez * author of Monster Support Group *
Art and mystery collide in this first in a new series, in which a doggy detective is called to investigate a case at the Art Museum. Readers will learn about the art of Piet Mondrian while accompanying Stanley as he attempts to unravel the clues. -- Charlotte Eyre * The Bookseller Children's Previews February 2025 *
On the eve of retirement, Detective Stanley is lured back to solve one last case: a mystery at the Narlybone Museum's Mondrian exhibition. Will he be able to tear himself away from his pancakes long enough to crack the case? Detailed illustrations with plenty of pun-tastic nods to classic crime and the real world make this a gorgeous mystery themed graphic novel appealing to early readers and their grown-ups too! (7+) -- Ruth Concannon * The Irish Examiner - 'Children's book reviews: 12 books for March with Children's Book Ireland' *
In clear, crisp art, brief text and a smidge of humor, this early graphic novel mystery is an entertaining art-related read. [...] Early grade mystery lovers who enjoy a smart, literary but easy to read mystery will snap this one up. -- Stephanie Tournas * Youth Services Book Review *
Aiming at young readers with a mystery that educates. Hannah Tunnicliffe and Erica Harrison have pitched Detective Stanley almost perfectly. Like an Agatha Christie detective he's bland and polite while nothing escapes his notice, and he's placed in eye-catching environments with plenty for readers to study. [...] The mystery is good, and the solution well foreshadowed and presented, the latter also a la Christie with everyone gathered in the one room for the revelation. This is a delight. More please. -- Frank Plowright * Slings and Arrows Graphic Novel Guide *
This graphic novel is wonderfully illustrated! The art is so charming, and the mystery within the story is truly captivating. It gave me a nostalgic feeling, much like the whimsical world of Richard Scarry's books! -- Patrycja Kostecka * Waterstones Customer Review *
Detective Stanley may be retired, but his crime-solving days aren't quite behind him. Just as he sits down to enjoy a stack of pancakes, he receives a letter begging for his help with a baffling case at the museum. Though everything is in disarray, nothing appears to be stolen-or so it seems. As Stanley pieces together the clues, readers will enjoy trying to solve the mystery before the big reveal. This easy-to-read graphic novel features large panels, bright and engaging colors, and a mix of descriptive text and speech bubbles that bring the story to life. The fast-paced plot and humorous moments make it an appealing choice for young ­readers, especially those who love mysteries. VERDICT A must-have graphic novel for any collection, particularly in ­libraries where mysteries are in demand. * SLJ - Fiction Series Made Simple *
When the morning of his first day of retirement delivers a letter pleading for help, Detective Stanley pushes aside his stack of pancakes to flex his legendary sleuthing skills just one more time. Though nothing's missing, the flop-eared beagle doggedly surveys every detail of the vandalized museum. Framed for theft, he considers clues from his jail cell. Returned in handcuffs, he reveals both crime and criminal, wowing a crowd by reciting his sensory observations that cracked the case. Filled with bold outlines and rich colors, the cleverly constructed panels pack witty details into a flattened picture plane. Cheerful Scarry-esque characters inhabit this punny world infused with artful nods to modernist abstraction-the mystery centers on a "Bleat Mondrian" painting, for instance. Introducing a detective combining the lofty intellect of Hercule Poirot with the deadpan affect of Wallace and Gromit, this graphic panel tale trots out all the classic tropes of detective fiction. Featuring an engaging conclusion profiling painter Mondrian, and promising another clever caper ahead, these experienced creators have devised a witty addition to the canon of animal detectives. -- Rebecca Thornburgh * Booklist Review *