Kin Platt (1911–2003) was the author of the perennially popular I Can Read Book Big Max, as well as several outstanding young-adult novels and the Max Roper mystery series for adults. Mr. Platt was also a noted cartoonist.
I remember finding this at my school's library when I was a kid and loved it so much I decdided to try and find it as an adult. Problem was, I couldn't remember the title and could only remember various plot points. I'm not surpised that it's now out of print and I could only find a beat up copy on eBay,. The thing is, as I began reading it, I could remember how much I loved this book. I must have read it ten or twenty times. Platt's book is a simple fun read that moves quickly and while it may lack a lot of details it somehow works because of its simplicity.. It's a book written for kids so you're not going to get a lot of in depth plot or character developments. Larry is spending the summer working for his grandmorher and sees a man who bears a striking resemblance to Dracula and when he checks into the same hotel Larry's aunt owns Larry is a bit freaked out and begins to do some diigging into who this mysterious guest is. The book itself is a mere 76 pages but could have gone on a lot longer. The mysterious A.R. Claude is an interesting character and his reason for visiting the hotel is intriging. Why does he keep coming back? Could he really be a vampire? Platt keeps things simple and ends the book with a solid, yet simple resolution. You wish the book was longer. maybe even filled with more details on the accident that took the life of Claude's assistant three years ago. While it may lack a few details it's a fun little read that I'm glad I was able to track down. it took me years to find this bookl and a mere fifteen minutes to read. Platt's book is short, but not a bad read and makes you wonder if maybe there's a real vampire visiting his aunt's hotel. We of course know the trurh but what if vampires were real?
I'm sure that this book was very interesting to me at the time that I read it. I remember it being an actual mystery and having a sense of accomplishment when I had finished it.