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Bruce’s Year In Books

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Bruce Hale’s Followers (133)

Bruce’s Bookshelves

to-read (540)
currently-reading (9)
read (1360)
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Bruce’s Friends (1,167)

Cleverly Chloé

316 books | 1,243 friends

Kristen Valenzuela

5,297 books | 80 friends

Jayce Senter

2,134 books | 89 friends

Christina Widener

964 books | 108 friends

Leslie Ann

1,014 books | 1,950 friends

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876 books | 12 friends

Author & Book Promotions

107 books | 4,759 friends

Lyn

891 books | 1,096 friends

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Bruce Hale

Goodreads Author

Born

October 30

Website

http://www.brucehale.com/

Twitter

storyguy1

Genre

Children's, Mystery, Horror

Influences

Raymond Chandler, Dr. Seuss, Tom Robbins ...more

Member Since

January 2008

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A serious book addict, Bruce wanted to be a children's book author since he was in 4th grade (right after he got over wanting to be a pirate, Tarzan, and Daniel Boone). Today he's the author-illustrator of over 70 seriously funny books for kids, so some dreams do come true.

The Malted Falcon, one of his Chet Gecko Mysteries series, was an Edgar Award finalist, and Murder, My Tweet won a Little D Award for Juvenile Humor Writing. Bruce has written everything from picture books and easy readers, to graphic novels and novels.

Bruce's recent Monstertown Mysteries series blends horror and humor, based on his childhood love of monster movies. His other series include Class Pets, about the secret lives of classroom pets, and the forthcoming Outerspa ...more

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Combine Editions
Bruce Hale’s books

Average rating: 3.89 · 12,460 ratings · 1,669 reviews · 113 distinct works • Similar authors

	Clark the Shark by Bruce Hale (Goodreads Author), Guy Francis (Illustrator) 3.92 avg rating — 1,747 ratings — published 2013 — 8 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Too Many Treats by Bruce Hale (Goodreads Author), Guy Francis (Illustrator) 4.39 avg rating — 1,208 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Chameleon Wore Chartreuse (Chet Gecko Mystery #1) 3.75 avg rating — 717 ratings — published 2000 — 21 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Snoring Beauty by Bruce Hale (Goodreads Author), Howard Fine (Illustrator) 3.88 avg rating — 661 ratings — published 2008 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Big Bad Detective Agency (1) 3.66 avg rating — 445 ratings — published 2015 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Clark the Shark Dares to Share by Bruce Hale (Goodreads Author), Guy Francis (Illustrator) 3.82 avg rating — 422 ratings — published 2013 — 8 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Playing with Fire (School for S.P.I.E.S., #1) 3.98 avg rating — 345 ratings — published 2013 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Mystery of Mr. Nice (Chet Gecko Mystery, #2) 3.90 avg rating — 309 ratings — published 2000 — 19 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Clark the Shark: Tooth Trouble (I Can Read Level 1) by Bruce Hale (Goodreads Author), Guy Francis (Illustrator) 3.81 avg rating — 302 ratings — published 2014 — 8 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Farewell, My Lunchbag (Chet Gecko Mystery, #3) 3.98 avg rating — 268 ratings — published 2001 — 24 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Bruce Hale…

25 posts
Bruce Hale's Blog

How do I make my characters sound different from each other?

Dear Writer Guy, I often get feedback that my characters sound the same (voice). What process do you recommend to build distinctions in each character’s voice? Thanks, Judy Dear Judy, At the root of it, this is first a matter of getting out of YOUR head and getting into your characters’ heads. Early on, all our characters might sound the same because we haven’t really worked…

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Series by Bruce Hale

Clark the Shark (10 books)
by

Bruce Hale (Goodreads Author),

Guy Francis (Illustrator)

3.95 avg rating — 4,918 ratings

Chet Gecko Mystery (15 books)
by

Bruce Hale (Goodreads Author)

3.87 avg rating — 2,804 ratings

SCHOOL FOR S.P.I.E.S. (3 books)
by

Bruce Hale (Goodreads Author),

Brandon Dorman (Illustrator)

4.10 avg rating — 569 ratings

Monstertown Mysteries (3 books)
by

Bruce Hale (Goodreads Author)

3.96 avg rating — 132 ratings

Class Pets (4 books)
by

Bruce Hale (Goodreads Author)

3.68 avg rating — 138 ratings

More series by Bruce Hale…

Bruce is Currently Reading

Bruce is currently reading

Written in Dead Wax (The Vinyl Detective, #1)

by Andrew Cartmel (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

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10 hours, 38 min ago

Bruce is currently reading

Both Things Are True

by Kathleen Barber (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Jan 12, 2026 03:44PM

Bruce is currently reading

The Savage, Noble Death of Babs Dionne

by Ron Currie

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Jan 12, 2026 03:43PM

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Bruce’s Recent Updates

Bruce rated a book really liked it The President's Brain is Missing by John Scalzi (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
9 hours, 24 min ago · like
Bruce wants to read Twelve Months (The Dresden Files, #18) by Jim Butcher (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
9 hours, 25 min ago · like
Bruce is currently reading Written in Dead Wax (The Vinyl Detective, #1) by Andrew Cartmel (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
10 hours, 38 min ago · like
Bruce entered a giveaway The Wild Huntress by Emily Lloyd-Jones (Goodreads Author) 3 copies available, ends on February 15, 2026 Enter to win »
16 hours, 3 min ago · like · see giveaway · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Wild Huntress by Emily Lloyd-Jones. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Wild Huntress by Emily Lloyd-Jones <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Bruce is currently reading The President's Brain is Missing by John Scalzi (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jan 19, 2026 06:20AM · like
Bruce rated a book liked it People Watching by Hannah Bonam-Young (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jan 19, 2026 06:20AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of People Watching by Hannah Bonam-Young. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — People Watching by Hannah Bonam-Young <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Bruce rated a book really liked it Dating After the End of the World by Jeneva Rose (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jan 19, 2026 06:20AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Dating After the End of the World by Jeneva Rose. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Dating After the End of the World by Jeneva Rose <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Bruce finished reading Dating After the End of the World by Jeneva Rose (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jan 19, 2026 06:19AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Dating After the End of the World by Jeneva Rose. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Dating After the End of the World by Jeneva Rose <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Bruce rated a book really liked it The Burglar on the Prowl (Bernie Rhodenbarr, #10) by Lawrence Block (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jan 14, 2026 12:16PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Burglar on the Prowl by Lawrence Block. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Burglar on the Prowl by Lawrence Block <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Bruce wants to read Humor Me: How Laughing More Can Make You Present, Creative, Connected, and Happy by Chris Duffy	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jan 14, 2026 11:11AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Humor Me by Chris Duffy. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Humor Me by Chris Duffy <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">

More of Bruce's books…

Quotes by Bruce Hale (?)

“First," said Ms. Johnson, "I want you to know that you are all winners,"

Why do grown-ups always say that? Duh,we know we're not all winners.”
― Bruce Hale, Prince of Underwhere

4 likes

“Sometimes the writing flows, sometimes it's like wading through concrete. But I keep showing up each day, whether the Muse joins me or not.”
― Bruce Hale

2 likes

“air." Jack scowled. His practice had really paid off—his whole face bunched up like a muscle-man's fist. Rocky and Bosco pushed up to standing. Rocky's brawny shoulders flexed like two”
― Bruce Hale, Trouble Is My Beeswax: A Chet Gecko Mystery – A Funny Mystery Chapter Book About a Cheating Scandal at Elementary School for Kids

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Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
Coffee & Books: Jonny's List and Challenges.	2	33	Sep 21, 2011 12:01PM
The Next Best Boo...: The Title Game	20218	14601	May 30, 2013 12:53PM
2026 Reading Chal...: Kat's 150, 2015 Challenge	21	94	Dec 30, 2015 08:39PM
Cozy Mysteries : Title and Author Game, Round 2	15570	1207	Mar 21, 2016 09:15AM
Cozy Mysteries : Mystery ABC's, Round 2	12168	1137	Mar 21, 2016 12:30PM
Cozy Mysteries : Title and Author game, Round 4	16049	655	Jan 05, 2019 04:49AM

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Bruce’s Quotes

“Let everything happen to you
Beauty and terror
Just keep going
No feeling is final”
― Rainer Maria Rilke

tags: enjoy-life, fearlessness, live-in-the-moment

5500 likes

Bruce’s Friend Comments

Comments (showing 1-1) post a comment »

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message 1: by Lisa

Jun 01, 2012 08:12PM

Thanks for connecting here! See you in LA! :-)

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Bruce’s Year In Books

Bruce Hale’s Followers (133)

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Bruce’s Bookshelves

Bruce’s Friends (1,167)

Bruce Hale

Goodreads Author

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Combine Editions
Bruce Hale’s books

25 posts
Bruce Hale's Blog

How do I make my characters sound different from each other?

Series by Bruce Hale

Bruce is Currently Reading

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Bruce’s Recent Updates

See a Problem?

Preview — The Wild Huntress by Emily Lloyd-Jones

See a Problem?

Preview — People Watching by Hannah Bonam-Young

See a Problem?

Preview — Dating After the End of the World by Jeneva Rose

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Preview — Dating After the End of the World by Jeneva Rose

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Preview — The Burglar on the Prowl by Lawrence Block

See a Problem?

Preview — Humor Me by Chris Duffy

Topics Mentioning This Author

Bruce’s Quotes

Bruce’s Friend Comments

Bruce Hale’s Followers (133)

Bruce Hale

Goodreads Author

Popular Answered Questions

rssBruce’s Recent Updates

See a Problem?

Preview — The Wild Huntress by Emily Lloyd-Jones

See a Problem?

Preview — People Watching by Hannah Bonam-Young

See a Problem?

Preview — Dating After the End of the World by Jeneva Rose

See a Problem?

Preview — Dating After the End of the World by Jeneva Rose

See a Problem?

Preview — The Burglar on the Prowl by Lawrence Block

See a Problem?

Preview — Humor Me by Chris Duffy

Topics Mentioning This Author

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Bruce’s Recent Updates