Cam Jansen and the Mystery Writer Mystery

Table of Contents

 

 

“What about my car?” Danny’s father asked again.

“I solved that mystery,” Jim E. Winter said as he walked into room 17. “I know what happened to your car. Now I have to sign more books.”

Jim E. Winter took a hanger from the coatrack. He took off his raincoat and hat and hung them up. Then he turned and faced Danny’s father.

“Your car was stolen,” Jim E. Winter said. “That’s what happened to it. Now you must call the police. And I have to sign more books.”

Jim E. Winter quickly left the room.

“Hey,” Mr. Pace said. “He didn’t solve this mystery. If he did, I would have my car.”

Danny turned to Cam. “Now it’s up to you,” he said. “It’s up to you to find my dad’s car.”

PUFFIN BOOKS
Published by the Penguin Group
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First published in the United States of America by Viking,
a division of Penguin Young Readers Group, 2007
Published by Puffin Books, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group, 2008

Text copyright © David A. Adler, 2007

 

Illustrations copyright © Joy Allen, 2007
All rights reserved
THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS HAS CATALOGED THE VIKING EDITION AS FOLLOWS:
Adler, David A.
Cam Jansen and the mystery writer mystery / by David A. Adler ;
illustrated by Joy Allen.
p. cm.
Summary: Cam Jansen battles a famous children’s mystery writer
to see who can solve the case of the stolen car.

eISBN : 978-1-101-09809-7

 

The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume
any responsibility for author or third-party Web sites or their content.

For Tzvi Lewisohn, my neighbor with the great story ideas

—D.A.

 

 

To my grandson Curt, a great reader and friend, who takes me on many adventurous trails and mysteries

—J.A.

“‘I can solve it!’ Barry Blake says at the start of each book. ‘I can solve any mystery.’ He’s so smart,” Cam Jansen told her mother. “He’s strong, too. He once lifted the front of a truck just to find a clue.”

“Yes,” Mrs. Jansen said. “But do you remember what else he always says? ‘I can solve any mystery and be home in time to help Mom with dinner.’ He’s a very good son.”

It was a cold, rainy December night. Cam and her mother were on their way to school. It was the night of the yearly book fair. Jim E. Winter, the author of Cam’s favorite books, the My Name Is Blake Mysteries, would be there.

“It’s so difficult to drive in this weather,” Mrs. Jansen said, and leaned forward. “With all this rain and the cold, it’s hard to see out. The car windows are all fogged up.”

Cam’s mother was stopped at a traffic light. She took a tissue and wiped the inside of the front window.

“Did you ever see a picture of Jim E. Winter?” she asked Cam.

“Yes. There’s one on the back of each of his books.”

“I bet there’s no fog on your memory,” Mrs. Jansen said. “Tell me what he looks like.”

Cam closed her eyes. She said,
“Click!”
Then Cam said, “I’m looking at a picture of Jim E. Winter. He’s really young. He has a dark bushy mustache and lots of dark wavy hair.”

The light changed to green.

Mrs. Jansen drove slowly.

Cam said, “In the picture he’s wearing a polka-dotted bow tie and a striped shirt.”

Cam has what people call a photographic memory. She remembers just about everything she’s seen. It’s as if she has a camera and a file of pictures in her head.

Cam said,
“Click!”
again.

“On the cover beneath the picture,” Cam said with her eyes still closed, “is lots of information. It says, ‘Jim E. Winter was once a police detective. He’s written more than one hundred books. He lives near a forest and has a dog named Jake.’”

When Cam wants to remember something she’s seen, she closes her eyes and says,
“Click!”
Cam says it’s the sound her mental camera makes.

Cam’s real name is Jennifer, but when people found out about her amazing memory, they called her “The Camera.” Soon “The Camera” became just “Cam.”

Mrs. Jansen was just about to turn onto the school’s front drive. “We’re finally here!” Mrs. Jansen said. “And I’m glad. It’s not easy driving in this rain.”

Cam opened her eyes.

“Mom! Be careful!” Cam said. “Someone is walking just ahead.”

Mrs. Jansen stepped on the car’s brakes. She waited for the man to cross the road. Then she drove past the front of the school to the side parking lot.

“Button your coat,” Mrs. Jansen told Cam when she stopped the car. “Put on your rain hat.”

Mrs. Jansen took an umbrella from the backseat. She opened it. Then she and Cam hurried into the school.

There was a large mat by the door. Cam and her mother wiped their shoes.

A sign directed them to hang their coats in room 17. Mrs. Jansen closed her umbrella. She and Cam hung their coats, hats, and umbrella in room 17.

Beth Kane and her father were in the room, too.

“Hi, Cam,” Beth said.

“Hello,” Beth’s father said, and shook Cam’s hand. “It’s nice to see you again.”

Cam smiled. “Thanks.”

Mr. Kane shook Mrs. Jansen’s hand.

“Your daughter is amazing,” he said. “You must be so proud of her.”

Mrs. Jansen smiled. “And Cam has told me how nice and smart Beth is.”

Then, as they were about to leave room 17, Danny and his parents entered the school.