The Parrot Squawks at Midnight Case File 1

Ripley Kool and the Investigators #1

by Thomas Lockhaven

This edition features vibrant, full-color illustrations.

Three teens, a missing parrot, and a treasure hunt—welcome to the quirky world of Ripley Kool and the Investigators!Ripley, Gilly, and Alexis are called upon by Mrs. Cornthumper, an elderly woman with an unusual case. Her beloved parrot, Thaddeus, has been stolen. Despite her doubts about the trio's seriousness and expertise, Mrs. Cornthumper hires them. She reveals that her late husband left a coded letter, decipherable only with the help of Thaddeus, who holds the key to the treasure.
As they bumble through the investigation, from boats to pawn shops, the trio encounters hilarious mishaps and unexpected twists. But even with their quirks and comedic moments, they show a surprising knack for detective work.
Can Ripley, Gilly, and Alexis retrieve Thaddeus and unlock the treasure's secrets?

Fans of The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew will love the laugh-out-loud adventures in the Ripley Kool and the Investigators series.
Join Ripley, Gilly, and Alexis on their first exciting case—buy "The Parrot Squawks at Midnight" today and discover the treasure hidden within!

134 pages, Hardcover

Published September 1, 2024

About the author

So grateful to have won the prestigious Mom’s Choice Award! Thank you!

You can blame my 7th grade English teacher, Mr. Ownby. I began writing mysteries in middle school, with gripping titles like, The Secret in The Swamp and The Ghost of Hollow Lake—Mr. Ownby, would kindly read them, and then encourage me to keep writing and reading the classics. His words, some day I'll be reading your mysteries with the rest of the world inspired me.

Forty years later, I was able to fulfill my dreams and become a full time writer. When I began writing, I decided that my books would be a safe-haven from the real world. My children's series all have strong messages of perseverance, thinking outside the box, friendship and loyalty. I have a daughter, and as I work through my manuscripts, I always try to imagine what I can say to inspire and entertain at the same time.

For my cozy readers, I spent much of my life traveling to small coastal towns in North Carolina and then later in my life to the coastal towns in New England. I've always loved the idiosyncrasies of the locals, and I've always wanted to bring them to life in a book series. My Coffee House Sleuths stories are just that. And just like my children's books, I endeavor to write stories that are clean, with very little violence and no profanity. I do my best to help people disappear from the craziness of life, even if just for a little while.

I currently live in Boston, but my dream is to move to a small coastal town, stare out over the ocean, and to let the words flow. I have an incredible wife who constantly inspires and encourages me- and an amazing daughter who is my most harsh, but loving critic. As I said earlier, my passion is to write and to continually improve and perfect my craft. For those of you who read my books, I humbly thank you. For those of you who have never read my books, I welcome you with open arms.

Reviews

[B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Filled with humour and relatable characters, this was a quick read for me and F10.
While the pace of it was a bit too fast for my liking, and involved lots of dialogue with limited description, instead relying on occasional pictures to set the scene, I could see this being very enjoyable for children and younger tweens.

The three main characters have distinct personalities, and a character who is constantly eating will always have my heart. I hope the 3 teens become slightly more polite over time, but I look forward to hearing about their adventures.

If you want a short story or serial-esque mysteries for children to read, this would be for you.

I received a free copy of this book via Twisted Key Publishing and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Grinning Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cat’s Stats
Genre- Mystery
Audience- Middle-Grade Readers
Detectives- Gilly, Ripley, and Alexis
Crime- theft of parrot (Thaddeus)
Victim - Mrs. Cornthumper

Mewsings
The Parrot Squawks at Midnight is funny and intelligent. The characters are delightful and the solution, clever. Parents can rest assured that this book is appropriate for middle-grade readers; there is no bullying and the characters never resort to foul language. Kids will enjoy this book. I loved it!.

I received a free copy of this book via Twisted Key Publishing and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is all kinds of kooky fun! I loved the kids and their quirky personalities. They each brought something different to the group and they balance each other quite well. I absolutely loved the names of characters which were hilarious. The story is age appropriate but enjoyable for all readers. Loved the illustrations! Quick lighthearted and just plain fun!.

I received a free copy of this book via Twisted Key Publishing and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Big Fat Hairy Man · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ripley and his investigator friends, Gilly and Alexis, are hired by the elderly Mrs. Cornthumper to track down and save her best friend, Thaddeous the parrot. Not only that but the bird holds the key to finding a treature. This is a fun, teen-based mystery with plenty of twists and turns and comedy to entertain the reader.

I received a free copy of this book via Twisted Key Publishing and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Phthon · Rating 5 out of 5]

BWAHAHAHA! What an absolutely laugh-inducing trio of teens! Gully is all serious and business-like. Ridley is probably the most normal of the three despite his propensity for preposterous puns. Alexis…well…she is a bottomless hole of hunger with a crazy sense of the ridiculous. I love her. I had so much fun reading this delightful quest to find the missing parrot,Thaddeus and the pirate booty of a fortune in pieces of eight. Fantastic story!

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this fast paced and witty story, Mrs Cornthumper hires a trio of teenage sleuths to find out who has kidnapped her beloved parrot, Thaddeus, and solve the riddle of her late husband’s treasure trove. Ripley, Alexis and Gilly complement each other’s characters and although I found them a little irritating at times, I’m sure they will hold lots of appeal for young readers. The illustrations are lovely and enhance the story as they add description to the text which is quite dialogue based. Overall an appealing story for 8-13 year old readers.
I received a free copy of this book via Twisted Key Publishing and am voluntary leaving a review.

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This kid powered sleuthing team story book is filled with colorful graphics, and quirky and colorful characters.

They might stumble a bit, but teamwork makes this dream team pretty efficient at mystery solving in the end.

Love insightful pet companions and enthusiastic energy throughout.

[Cheryl Hollingsworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's such fun to read along as Ripley, Gilly, and Alexis solve the mystery - and, thankfully, save Thaddeus! Although this book is geared to towards 8-12 year olds, it's a fun read for adults too! And the pictures are great!.

I received a free copy of this book via Twisted Key Publishing and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was not Thomas Lockhaven's best effort. Ripley seemed more of a side character than the main character - as the series title would suggest - and Alexis was pointless in my opinion. Even though we were disappointed in this book, my niece and I will continue with the series as we have always enjoyed Mr. Lockhaven's work and hope for better stories to come.

[Susan Belman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect kids mystery book! Each character adds a little bit of their own uniqueness making this a fun and easy read. The Illustrations add just enough to help a young reader picture a scene in their mind.

[Cyndi Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really well done. The mystery was well written. The characters were cute and there was a lot of humor. I would think kids ages 8-13 or so would really enjoy this story.

I received a free copy of this book via Twisted Key Publishing and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Antoinette Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun read. The characters are smart and quirky. The story is interesting and moves at a good pace. Great for any kid with quick wit, who enjoys a fun mystery.